Ray Cummins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ray Cummins (born November 9, 1948) is a former Irish sportsperson who played Gaelic football and hurling for Blackrock and Cork in the 1970s. He was named in the full-forward position on the Gaelic Athletic Association's "Hurling Team of the Millennium."
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Born in Ballinlough, Cork in 1948, Ray Cummins is considered one of the great players of his generation and one of the greatest dual players of all time. A very tall, slim player, generally towering over his opponents, he used his physical attributes to telling effect by punching many fine points in Gaelic football and 'catching high' and delivering winning scores in hurling. Cummins honed his hurling and football skills during street games in the 1950s on the Ballinlough Road, and later carried his skills to the nearby Blackrock and St. Michael's clubs. He attended Coláiste Chríost Rí where, along with his brothers Brendan and Kevin, he became part of the sporting success of the school.
[edit] Playing career
In the early 1960s Cummins went for a trial with the Cork Under-15 hurling team and, in one of the major oversights of Cork hurling, a future star was turned away. He was subsequently accepted onto the minor team. However, having lost the minor hurling final of 1966, Cummins went on and won two Under-21 All-Irelands in 1968 and 1969. By this time he was studying engineering at University College Cork where he played on the college hurling and football teams, winning Fitzgibbon Cup, Siegerson Cup and Cork Senior Hurling Championship honours. In 1969 Cummins made his first appearance on the Cork senior hurling side, winning his first Munster Championship title, advancing to the All-Ireland Hurling Final but losing out to Kilkenny. Although ending up on the losing side that day Cummins made history by becoming the first player to wear a hurling helmet in Croke Park.
In 1970 Cork were back and Cummins won his second Munster medal and overcame Wexford in the final to claim his first All-Ireland title. In 1971 his talents turned to the Cork football team where he won a Munster Championship medal as well as an All Star Award for his prowess. A return to hurling in 1972 saw Cummins win another Munster title, but once again Cork lost out to Kilkenny in a classic All-Ireland final. In 1973 he turned his attentions back to football, winning a second Munster title, as well as his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title. Cummins was a central part of the Cork team that once again defeated Kerry in the 1974 Munster final. It was after this win that he decided to retire from football and concentrate on hurling. In 1975 he won his fourth Munster Championship medal in hurling, the first of five-in-a-row for Cummins with Cork. He was a key figure in the forward line of that great Cork team that went on to win three successive All-Ireland titles in 1976, 1977 and 1978. In 1982 he won his ninth Munster hurling medal but, in a pattern that had repeated itself during his career, once again lost out to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. It was to be his last outing for Cork as he later decided to retire from inter-county hurling.
[edit] Retirement
At the time of his retirement Cummins had won every single honour in the game. He had won four All-Ireland hurling titles, one All-Ireland football title and 12 Munster titles in both hurling and football, 11 of which were won in succession between 1969 and 1979. He also won a host of winners medals with UCC, Blackrock and with Munster footballers and hurlers in the Railway Cup. His All Star Awards include two in 1971 (one for hurling and one for football), 1972 (hurling), 1973 (football) and 1977 (hurling). He was honoured by the GAA in 2000 by being named on the "Hurling Team of the Millennium", marking him out as the greatest full-forward of all-time.
[edit] Honours
| Competition | No. | Years |
|---|---|---|
| HURLING HONOURS | ||
| All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships | 4 | 1970, 1976, 1977, 1978 |
| Munster Senior Hurling Championships | 9 | 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982 |
| National Hurling Leagues | 3 | 1970, 1972, 1980 |
| All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championships (Blackrock) | 2 | 1973, 1978 |
| All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championships | 2 | 1968, 1969 |
| Railway Cups | 3 | 1970, 1976, 1978 |
| Hurling All-Star Awards | 3 | 1971, 1972, 1977 |
| FOOTBALL HONOURS | ||
| All-Ireland Senior Football Championships | 1 | 1973 |
| Munster Senior Football Championships | 3 | 1971, 1973, 1974 |
| National Football Leagues | 1 | 1980 |
| Railway Cups | 1 | 1972 |
| Football All-Star Awards | 2 | 1971, 1973 |
| Preceded by: Gerald McCarthy |
Cork Senior Hurling Captain 1976 |
Succeeded by: Martin O'Doherty |
| Preceded by: Billy Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny) |
All-Ireland Hurling Final winning captain 1976 |
Succeeded by: Martin O'Doherty (Cork) |
 |
GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium | |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Tony Reddin | 2 John Doyle | 3 Nick O'Donnell | 4 Bobby Rackard | 5 Paddy Phelan | 6 John Keane | 7 Brian Whelehan | 8 Lory Meagher | 9 Jack Lynch | 10 Christy Ring | 11 Mick Mackey | 12 Jim Langton | 13 Eddie Keher | 14 Ray Cummins | 15 Jimmy Doyle | |
||
| Cork Hurling Team of the Millennium | ||
|---|---|---|
|
1 Ger Cunningham | 2 Brian Corcoran | 3 Seán Óg Murphy | 4 John Horgan | 5 Paddy Fitzgerald | 6 Jim O'Regan | 7 Jim Young | 8 Gerald McCarthy | 9 Jack Lynch | 10 Seán Condon | 11 Christy Ring | 12 Eudie Coughlan | 13 Johnny Quirke | 14 Ray Cummins | 15 Paddy Barry | |
||
