Cillian Buckley

Cillian Buckley
Personal information
Irish name Cillian Ó Buachalla
Sport Hurling
Position Left wing-back
Born (1992-07-14) 14 July 1992
Kilkenny, Ireland
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Occupation Biomedical engineer
Club(s)
Years Club
Dicksboro
Club titles
Kilkenny titles 0
Colleges(s)
Years College
2011-2015 University College Dublin
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles 0
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2012-present Kilkenny 19 (0-4)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 2
All-Irelands 3
NHL 3
All Stars 2
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 12:35, 10 August 2015.

Cillian Buckley (born 14 July 1992) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a left wing-back for the Kilkenny senior team.[1][2]

Born in Kilkenny, Buckley first excelled at hurling during his schooling at St. Kieran's College. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team before later joining the under-21 side. He made his senior debut during the 2012 league. Buckley immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen and has won three All-Ireland medals, two Leinster medals and three National Hurling League medals.

At club level Buckley is a one-time championship medallist in the intermediate grade with Dicksboro.[3]

Playing career

Colleges

During his schooling at St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny, Buckley established himself as a key member of the senior hurling team. In 2010 he won his first Leinster medal following a 3-13 to 1-11 defeat of Dublin Colleges.[4] On 3 April 2010 St. Kieran's faced Ardscoil Rís in the All-Ireland decider. Buckley's side trailed by five points as the game entered the final quarter, however, St. Kieran's staged a magnificent comeback, hitting 1-5 without reply including a Michael Brennan goal in the 51st minute, to claim a 2-11 to 2-8 victory.[5] It was Buckley's first All-Ireland medal.

Buckley added a second successive Leinster medal to his collection in 2011, as St. Kieran's recorded a 3-7 to 0-7 victory over Castlecomer Community School.[6] On 2 April 2011 St. Kieran's renewed their rivalry with Ardscoil Rís in the All-Ireland final. A Thomas O'Hanrahan goal deep into stoppage time secured a 2-10 to 1-11 victory for St. Kieran's and a second All-Ireland medal for Buckley.[7]

Club

After enjoying championship success in the minor and under-21 grades, Buckley subsequently joined Dicksboro's top team. In 2011 Dicksboro faced Mullinavat in the intermediate championship decider. "The Boro" had the better of the first half and led at the interval by six points. Mullinavat, despite dominating most of the second half, could not turn their possession into enough scores and Dicksboro held out to take a 2-12 to 2-11 victory, with Buckley collecting a championship medal.[8]

Minor and under-21

Buckley first played for Kilkenny in 2009 when he joined the minor side. He won his first Leinster medal that year following Kilkenny's 1-19 to 0-11 trouncing of Wexford in the provincial decider. Galway provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider on 6 September 2009. A devastating second quarter display was pivotal in powering the Westerners to a 2-15 to 2-11 victory.[9]

In 2010 Buckley was appointed captain of the Kilkenny minor team. He won a second Leinster medal that year following a 1-20 to 0-10 trouncing of Dublin.[10] The subsequent All-Ireland decider on 5 September 2010 pitted Kilkenny against Clare. "The Cats" were made to work hard before securing a narrow 2-10 to 0-14 victory, giving Buckley a coveted All-Ireland medal and the honour of lifting the cup as captain.[11]

Two years later Buckley was a key member of the Kilkenny under-21 team. He won his sole Leinster medal that year following a 4-24 to 1-13 trouncing of Laois.[12] Kilkenny later faced Clare in the All-Ireland decider on 15 September 2012. A powerful second-half display, in which they outscored Kilkenny by 1-10 to 0-4, saw Clare take their second ever All-Ireland title in the grade.[13]

