Vincy Twomey

Vincent Twomey was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1950 until 1956.

Playing career

Club

Twomey played his club hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and enjoyed much success. He won numerous county senior championship titles with ‘the Glen’ throughout the 1950s and early 1960s.

Inter-county

Twomey first came to prominence with the Cork senior hurling team in the early 1950s at a time when Cork hurling was at a low ebb. After a period in the wilderness the Cork team bounced back in 1952 with O'Riordan winning a third Munster winners' medal following a defeat of three-in-a-row All-Ireland champions Tipperary in the provincial decider.^[1] Dublin provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final with Twomey returning for that game. ‘The Dubs’ were completely outclassed by Cork on that occasion. In spite of only leading by three points at half-time Cork won easily by 2-14 to 0-7 and Twomey picked up a coveted All-Ireland winners' medal.^[2]

1953 began well for Cork with Twomey collecting a National Hurling League title after a defeat of Tipperary.^[3] The success continued later on that summer as Twomey added a second Munster title to his collection after Tipperary were accounted for in the provincial final.^[4] The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Galway take on Cork, however, 'the Rebels' were victorious by 3-3 to 0-8 and Twomey added a second All-Ireland medal to his collection. The game has gone down in history as one of the dirtiest All-Ireland deciders ever.^[5]

In 1954 Twomey was still a key member of the team as Cork set out on their three-in-a-row trail. Tipperary fell to Cork by 2-8 to 1-8 in the provincial final, giving the ‘Glen’ man a third consecutive Munster winners' medal.^[4] A third All-Ireland final appearance beckoned for the Cork man, with Wexford providing the opposition. A record attendance of nearly 85,000 people packed into Croke Park to witness the Munster champions defeating the Leinster champions by 1-9 to 1-6.^[5] While Christy Ring captured a record-breaking eighth All-Ireland medal, Twomey picked up a third consecutive winners' memento.

Cork lost their provincial crown in 1955; however, the following year Cork reached the Munster final once again. Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion; however, Cork recorded a 5-5 o 3-5 victory. It was Twomey’s fourth Munster winners' medal on the field of play.^[4] Cork later lined out in the All-Ireland final with Wexford providing the opposition. The game has gone down in history as one of the all-time classic games as Christy Ring was bidding for a record ninth All-Ireland medal. The game turned on one important incident as the Wexford goalkeeper, Art Foley, made a miraculous save from a Ring shot and cleared the sliotar up the field to set up another attack. Wexford went on to win the game on a score line of 2-14 to 2-8 and Twomey was left with an All-Ireland runners-up medal.^[6]

Inter-provincial

Twomey also lined out with Munster in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success. He first lined out with his province in 1955. That year he picked up his first Railway Cup winners' medal as Munster trounced Connacht by 6-8 to 3-4. Twomey lined out with Munster again in 1956, however, Leinster were victorious on that occasion.^[7]

References

Teams