Séamus Cleere

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Séamus Cleere
Personal information
Sport Hurling
Full name Séamus Cleere
Place of birth Bennettsbridge , County Kilkenny
Club information
Club Bennettsbridge
Position Half-back
Inter-County
County Kilkenny
Position Half-back
Inter-County(ies)**
County Years Apps (scores)
Kilkenny 1960s
Senior Inter-County Titles
Leinster Titles 0
All-Ireland 2
All Stars 5

* club appearances and scores
correct as of .
**Inter County team apps and scores correct
as of .

Séamus Cleere (born 1940) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Bennetsbridge and Kilkenny in the 1960s.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Séamus Cleere was born in Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny in 1940. He was educated locally and quickly started playing club hurling with his local Bennetsbridge.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Club

Cleere played his club hurling with his local Bennettsbridge club. He had much success with the side in the 1960s, winning six Kilkenny SHC titles in all.

[edit] Inter-county

Cleer's hurling skills were quickly spotted by the inter-county selectors, and he joined the Kilkenny senior team at the start of the 1960s. Cleere won a National Hurling League medal in 1962, as well as claiming a Kilkenny SHC medal at the end of the year. As a result of this win he was appointed captain of the Kilkenny team for 1963. That year he won his very first Leinster title, before guiding Kilkenny to an All-Ireland victory over Waterford. His performance throughout the championship earned him the coveted Texaco Hurler of the Year award, the first Kilkenny man to win the prize.

In 1964 Cleere captainLeinster to Railway Cup victory, before later claiming his second Leinster championship medal. Unfortunately Kilkenny were defeated by Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. In 1965 he won another Railway Cup medal, before capturing his second National League medal and his third Leinster championship medal in 1966. Kilkenny were subsequently defeated by a very young Cork team in the All-Ireland final. In 1967 Cleere captured his third and final Railway Cup medal, before later claiming his fourth Leinster championship medal. This was subsequently converted into his second All-Ireland medal, following a victory over Tipperary. Cleere won his fifth Leinster medal in 1969, however, a knee-injury kept him out of the All-Ireland final which Kilkenny won. In spite of this he was still awarded with a third All-Ireland medal and he retired following the conclusion of the championship.


Preceded by
Jimmy Doyle
(Tipperary)
All-Ireland Hurling Final
winning captain

1963
Succeeded by
Mick Murphy
(Tipperary)
Preceded by
Donie Nealon
(Tipperary)
Texaco Hurler of the Year
1963
Succeeded by
John Doyle
(Tipperary)

[edit] Teams