All-Ireland winning defender John Kelly passes away

The death took place last Friday of John Kelly, who lined out at full back in Tipperary’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship success in 1971.

Kelly passed away at the age of 75 at his home in Cappawhite whom he hurled with, as well as Kilruane MacDonaghs during the short stint with the North Tipperary club.

Kelly first played hurling at juvenile and underage levels with Cappawhite. After winning back-to-back under 15 juvenile titles, he was part of the club's minor team that claimed their first Tipperary title in 1965. As a student, Kelly later lined out with University College Cork and won a Cork senior hurling championship medal in 1970.

Kelly first appeared on the inter-county scene with the Tipperary minors in 1964, making the starting team in 1965 and captaining the team in 1966, when he was drafted onto the Tipperary under-21 team. His four years in that grade yielded an All-Ireland Under 21 title in 1967 and he captained the team in his final year in 1969.

By that stage, Kelly had already lined out with the senior team, having made his debut during the Oireachtas Tournament in 1967. He was part of the team during the successful 1967–68 National League winning campaign but was dropped for the subsequent championship. Kelly earned a recall at the end of 1968 and immediately became first-choice full-back. He lined out in that position when Tipperary beat Kilkenny to win the All-Ireland senior title in 1971 in a full back line of Lorrha’s Liam King and John Gleeson of Moneygall. Kelly also won a Railway Cup medal with Munster in 1970.

He switched club allegiance by joining Kilruane MacDonaghs in 1972 when working as a teacher in Borrisokane, and played for two years, lining out at full-back on the team that contested the 1973 North and County finals. However, he returned to Cappawhite but never managed to win a West senior title.

As a coach, Kelly was still a player when he became involved in team management and club administration. He was a selector with the Tipperary minor team in 1979, while he also spent two different periods as a selector with the senior team.

Kelly worked as a secondary school teacher and was principal of Cappawhite Vocational School and, followings its closure, he ran a Youthreach programme before retiring in 2013.

John Kelly is survived by his wife Mary, sons Denis and Daniel, daughters Maureen, Margaret and Catherine, brothers Dick, Denis Martin, sister Meta, his five grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

John Kelly was accorded a guard of honour at his funeral mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Cappawhite on Monday and was buried afterwards in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Tipperary. May he rest in peace.