Senior

Buckley made his senior debut for Kilkenny on 12 February 2012 in the final of the pre-season Walsh Cup. He came on as a substitute as Kilkenny defeated Galway to take the title by 2-20 to 1-14.[14] Buckley was a regular during the subsequent league campaign which eventually saw Kilkenny faced old rivals Cork in the decider. A huge 3-21 to 0-16 victory gave him a first National Hurling League medal.[15] Kilkenny were later shocked by Galway in the Leinster decider, losing by 2–21 to 2–11, however, both sides subsequently met in the All-Ireland decider on 9 September 2012.[16] Kilkenny had led going into the final stretch, however, Joe Canning struck a stoppage time equaliser to level the game at 2–13 to 0–19 and send the final to a replay for the first time since 1959.[17] The replay took place three weeks later on 30 September 2012. Galway stunned the reigning champions with two first-half goals, however, Kilkenny's championship debutant Walter Walsh gave a man of the match performance, claiming a 1–3 haul. The 3–22 to 3–11 Kilkenny victory gave Buckley a first All-Ireland medal.[18]

Kilkenny's dominance showed no sign of abating in 2013, with Buckley winning a second successive league medal following a 2–17 to 0–20 defeat of Tipperary in the decider.[19]

In 2014 Buckley collected his third successive league medal, as Kilkenny secured a narrow one-point 2–25 to 1–27 extra-time victory over Tipperary.[20] Buckley subsequently secured his first Leinster medal, as a dominant Kilkenny display gave "The Cats" a 0–14 to 1–9 defeat of Dublin.[21] On 7 September 2014 Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland decider. In what some consider to be the greatest game of all time, the sides were level when Tipperary were awarded a controversial free. John O'Dwyer had the chance to win the game, however, his late free drifted wide resulting in a draw.[22] The replay on 27 September 2014 was also a close affair. Goals from brothers Richie and John Power inspired Kilkenny to a 2–17 to 2–14 victory.[23] It was Buckley's second All-Ireland medal, while he was later presented with a coveted All-Star.

Buckley won a second successive Leinster medal in 2015 following a 1-25 to 2-15 defeat of Galway in the provincial decider.[24] Kilkenny subsequently defeated Galway in the All-Ireland final, earning Cillian his third Celtic Cross.

Honours

Team

St. Kieran's College
Dicksboro
Kilkenny

Individual

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "Cillian Buckley". Breaking Through website. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  2. ↑ "Profile: Cillian Buckley". Kilkenny GAA website. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  3. ↑ Murphy, Brian (25 February 2015). "My Club: Cillian Buckley - Dicksboro". GAA website. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Walsh's goal key as Kieran's win the battle of Kilkenny". Evening Herald. 4 March 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Brennan's strike foils Ardscoil bid". Irish Independent. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Power the driving force as St Kieran's late surge proves crucial". Irish Independent. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "O’Hanrahan heaps misery on Ardscoil". Irish Independent. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "Dicksboro ride their luck and go senior". Kilkenny Advertiser. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  9. ↑ O'Toole, Fintan (7 September 2009). "Cummins inspires Galway to glory". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  10. ↑ Hickey, Paddy (5 July 2010). "Cats sweep Dubs aside to claim minor crown". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  11. ↑ O'Toole, Fintan (6 September 2010). "Kilkenny pushed to the limit". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  12. ↑ O'Brien, Brendan (12 July 2012). "Cats make Laois nightmare come true". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  13. ↑ O'Flynn, Diarmuid (17 September 2012). "Dynamic duo drive Clare to glory". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "Kilkenny leave Galway with plenty to ponder". Irish Times. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  15. ↑ O'Flynn, Diarmuid (7 May 2012). "Cats' smash and grab". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Galway land historic Leinster win". RTÉ Sport. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  17. ↑ Moran, Seán (10 September 2012). "Canning's nerves of steel earn Galway another tilt at the title". Irish Times. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  18. ↑ Cummiskey, Gavin (30 September 2012). "Cats show up for King Henry's ninth". Irish Times. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  19. ↑ "Cats claim 16th National League title". RTÉ Sport. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  20. ↑ "Reid fires over winners as Kilkenny edge out Tipp". RTÉ Sport. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  21. ↑ "Reid sparkles as Cats conquer Leinster". RTÉ Sport. 6 July 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  22. ↑ "Kilkenny and Tipp finish level in classic final". RTÉ Sport. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "Kilkenny too strong for Tipperary in All-Ireland final replay". RTÉ Sport. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  24. ↑ Moynihan, Michael (6 July 2015). "Canning wondergoal not enough for Galway against Kilkenny". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
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