Jimmy Cooney (Galway hurler)
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| Native name | Séamus Ó Cuana (Irish) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 July 1955 Bullaun, County Galway, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 31 July 2023 (aged 68) Bullaun, County Galway, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Farmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Hurling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left corner-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 17:27, 2 February 2013. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jimmy Cooney (28 July 1955 – 31 July 2023) was an Irish hurler who played as a left corner-back at senior level for the Galway county team.
Born in Bullaun, County Galway, Cooney first arrived on the inter-county scene when he made his senior debut in the 1979 championship. Cooney went on to play a key part for Galway for a brief period, and won one All-Ireland medal. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.
As a member of the Connacht inter-provincial team at various times, Cooney won one Railway Cup medal in 1980. At club level he was a one-time Connacht medallist with Sarsfields. In addition to this he also won two championship medals.
Throughout his career Cooney made 9 championship appearances. His retirement came following the conclusion of the 1982 championship.
His brother, Joe, also had a lengthy career with Galway.
In retirement from playing, Cooney became an inter-county referee. He is best remembered for blowing the full-time whistle five minutes early during the All-Ireland semi-final between Offaly and Clare in 1998, prompting Offaly fans to stage a sit down protest in Croke Park. Clare were winning at the time, however, Offaly won the subsequent re-fixture.
Jimmy Cooney died on 31 July 2023, at the age of 68.