On 18 November 2012, he was introduced as a 35th-minute substitute when St Thomas' defeated Loughrea by 3–11 to 2–11 to win the Galway Senior Championship.
[3] On 16 October 2016, Cooney was at centre-back when St Thomas' defeated Gort by 1–11 to 0–10 to win their second ever Galway Senior Championship.
[4] On 18 November 2018, Cooney won a third Galway Senior Championship medal from centre-back after a 2–13 to 0–10 defeat of reigning champions Liam Mellows.
[5] Cooney first played for the Galway minor hurling team on 28 July 2012 in a 4–20 to 2–11 defeat of Wexford in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
[6] He was eligible for the minor grade again the following year and, on 8 September 2013, was at centre-back for Galway's 1–21 to 0–16 defeat by Waterford in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park.