Luke Meade

{{infobox Gaelic games player

|image =

|name = Luke Meade

|irish = Lúcás Miach

|nickname =

|occupation = Primary school teacher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|10|29|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Newcestown, County Cork, Ireland

|height = {{convert|1.83|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

|sport = Hurling

|code = Hurling

|county = Cork

|province = Munster

|club = Newcestown

|clyears = 2013–present

|clposition = Centre forward

|clapps(points) = 11 (1–33)

|clcounty = 0

|clprovince =

|clallireland =

|colleges = Mary Immaculate College

|fitz = 1

|colyears = 2015–2019

|counties = Cork

|icyears = 2015–present

|icposition = Midfield

|icapps(points) = 37 (1–19)

|icprovince = 3

|icallireland = 0

|nhl = 1

|allstars = 0

|clupdate = 11:02, 5 August 2019

|icupdate = 21:52, 7 July 2024

}}

Luke Meade (born 29 October 1996) is an Irish hurler. At club level he plays with Newcestown and at inter-county level with the Cork senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a midfielder.

Early life

Born and raised in Newcestown, County Cork, Meade played hurling with the school team at Hamilton High School in Bandon.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-20450771.html|title=Luke Meade living Cork dream since Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s call-up from school|date=24 May 2017|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=3 June 2017|first=Brendan|last=O'Brien}} He progressed through the various age grades and was part of the school's senior team that beat Midleton CBS to win the Dr O'Callaghan Cup title in 2014. He also played numerous games for the school in the Harty Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/cahalane-hamilton-hero-29938451.html|title=Cahalane Hamilton hero|date=22 January 2014|publisher=Irish Independent|accessdate=3 April 2017|first=|last=}}

Meade later studied at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick and was added to their Fitzgibbon Cup panel in 2016. His debut season ended with a winners' medal after a 3–24 to 1–19 defeat of the Institute of Technology, Carlow in the final.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/sigerson-fitzgibbon-cups/mary-i-retain-fitzgibbon-cup-with-dominant-final-display-as-excellent-cian-lynch-claims-man-of-the-match-35482007.html|title=Mary I retain Fitzgibbon Cup with dominant final display as excellent Cian Lynch claims Man of the Match|date=25 February 2017|publisher=Irish Independent|accessdate=12 February 2017|first=John|last=Fallon}} Meade was also part of the Mary I team beaten by University College Cork in the 2019 final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/ucc-claim-double-with-emphatic-win-over-mary-i-906636.html|title=UCC claim double with emphatic win over Mary I|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=23 February 2019|accessdate=12 January 2020|first=Therese|last=O'Callaghan}}

Club career

Meade began his club career at juvenile and underage levels with the Newcestown club. He was part of the club's under-21 team that claimed three successive West Cork U21AHC titles between 2013 and 2015.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/hurling/newcestown-find-goal-touch-to-storm-home-243925.html |title=Newcestown find goal touch to storm home |access-date=23 September 2013 |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=23 September 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.southernstar.ie/sport/newcestown-u21-hurlers-to-compete-in-new-county-championship-this-season-4114732 |title=Newcestown U21 hurlers to compete in new county championship this season|access-date=23 September 2023|publisher=The Southern Star|date=18 February 2016}}

By that stage Meade had already joined Newcestown's top adult team. He had his first success in October 2015 when Newcestown beat Valley Rovers by 1–23 to 0–08 to claim the Cork PIHC title.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/video-five-star-newcestowns-glorious-day-358844.html|title=Five-star Newcestown's glorious day|date=12 October 2015|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=12 February 2017|first=Denis|last=Hurley}} He was also part of the Newcestown team beaten by Wolfe Tones na Sionna in the subsequent Munster final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-20366508.html|title=Wolfe Tones deliver Intermediate title in style|date=12 October 2015|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=12 February 2017|first=Denis|last=Hurley}}

In October 2023, Meade won a Cork SAHC title after a 3–17 to 0–24 defeat of Blarney in the final replay.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41257987.html|title=Newcestown hold off Blarney in replay to clinch Senior A title|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=28 October 2023|access-date=28 October 2023|first=Eoghan|last=Cormican}}

Inter-county career

Meade first played for Cork as a member of the minor team and scored 2–04 in his debut against Kerry in April 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/hurling/cork-power-on-but-serious-tests-await-264950.html|title=Cork power on but serious tests await|date=10 April 2014|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=12 February 2017|first=Therese|last=O'Callaghan}} He later spent three seasons with the under-21 team but ended his underage career with a two-point defeat by Limerick in the 2017 Munster U21 final after an injury-ravaged season.{{cite web|url=https://www.the42.ie/cork-u21-waterford-3493271-Jul2017/|title=Luke Meade to miss Cork's Munster U21 hurling semi-final with a broken thumb|date=12 July 2017|publisher=The 42|accessdate=31 July 2018|first=|last=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/limerick-beat-cork-to-earn-second-munster-u21-hurling-title-in-three-years-799624.html|title=Limerick beat Cork to earn second Munster U21 hurling title in three years|date=26 July 2017|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=31 July 2018|first=|last=}}

