Paddy Kelly (hurler)

Patrick Kelly (born 1955) is an Irish hurling coach and former player. At club level, he played with Kilmallock and at inter-county level with the Limerick senior hurling team.

Paddy Kelly

Personal information
Irish name	Pádraig Ó Ceallaigh
Sport	Hurling
Position	Left wing-forward
Born	1955 Kilmallock, County Limerick, Ireland
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Occupation	Secondary school teacher
Club(s)
Years	Club
1973–1995	Kilmallock
Club titles
Limerick titles	6
Munster titles	2
All-Ireland Titles	0
Colleges(s)
Years	College
	National College of PE
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles	0
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County	Apps (scores)
1974–1987	Limerick	20 (0-50)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles	3
All-Irelands	0
NHL	2
All Stars	1

Playing career

Kelly played hurling at all levels as a student at Charleville CBS and won consecutive Munster Colleges U16½HC titles in 1971 and 1972.^[1] He was also involved in athletics and won an All-Ireland underage title in the 880yd.^[2] Kelly later studied at the National College of Physical Education in Limerick and lined out in various inter-varsities hurling competitions.^[3]

At club level, Kelly first played for Kilmallock at juvenile and underage levels and was part of the club's minor team that won consecutive Limerick MHC titles.^[4] He was in his final year of the minor grade in 1973 when he joined Kilmallock's senior team and went on to win three consecutive Limerick SHC titles.^[5] Kelly won six Limerick SHC titles on total, while he also claimed two Munster Club SHC medals.^[6] He captained Kilmallock to a 1-17 to 2-07 defeat by Sarsfields in the 1993 All-Ireland club final.^[7]

At inter-county level, Kelly first appeared for Limerick during a two-year tenure with the minor team that lost consecutive Munster MHC finals in 1972 and 1973. He immediately progressed to the under-21 team before making his senior team debut in July 1974. Kelly was later a substitute for Limerick's defeat by Kilkenny in the 1974 All-Ireland final.^[8]

Kelly won consecutive Munster SHC medals in 1980 and 1981, while he was again a substitute for Limerick's defeat by Galway in the 1980 All-Ireland final.^[9] He was the team's top scorer when Limerick claimed consecutive National Hurling League titles in 1984 and 1985.^[10] Kelly was also honoured with an All-Star award in 1984.^[11]

Performances at inter-county level for Limerick resulted in Kelly being called up to the Munster inter-provincial team. He won a Railway Cup medal in 1985 when he was part of the Munster team that beat Connacht by 3-06 to 1-11 in the final.^[12]

Coaching career

Kelly was involved in coaching at all levels in his role as a teacher at the Abbey CBS in Tipperary. He managed the school's senior team to All-Ireland Colleges SBHC titles in 1992 and 2002.^[13][14]

Honours

Player

Charleville CBS

• Munster Colleges Under-16½ Hurling Championship: 1971, 1972

Kilmallock

• Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship: 1992 (c), 1994
• Limerick Senior Hurling Championship: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1985, 1992 (c), 1994
• South Limerick Senior Hurling Championship: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1981 (c), 1987, 1990
• Limerick Minor Hurling Championship: 1972, 1973

Limerick

• Munster Senior Hurling Championship: 1974, 1980, 1981
• National Hurling League: 1983–84, 1984–85

Munster

• Railway Cup: 1985

Management

Abbey CBS

• All-Ireland Colleges Senior B Hurling Championship: 1992, 2002