At club he played with Shinrone and Borrisokane, and also lined out at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team.
[2] At inter-county level, McKenna followed his brother Tim by earning a call-up to the Tipperary senior hurling team in 1929.
[3] McKenna, whose brother Jack was also a member of the team, lined out at full-back when Tipperary beat Dublin in the 1930 All-Ireland final.
[5] Another nephew, Joe McKenna, played hurling with Offaly before winning an All-Ireland SHC medal with Limerick in 1973.
McKenna died from esophageal cancer at St Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire on 28 August 1956, at the age of 53.