Meade had just turned 18 and was still in secondary school when he was approached to join the Cork senior hurling team in January 2015. He was selected at left corner-forward in a challenge game against Limerick and scored a hat-trick of goals in a 6–13 to 2–18 victory.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/hurling/meade-hat-trick-in-corks-new-year-warm-up-305132.html|title=Meade hat-trick in Cork's new year warm-up|date=5 January 2015|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=12 February 2017|first=Denis|last=Hurley}} Later that year he was added to Cork's intermediate team and won a Munster IHC medal following a 0–20 to 0–18 defeat of Limerick in the final.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/hurling/third-quarter-blitz-secures-title-for-cork-341566.html|title=Third-quarter blitz secures title for Cork|date=9 July 2015|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=12 February 2017|first=Eoghan|last=Cormican}} Cork lost the 2015 All-Ireland IHC final to Galway, with Meade being introduced as a second-half substitute in the 0–23 to 0–14 defeat.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/galway-trounce-cork-to-win-all-ireland-intermediate-hurling-title-690212.html|title=Galway trounce Cork to win All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling title|date=8 August 2015|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=12 February 2017|first=Stephen|last=Barry}}

After making several appearances during the 2016 Munster League, Meade was a member of the extended training panel for the subsequent National League and All-Ireland SHC campaigns. He became a regular member of the starting fifteen during Cork's 2017 National League campaign and made his Munster SHC debut in May 2017 in a 2–27 to 1–26 quarter-final defeat of Tipperary.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/young-cork-rebels-seize-the-day-450641.html|title=Young Cork Rebels seize the day|date=22 May 2017|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=24 May 2017|first=John|last=Fogarty}} Meade subsequently claimed a provincial winners' medal following Cork's 1–25 to 1–20 defeat of Clare in the 2017 Munster final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/cork-victorious-over-clare-in-munster-hurling-final-797054.html|title=Cork victorious over Clare in Munster hurling final|date=9 July 2017|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=5 July 2018|first=|last=}}

Meade collected a second consecutive provincial winners' medal in July 2018 after scoring 1–01 from play in a 2–24 to 3–19 defeat of Clare in the 2018 Munster final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/cork-quietly-collect-another-munster-title-as-clare-crumble-1.3550274|title=Cork quietly collect another Munster title as Clare crumble|date=1 July 2018|publisher=Irish Times|accessdate=5 July 2018|first=Malachy|last=Clerkin}} In August 2021, he lined out at midfield when Cork suffered a 3–32 to 1–22 defeat by Limerick in the 2021 All-Ireland final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40364432.html|title=Will record-breaking All-Ireland victory over Cork be Limerick's high water mark? Don't bet on it|date=22 August 2021|publisher=Irish Examiner|access-date=25 August 2023|first=John|last=Fogarty}}

Career statistics

=Club=

rowspan="2"\|Team !rowspan="2"\|Year !colspan="2"\|Cork PIHC !colspan="2"\|Munster !colspan="2"\|All-Ireland !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score
rowspan="18"\|Newcestown \|2013	2	0-01	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	2	0-01
2014	5	0-08	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	5	0-08
2015	5	2–14	2	0-01	colspan=2\|—	7	2–15
Total !12	2–23	2	0-01\|\|colspan=2\|—	14	2–24
rowspan=2\|Year !colspan=2\|Cork SHC !colspan=2\|Munster !colspan=2\|All-Ireland !colspan=2\|Total
Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score
2016	2	0-05	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	2	0-05
2017	4	1–13	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	4	1–13
2018	3	0-08	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	3	0-08
2019	2	0-07	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	2	0-07
Total !11	1–33	colspan=2\|—\|\|colspan=2\|—	11	1–33
rowspan=2\|Year !colspan=2\|Cork SAHC !colspan=2\|Munster !colspan=2\|All-Ireland !colspan=2\|Total
Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score
2020	5	0-05	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	5	0-05
2021	5	1-08	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	5	1-08
2022	3	0-07	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	3	0-07
2023	7	0-01	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	7	0-01
Total !20	1–21	colspan=2\|—\|\|colspan=2\|—	20	1–21
colspan="2"\|Career total !43	4–77	2	0-01	colspan=2\|—	45	4–78

=Inter-county=

rowspan="2"\|Team !rowspan="2"\|Year !colspan="3"\|National League !colspan="2"\|Munster !colspan="2"\|All-Ireland !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Division	Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score
rowspan="10"\|Cork \|2015 \|rowspan="10"\|Division 1A \|0	0-00	0	0-00	0	0-00	0	0-00
2016 \|0	0-00	0	0-00	0	0-00	0	0-00
2017 \|6	2-07	3	0-04	1	0-00	10	2–11
2018 \|6	0-04	5	1-02	1	0-01	12	1-07
2019 \|5	0-03	4	0-03	1	0-00	10	0-06
2020 \|4	0-02	1	0-00	2	0-01	7	0-03
2021 \|5	1-03	1	0-00	4	0-02	10	1-05
2022 \|4	1-02	3	0-01	2	0-01	9	1-04
2023	4	0-01	4	0-02	colspan=2\|—	8	0-03
2024 \|5	0-03	3	0-01	2	0-01	10	0-05
colspan="3"\|Career total !39	4–25	24	1–13	13	0-06	76	5–44