He played hurling with his local club Newcestown and with the Cork senior inter-county teams[2] in the 1990s.
His inter county career began as a Cork minor hurler in 1986.
In 1993 he won a National Hurling League medal with Cork after the epic three match saga with Wexford.
After a few years away from the game at a high level (he played for the 3rds' of Newcestown in 2009 ) he was persuaded to join Valley Rovers.
As a neighbouring parish and a club beset with inner turmoil at the time, many regarded this appointment as a poison chalice.