Brian Dowling (hurler)

Brian Martin Dowling (born 7 March 1983) is an Irish hurling manager and former player. At club level he played with O'Loughlin Gaels, and also lined out at inter-county level with various Kilkenny teams. Dowling has also served as manager of the Kilkenny senior camogie team.

Brian Dowling

Personal information
Irish name	Brian Ó Dualaing
Sport	Hurling
Position	Right corner-forward
Born	(1983-03-07) 7 March 1983 (age 41) Kilkenny, Ireland
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Occupation	Secondary school teacher
Club(s)
Years	Club
	O'Loughlin Gaels
Club titles
Kilkenny titles	3
Leinster titles	2
Colleges(s)
Years	College
2000-2006	Waterford Institute of Technology
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles	3
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County	Apps (scores)
2002-2004	Kilkenny	2 (0-01)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles	2
All-Irelands	2
NHL	2
All Stars	0

Playing career

Dowling first played hurling as a schoolboy at St Kieran's College in Kilkenny. He was part of the college team that beat St Flannan's College to win the Croke Cup in 2000.^[1] Dowling later studied at Waterford Institute of Technology and won three Fitzgibbon Cup medals, including one as team captain.^[2]

At club level, Dowling began his career at juvenile and underage levels with O'Loughlin Gaels. He was just out of the minor grade when he Kilkenny SHC medals in 2001 and 2003.^[3][4] He also won his first Leinster Club SHC medal in 2003.^[5] Dowling won a third Kilkenny SHC medal in 2010, before later claiming his second Leinster club medal.^[6][7] He was at corner-forward when O'Loughlin Gaels were beaten by Clarinbridge in the 2011 All-Ireland club final.^[8]

Dowling first appeared on the inter-county scene with Kilkenny, as a member of the minor team that won the Leinster MHC title in 2001.^[9] He subsequently joined his brother Seán on the senior team in 2002 and ended his debut season with a set of National League, Leinster SHC and All-Ireland SHC medals. Dowling was again part of the Kilkenny senior team that retained their three titles in 2003.^[10][11]

As a member of the Kilkenny under-21 team in 2003, Dowling also claimed an All-Ireland U21HC medal that year after a defeat of Galway.^[12] He was dropped from the senior team in February 2004.^[13] In spite of this, Dowling claimed a second successive All-Ireland U21HC medal in 2004 in what was his last game in a Kilkenny jersey.^[14]

Coaching career

Dowling first became involved in coaching in his capacity as a teacher at Coláiste Éanna in Dublin. He also enjoyed underage success with O'Loughlin Gaels, having been a selector with the under-21 team that claimed the Kilkenny U21HC title in 2015. After transferring to St Kieran's College, Dowling helped his alma mater to the All-Ireland Colleges JHC title in 2019, before helping the college win the All-Ireland Colleges SHC title in 2023.^[15]

Dowling joined Ann Downey's Kilkenny senior camogie management team as a coach and selector in 2019, before succeeding her as manager a year later. His debut season saw Kilkenny beat Galway to claim the All-Ireland SCC title.^[16] Dowling guided Kilkenny to a second All-Ireland title during his tenure in 2022.^[17] He stepped down as manager after a defeat by Cork in the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final.^[18]

Honours

Player

St Kieran's College

• All-Ireland Colleges Senior Hurling Championship: 2000
• Leinster Colleges Senior Hurling Championship: 2000

Waterford Institute of Technology

• Fitzgibbon Cup: 2002, 2003, 2006 (c)

O'Loughlin Gaels

• Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship: 2003, 2010
• Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship: 2001, 2003, 2010

Kilkenny

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: 2002, 2003
• Leinster Senior Hurling Championship: 2002, 2003
• National Hurling League: 2002, 2003
• All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship: 2003, 2004
• Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship: 2003, 2004
• Leinster Minor Hurling Championship: 2001

Management

Coláiste Éanna

• Leinster Colleges Senior B Hurling Championship: 2009

St Kieran's College

• All-Ireland Colleges Senior Hurling Championship: 2023
• Leinster Colleges Senior Hurling Championship: 2023
• All-Ireland Colleges Junior Hurling Championship: 2018
• Leinster Colleges Junior Hurling Championship: 2018, 2019

O'Loughlin Gaels

• Kilkenny Under-21 Hurling Championship: 2015

Kilkenny

• All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship: 2020, 2022
• Leinster Senior Camogie Championship: 2019, 2022, 2023
• National Camogie League: 2021

References

1. "All-Ireland Senior Colleges Title 2000". St Kieran's College website. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
2. "Ryan's hat-trick sees WIT stroll to Fitzgibbon glory". Irish Independent. 6 March 2003. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
3. Hogan, Vincent (15 October 2001). "Gaels blow up a storm to capture first crown". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
4. "Cummins snatches victory for Gaels". Irish Times. 3 November 2003. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
5. Roche, Frank (1 December 2003). "Champs Birr blown away". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
6. "Comerford leads Gaels' title surge". Irish Independent. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
7. "O'Loughlin claim Leinster title". Irish Independent. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
8. "Kerins switch key to 'Bridge glory". Irish Independent. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
9. Hickey, Paddy (9 July 2001). "Kilkenny minors back on track". Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
10. O'Sullivan, Jim (15 September 2008). "Kilkenny stand firm under Cork onslaught". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
11. "Kilkenny's two years of glory". Irish Independent. 16 September 2003. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
12. "Kilkenny win U21 hurling final". Irish Examiner. 21 September 2003. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
13. "'I would have liked to have had another year'". Irish Independent. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
14. O'Sullivan, Jim (20 September 2004). "Kilkenny 'whirlwind' blows Tipperary away". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
15. Keane, Paul (17 March 2023). "St Kieran's too strong for Pres in Croke Cup final". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
16. O'Callaghan, Therese (12 December 2020). "Kilkenny dethrone champs Galway to win 14th All-Ireland camogie crown". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
17. O'Callaghan, Therese (7 August 2022). "Denise Gaule hits the winner as Kilkenny beat Cork to claim camogie crown". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
18. Keys, Colm (11 July 2023). "All-Ireland-winning manager Brian Dowling steps down as Kilkenny camogie boss after quarter-final defeat". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 July 2023.