.jpg) Rea in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Éamonn Ó Riabhaigh | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Full-forward | ||
| Born | May 1944 Glenroe,County Limerick,Ireland | ||
| Died | 22 November 2021(2021-11-22) (aged 77) Tallaght,Dublin,Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Nickname | Ned | ||
| Occupation | Publican | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
1969–1980 | Effin Kilmallock Faughs | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Dublin titles | 3 | ||
| Colleges(s) | |||
| Years | College | ||
| University College Cork | |||
| College titles | |||
| Fitzgibbon titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1963–1977 | Limerick | 15 (3–08) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 2 | ||
| All-Irelands | 1 | ||
| NHL | 0 | ||
| All Stars | 0 | ||
Éamonn "Ned" Rea (May 1944 – 22 November 2021) was anIrishhurler who played as a full-forward for theLimerick senior team.[1][2]
Rea joined the team during the1964 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement after the1974 championship. During that time he won oneAll-Ireland medal and twoMunster medals. Rea was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.
At club level Rea was a three-timecounty club championship medalist withFaughs. He began his career withEffin.
He attendedSt Munchin's College, Limerick.
His brother,Gerry Rea, was also an inter-county hurler, while his granduncle,Matt Rea, was anAll-Ireland medal winner as aGaelic footballer withDublin.
Rea began his club hurling career withEffin before joining Dublin clubFaughs in 1968. It was with the latter club that he enjoyed his greatest success.[3]
After losing the 1969 championship decider, Faughs were back in the final again the following year. A defeat ofSt. Vincents gave Rea his firstchampionship medal.
Faughs surrendered their title the following year but went on to win back-to-back titles in 1972 and 1973, bringing Rea's championship medal tally to three.
Rea's performances at club level brought him to the attentions of the inter-county selectors and he soon joined the Limerick senior team.
In 1973, after eighteen years in the doldrums, Limerick finally made the provincial breakthrough. A last-gasp free byRichie Bennis secured a narrow 6-7 to 2-18 defeat ofTipperary in the provincial decider and a firstMunster medal for Rea. Limerick later lined out as underdogs inCroke Park for an All-Ireland showdown with reigning champions and injury-ravagedKilkenny. AMossie Dowling goal eight minutes after half-time, together with play from Richie Bennis powered Limerick to a 1-21 to 1-14 victory and secured anAll-Ireland medal for Rea.[4]
In 1974 Limerick maintained their provincial dominance. Rea captured a second Munster medal following a 6-14 to 3-9 trouncing ofClare. This victory allowed Rea's side to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where Kilkenny provided the opposition once again. The Cats were back to full strength and set out for revenge. In spite of this Limerick stormed into an early lead, however, this was diminished asPat Delaney,Eddie Keher andMick Brennan scored goals. Limerick lost the game by 3-19 to 1-13.
Rea also had the honour of being selected forMunster in the inter-provincial series of games but enjoyed little success.[5]
Born in Glenroe,County Limerick,Munster, in May 1944, Rea was the eldest in a farming family of eight boys and three girls. His family moved to nearbyEffin when he was an infant. Rea was a boarder atSt Munchin's College inLimerick where he was a proficient rugby player and claimed three Muster junior medals and a senior schools medal. He later studied dairy science atUniversity College Cork where he graduated before being appointed a creamery manager inAthlacca and later with Galtee Food Products. He became a publican in 1989, opening Rea’s Pub on Parkgate Street inDublin.[6][7]
He died on 22 November 2021, at the age of 77 after falling ill earlier in the month.[8]