Ned Rea

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code = Hurling

| sport = Hurling

| image = Ned Rea 2013 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Rea in 2013

| name = Éamonn "Ned" Rea

| irish = Éamonn Ó Riabhaigh

| feet = 6

| inches = 0

| occupation = Publican

| nickname = Ned

| county = Dublin

| province = Munster

| club = Effin
Kilmallock
Faughs

| clubs =

| clyears =

1969–1980

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 3

| clprovince =

| clallireland =

| colleges = University College Cork

| fitz = 2

| counties = Limerick

| icposition = Full-forward

| icyears = 1963–1977

| icapps(points) = 15 (3–08)

| icprovince = 2

| icallireland = 1

| nhl = 0

| allstars = 0

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date = May 1944

| birth_place = Glenroe, County Limerick, Ireland

| death_place = Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|11|22|1944|5||df=y}}

}}

Éamonn "Ned" Rea (May 1944 – 22 November 2021) was an Irish hurler who played as a full-forward for the Limerick senior team.{{cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Limerick/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=48809|title=Éamonn Rea|publisher=Hogan Stand website|date=5 April 1991|accessdate=20 April 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/where-are-they-now-eamon-ned-rea-former-limerick-hurler-26701473.html|title=Where are they now?: Eamon 'Ned' Rea (Former Limerick hurler)|publisher=Irish Independent|date=21 November 2010|accessdate=20 April 2013}}

Rea joined the team during the 1964 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement after the 1974 championship. During that time he won one All-Ireland medal and two Munster medals. Rea was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

At club level Rea was a three-time county club championship medalist with Faughs. He began his career with Effin.

He attended St Munchin's College, Limerick.

His brother, Gerry Rea, was also an inter-county hurler, while his granduncle, Matt Rea, was an All-Ireland medal winner as a Gaelic footballer with Dublin.

Playing career

=Club=

Rea began his club hurling career with Effin before joining Dublin club Faughs in 1968. It was with the latter club that he enjoyed his greatest success.{{cite web|url=http://faughs.ie/index.php/about/history/|title=Faughs GAA Club: History|publisher=Faughs GAA website|accessdate=21 April 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826025705/http://faughs.ie/index.php/about/history/|archivedate=26 August 2013}}

After losing the 1969 championship decider, Faughs were back in the final again the following year. A defeat of St. Vincents gave Rea his first championship 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.

=Inter-county=

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 by Richie Bennis secured a narrow 6-7 to 2-18 defeat of Tipperary in the provincial decider and a first Munster medal for Rea. Limerick later lined out as underdogs in Croke Park for an All-Ireland showdown with reigning champions and injury-ravaged Kilkenny. A Mossie 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 an All-Ireland medal for Rea.{{cite news|url=http://www.limerickleader.ie/3420/TALES-OF-3973-IMMORTALS.3163953.jp?articlepage=2|title=Tales of the '73 Immortals|date=31 August 2007|work=Limerick Leader|accessdate=15 July 2010}}

In 1974 Limerick maintained their provincial dominance. Rea captured a second Munster medal following a 6-14 to 3-9 trouncing of Clare. 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 as Pat Delaney, Eddie Keher and Mick Brennan scored goals. Limerick lost the game by 3-19 to 1-13.

=Inter-provincial=

Rea also had the honour of being selected for Munster in the inter-provincial series of games but enjoyed little success.{{cite web|url=http://munster.gaa.ie/history/railway-cup-hurling/|title=Railway Cup Hurling|publisher=Munster GAA website|date=|accessdate=12 March 2013|first=|last=}}

Personal life

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 nearby Effin when he was an infant. Rea was a boarder at St Munchin's College in Limerick where he was a proficient rugby player and claimed three Muster junior medals and a senior schools medal. He later studied dairy science at University College Cork where he graduated before being appointed a creamery manager in Athlacca and later with Galtee Food Products. He became a publican in 1989, opening Rea’s Pub on Parkgate Street in Dublin.{{cite web|url=http://www.vsopublicationsltd.ie/eamon-rea-%E2%80%93-limerick-person-of-the-year-dublin-2013/|title=Eamon Rea - Limerick person of the year|publisher=VSO Publications|date=17 April 2013|accessdate=23 November 2021|first=|last=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40750500.html|title=Limerick GAA mourns passing of legend ‘Ned’ Rea|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=22 November 2021|accessdate=23 November 2021|first=John|last=Fogarty}}

He died on 22 November 2021, at the age of 77 after falling ill earlier in the month.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/all-ireland-winner-eamonn-ned-rea-dies-aged-77-1.4735813|title=All-Ireland winner Eamonn ‘Ned’ Rea dies, aged 77|work=The Irish Times|first=Seán|last=Moran|date=22 November 2021|access-date=22 November 2021}}