Pat Fox

Irish hurler

Pat Fox
Personal information
Irish name Pádraig Ó Sionnaigh
Sport Hurling
Position Right corner-forward
Born (1962-07-08) 8 July 1962 (age 61)
Anacarty, County Tipperary
Club(s)
Years Club
Éire Óg Annacarty GAA
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
1980–1996
Tipperary GAA 37 (13-98)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 5
All-Irelands 2
NHL 2
All Stars 3

Patrick "Pat" Fox (born 8 July 1962) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Éire Óg Annacarty GAA and with the Tipperary GAA senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s.[1]

Playing career

Club

Fox played his club hurling with his local parish club Éire Óg and he enjoyed some success with the club.

Inter-county

Fox first came to prominence as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team in the late 1970s. He had little success in this grade as Cork GAA dominated the Munster Championship. Fox later joined the Tipp under-21 team, however, he missed the teams Munster final victory in 1979. In spite of this he later collected an All-Ireland as Tipp defeated Galway GAA. Fox won his first Munster under-21 medal in 1980 and, once again, this was subsequently converted into a second All-Ireland medal. In 1981 he added a second Munster under-21 medal to his collection before claiming a third consecutive All-Ireland under-21 medal.

Fox subsequently joined the Tipperary senior hurling panel, however, the early 1980s was not a successful period for the team. In 1987, however, he won his first senior Munster title following a classic Munster final replay against Cork. His side were subsequently defeated by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. Fox won a National Hurling League medal and a second Munster medal in 1988, however, Tipp were once again beaten by Galway in the All-Ireland final. 1989 saw Fox add a third Munster medal to his collection. Tipp later defeated Antrim in the championship decider on a score line of 4–24 to 3–9 and Fox won his first senior All-Ireland title. Tipp lost their Munster crown to Cork in 1990, however, they regained it in 1991 and Fox collected a fourth provincial title. He later won a second All-Ireland medal following a defeat of Kilkenny in the final. Fox's performance in the entire championship earned him the Hurler of the Year accolade. Tipp lost their provincial crown again in 1992, however, the team bounced back in 1993 and Fox won a fifth Munster title. His last appearance in a Tipp senior jersey was as a substitute in the 1996 Munster Hurling Final replay.[2]

Famous quote

Fox became well known to the public at large due to radio sports commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh's famous delivery during a particularly exciting hurling encounter:

  • "Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well now ... but here comes Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail ...... I've seen it all now, a Rabbitte chasing a Fox around Croke Park!"

References

  1. ^ "Fox, Pat". Hogan Stand. 2 August 1991. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  2. ^ "Miss the Pat Fox episode of Laochra Gael last night? It's here in full". The 42. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

External links

  • GAA Info Profile
Preceded by Texaco Hurler of the Year
1991
Succeeded by
Tipperary squads
  • v
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  • e
Tipperary - 1979 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Champions (3rd title)
Sub used
P. Ryan for T. Grogan
Subs not used
J. Ryan
J. Stone
P. Power
C. Bonnar
T. Mullins
J. Sheedy
B. Heffernan
D. O'Connell
R. Coffey
T. Floyd
M. McGrath
M. Stapleton
Selectors
M. Ryan
L. Heffernan
D. Morrissey
W. Carroll
M. Minogue
  • v
  • t
  • e
Tipperary - 1980 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Champions (4th title)
Subs used
A. Kinsella for M. Kennedy
Reference: Tipperary GAA Archives Database searchable by team, year and/or player name.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Tipperary - 1981 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Champions (5th title)
Subs not used
J. O'Sullivan
N. Byrne
P. Maher
S. Moran
D. Hayes
J. Butler
B. Heffernan
J. Maher
Manager
M. Minogue
Selectors
B. Carroll
P. Lowry
D. Morrissey
P. O'Meara
Reference: Tipperary GAA Archives Database searchable by team, year and/or player name.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Tipperary - 1988 National Hurling League Champions (15th title)
Subs used
C. Stakelum
J. Leahy
Manager
B. Keating
Reference: Tipperary GAA Archives Database searchable by team, year and/or player name.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Tipperary - 1988 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship runners-up
Subs used
20 Cormac Bonnar for J. Hayes
Subs not used
16 J. Leamy
17 P. O'Neill
18 R. Stakelum
19 S. Gibson
21 M. Cleary
22 A. Buckley
23 Conal Bonnar
Manager
B. Keating
Selectors
D. Nealon
T. English
Reference: Tipperary GAA Archives Database searchable by team, year and/or player name.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Tipperary - 1989 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Champions (23rd title)
Subs used
17 J. Hayes for Cormac Bonnar
20 D. O'Connell for J. Leahy
19 A. Ryan for M. Cleary
Subs not used
16 J. Leamy
18 P. McGrath
21 J. Cormack
22 J. Madden
23 R. Stakelum
Manager
B. Keating
Selectors
D. Nealon
T. English
Reference: Tipperary GAA Archives Database searchable by team, year and/or player name.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Tipperary - 1991 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Champions (24th title)
Subs used
C. Stakelum for Cormac Bonnar
D. O'Connell for N. English
Subs not used
J. Grace
J. Hayes
M. O'Meara
G. O'Neill
J. Madden
C. O'Donovan
S. Nealon
Manager
B. Keating
Selectors
J. O'Donoghue
D. Nealon
Reference: Tipperary GAA Archives Database searchable by team, year and/or player name.
Awards
  • v
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  • e
1987 All-Star Hurling Team
  • v
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1989 All-Star Hurling Team
  • v
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1991 All-Star Hurling Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
Texaco Hurler of the Year
  • v
  • t
  • e
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final – Man of the Match
  • v
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  • e
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – Top Scorers