Ger Cunningham

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Ger Cunningham
irish = Gearóid Mac Cuinneagain
fullname = Ger Cunningham
placeofbirth = Cork
countryofbirth = Ireland
dob =
height =
nickname =
county = Cork
province = Munster
club = St. Finbarr's
clposition = Goalkeeper
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Cork
icposition = Goalkeeper
icyears = 1981-1998
icapps(points) = 50 (0-0)
icprovince = 7
icallireland = 3
allstars = 4
clupdate =
icupdate =

Ger Cunningham (born August, 1961) is a retired Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1981 until 1998. He is widely regarded as Cork's greatest-ever goalkeeper.fact|date=April 2008 Cunningham's status as one of Cork's all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for eighteen years he won three All-Ireland titles, seven Munster titles, three National Hurling League titles and three Railway Cup titles. Cunningham also won an unprecedented seven consecutive poc fada titles between 1984 and 1990. His tally of 50 consecutive senior championship appearances in goal is a record for any Cork custodian. Cunningham has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1986 his hurling prowess earned him the prestigious Texaco Hurler of the Year award. He is only the third goalkeeper to be presented with that award. Cunningham was later honoured in 2000 when he was named, by popular opinion, in the goalkeeping position on the Cork Hurling Team of the Century.

Early life

Ger Cunningham was born in Cork in 1961. He was educated locally at Sullivan’s Quay National School and later at Colaiste Íognáid Rís. He currently works with Bord Gáis.

Playing career

Club

Cunningham was born into a family that had a strong link with the St. Finbarr's GAA club in Cork and he joined the team in his youth. He first tasted major success in 1980 when he won his first senior county title with the club. This was subsequently converted into a Munster club title. Cunningham won further county medals in 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988 and 1993.

Inter-county

Cunningham’s skills at both hurling and Gaelic football became apparent at an early age and he was soon spotted by the inter-county selectors. In 1978 Cunningham first tasted hurling success when he won both Munster and All-Ireland medals with Cork at this grade. He missed the Munster minor hurling final in 1979, however, he returned in subsequent games and collected a second All-Ireland medal. Cunningham was also very adept at Gaelic football and was a member of the under-21 team that won the All-Ireland title in 1981. The following year he won both Munster and All-Ireland medals with the county under-21 hurling team.

Although a member of the Cork senior hurling panel since 1979 Cunningham made his senior debut in May of 1980, lining out against Kilkenny in a challenge match. He made his championship debut the following season and remained an ever-present fixture as Cork goalkeeper for the best part of twenty years. In 1981 Cunningham won a National Hurling League medal and in 1982 he won his first senior Munster title. Unfortunately, Cork lost out to Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Cunningham claimed a second Munster title in 1983 but his side were defeated for the second consecutive year by Kilkenny. These two defeats only made Cunningham and Cork more determined to bounce back in 1984. That year he claimed a third Munster title in-a-row and once again Cork qualified for the All-Ireland final. At the third time of asking Cork were victorious with an emphatic defeat over Offaly in the championship decider. Cunningham finished off the year by winning a Railway Cup medal with Munster.

In 1985 Cunningham, who was now captain of the team, guided Cork to a fourth Munster Championship victory, however, on this occasion the side was defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final. He did however claim a second Railway Cup title. Cork continued their dominance in Munster in 1986 with Cunningham capturing a fifth Munster medal in-a-row. Cork advanced through the All-Ireland series culminating in a victory over Galway in the final. Cunningham had claimed his second All-Ireland winners medal as well as ending off the year with the prestigious Texaco Hurler of the Year award. Over the next few years Tipperary re-emerged as the kingpins of Munster hurling. One of the lowest points in Cunningham's career happened during this drought for Cork hurling. Playing against Waterford in 1989 Cunningham received a heavy knock to the head and spent the remainder of the game in a daze, conceding three goals. Cork were back in 1990 and, against all the odds, they claimed the Munster title and the All-Ireland title with a huge victory over Galway in the final. The game was effectively decided on an incident which occurred midway through the second half when Cunningham blocked a point-blank shot from Martin Naughton with his nose. The umpires gave no 65, even though he clearly deflected it out wide. It was a sixth provincial title for Cunningham and a third All-Ireland medal.

Cunningham claimed his seventh Munster medal in 1992, however, Cork faced the old enemy Kilkenny in another All-Ireland final and were duly beaten on the day. There was some consolation at the end of the year when he won a third Railway Cup medal with Munster. In 1993 Cunningham won a second National Hurling League medal with Cork. Although he would remain as Cork goalkeeper for another few seasons Cunningham would never win another Munster or All-Ireland title. His final medal came in 1998 when he claimed a third National League medal. Following Cork's defeat in the 1998 championship Cunningham decided to retire from inter-county hurling. At the age of 37 he had donned the famed red and white hooped jersey for almost 20 years, during which he made 50 consecutive championship appearances while also playing in 111 National League games. During his career he also claimed four All-Star Awards and seven consecutive Poc Fada titles.

Retirement

In retirement from play Cunningham remained involved in coaching at St. Finbarr's. He served as a selector and goalkeeping coach on the Cork team under both Donal O'Grady and John Allen in the mid-2000s and was the favourite to succeed Allen as manager when he stepped down. The position went to Gerald McCarthy instead, without Cunningham even being approached about his intentions.

Teams