Jer Doheny

Jeremiah Doheny (1874–1929) was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Threecastles and Tullaroan and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1893 until 1905. Doheny had the distinction of captaining Kilkenny to their very first All-Ireland title in 1904.

Biography

Jer Doheny was born in Ballycallan, County Kilkenny in 1874. The son of John and Annie Doheny and a cousin of another great Kilkenny hurler, Pat 'Fox' Maher, he was educated locally and later, like many of his contemporaries, he worked as a farmer in nearby Tullaroan. Doheny was an all-round sportsperson who also played cricket in the early 1890s, however, he later concentrated on the game of hurling.^[1]

Playing career

Club

Doheny played his club hurling with the famous Tullaroan club in Kilkenny and enjoyed much success over the course of two decades. He won his first county senior championship winners’ medal with the club in 1895 as Tullaroan defeated Thresscastles. Two years later in 1897 Doheny added a second county title to his collection when Mooncoin were trounced in the final. After surrendering the title again in 1898 Tullaroan were back the following year. A 3-6 to 1-5 victory in the county final gave Doheny a third county title. The early years of the new century saw Tullaroan continue their dominance of the county championship. Doheny was a key player as the club annexed back-to-back county titles in 1901 and 1902. After their three-in-a-row bid faltered Tullaroan were back in 1904, with Doheny picking up a sixth county winners’ medal. Defeat in the next two county finals was followed by success in 1907. It was Doheny’s seventh championship victory with his club. He finished off his club career by winning back-to-back county champions winners’ medals in 1910 and 1911. Doheny also won a county final with the Threecastles club, bringing his tally of county championship winners’ medals to ten.

Inter-county

Doheny first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in 1893. That year Kilkenny faced no competition in the Leinster Championship and received a bye straight into the All-Ireland final.^[2] Cork provided the opposition in that game and won the game on probably the most unsuitable playing field in hurling history. After someone had neglected to get the grass cut at Ashtown, both teams moved to the Phoenix Park were the game took place. A comprehensive 6-8 to 0-2 score line resulted in Doheny ending up on the losing side.^[3]

Kilkenny failed to field a team the following year, however, in 1895 'the Cats' were back. A 1-5 to 0-5 defeat of Dublin gave Doheny a second Leinster title, his first on the field of play. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Kilkenny against Tipperary. It was the first ever championship decider to be played in what is now Croke Park and Tipp tore 'the Cats' apart. Paddy Riordan is said to have scored all but one point of Tipperary's tally of 6-8. Kilkenny only mustered 1-10, the goal coming from Mick Coogan. It was Doheny's second time ending up on the losing side on All-Ireland final day.^[4]

After surrendering their provincial title in 1896, Kilkenny received a bye from Wexford the following year in the Leinster final. For the third time that decade Doheny lined out in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Limerick were the opponents on this occasion, however, Kilkenny finally looked set for victory. At half-time Doheny's side led by 2-4 to 1-1. Two Limerick goals early in the second-half changed the complexion of the game. Kilkenny failed to score in the second-half as Limerick went on to win by 3-4 to 2-4.^[5]

A 4-12 to 3-2 trouncing of Dublin gave Doheny a fourth Leinster title to add to his collection in 1898. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance to the All-Ireland final where, for the second time in history, Tipperary provided the opposition. Doheny's side dominated the first twenty-three minutes, however, Tipp then took command. In the second-half Mikey Maher scored a hat-trick of goals while Bill Devane scored a remarkable point, kicking the sliotar over off the top of the goalpost. At the long whistle Tipp had recorded a 7-13 to 3-10 victory.^[6] It was Doheny's fourth All-Ireland final defeat.

After losing their Leinster title again in 1899, Kilkenny were back the following year. A narrow 4-11 to 4-10 defeat of Dublin gave Doheny a fifth provincial winners' medal. Kilkenny later lined out against Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final, however, victory on that occasion went to Tipp once again.

Two years later in 1902 Doheny was appointed captain of Kilkenny for the first time. It was an unsuccessful years as his team were defeated in the Leinster final.

In 1903 Doheny picked up a sixth Leinster winners' medal. The game against Dublin ended in a 1-5 apiece draw, however, Kilkenny were subsequently awarded the title. Doheny's side later trounced Antrim before lining out against Cork in the All-Ireland 'home' final. Cork's Andy 'Dooric' Buckley scored the majority of Cork's points as Kilkenny were trounced by 8-9 to 0-8.

1904 saw Doheny being appointed captain of the Kilkenny team for the second time in three years. That year he led his men to a 2-8 to 2-6 defeat of Dublin in the provincial decider. It was his seventh Leinster winners' title and it set up a subsequent All-Ireland final showdown with Cork. It was the beginning of a hugely successful era for ‘the Cats’ as Cork were heading into decline. Doheny's team won the game thanks to Dick Doyle’s first-half goal, while Pat ‘Fox’ Maher made a great save at the end to help his team to a 1-9 to 1-8 defeat of Cork.^[7] It was Kilkenny's very first All-Ireland title.

In 1905 Doheny won an eighth Leinster title with Kilkenny. The 2-8 to 2-2 defeat of Dublin ensured victory for 'the Cats'. Kilkenny later qualified for the All-Ireland final, however, Doheny played no part in that game. He retired from inter-county hurling shortly afterwards.

Post-playing career

Shortly after his retirement from inter-county hurling Doheny became involved in the administrative affairs of the GAA. He served as chairman of the Kilkenny County Board from 1908 until 1912 and remained active in GAA affairs for the rst of his life.

Doheny married Annie Keoghan in 1913. She was a sister of Jack Keoghan, a winner of five All-Ireland medals with Kilkenny in 1907, 1909, 1911, 1912 and 1913. Their son, Jer Doheny Jr. (1919–2005), played hurling for a brief period with Erin's Own in Waterford. He won a county senior championship winners' medal with the club in 1942, before lining out with Waterford in the Munster final of 1943.^[8]

Jer Doheny died in 1929 aged fifty-five.

Sources

• Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
• Fullam, Brendan, Captains of the Ash (Wolfhound Press, 2002).

References

Teams