At club level he played with Blackrock and St. Michael's and was also a member of the Cork senior football team.
He was part of the club's minor team that won three successive Cork MHC titles from 1967 to 1969.
[1] His performances at underage club level earned a call-up to the Cork minor hurling team and, after losing the 1968 All-Ireland minor final to Wexford, went on to secure consecutive All-Ireland MHC titles in 1969 and as team captain in 1970.
[2][3] Kavanagh was drafted onto the Cork under-21 team while still a member of the minor side and he won three All-Ireland U21HC titles in four seasons from 1970 to 1973.
[5] Kavanagh was part of the St. Michael's senior team that lost three successive Cork SFC finals from 1976 to 1978.