Liam Devaney

Liam Devaney (1935 – 15 August 2017) was an Irish hurler. His league and championship career with the Tipperary senior team spanned fourteen seasons from 1954 until 1968.^[1]

Born in Borrisoleigh, County Tipperary, Devaney was born into a strong hurling family. His father, Jim Devaney, was a stalwart of the Borris–Ileigh club and was a member of the Tipperary senior panel that won the All-Ireland title in 1937.

Devaney first came to prominence as a hurler at underage levels with the Borris-Ileigh club before making his debut with the club's adult team in 1952. In a 22-year club career he won a county senior championship medal in 1953, as well as four divisional senior championship medals.

Devaney made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he was selected for the Tipperary minor team. He enjoyed two undefeated championship seasons in this grade, winning back-to-back All-Ireland medals in 1952 and 1953. He was added to the Tipperary senior panel during the 1954 championship before making his debut during the 1954-55 league. Over the course of the following fourteen seasons Devaney became one of Tipperary's most versatile players and won five All-Ireland medals, beginning with a lone triumph in 1958, followed by four championships in five seasons between 1961 and 1965. He also won eight Munster medals, eight National Hurling League medals and was named Hurler of the Year in 1961. He played his last game for Tipperary in October 1968 and played senior hurling for Tipperary in every position except full back.

After being chosen on the Munster inter-provincial team for the first time in 1956, Devaney subsequently became an automatic choice on the starting fifteen between 1961 and 1966. During that time he won three Railway Cup medals.