Oliver Baker (born 14 July 1974) is an Irish former hurler who played as a midfielder for the Clare senior hurling team.
Baker made his first appearance for the team during the 1994–95 National League and became a regular member of the starting fifteen over the next decade.
He served as a selector with Clare, Westmeath and Antrim, before taking over as manager of the Offaly senior hurling team for two seasons.
He won a county intermediate championship medal in 1993, propelling St Joseph's Doora-Barefield into the senior ranks and towards future success.
[5] St Joseph's subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final and the chance to become the second team in history to retain their title.
Although trailing at half-time, substitute Éamonn Taaffe scored a crucial goal to propel Clare to a 1–13 to 2–8 victory.
Clare were well on top for much of the game, but Liam Cahill and Eugene O'Neill scored twice for Tipp in the last ten minutes.
John Leahy missed a goal chance in the last minute while another Tipp point was controversially ruled wide.
While Clare were installed as the favourites to retain their All-Ireland crown, a series of bizarre events led to one of the most controversial championship summers ever.
After a number of disappointing championship seasons, Clare surprised the hurling world by qualifying for the All-Ireland final again in 2002.
Baker's side put up a good fight against Kilkenny, but a combined tally of 2–13 for both Henry Shefflin and D. J. Carey gave 'the Cats' a seven-point victory.
[9] Baker continued to line out with Clare for the next two seasons but called time on his inter-county career following the team's exit from the 2004 championship.
[13] In spite of a Munster final appearance in 2008, the management team came under pressure the following year with McNamara eventually resigning.
On 10 October 2011 it was announced that Baker was to succeed Joe Dooley as manager of the Offaly senior hurling team.