Dillon Quirke

Dillon Quirke (28 February 1998 – 5 August 2022) was an Irish hurler who played for Tipperary Senior Championship club Clonoulty–Rossmore and at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team.

Dillon Quirke
Personal information
Irish name Diollún Ó Coirc
Sport Hurling
Position Wing-back
Born (1998-02-28)28 February 1998
Rossmore, County Tipperary, Ireland
Died 5 August 2022(2022-08-05) (aged 24)
Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Occupation Retail manager
Club(s)
Years Club
2015-2022
 Clonoulty–Rossmore
Club titles
Tipperary titles 1
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2018–2022
 Tipperary 6 (0–01)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 0
All-Irelands 0
NHL 0
All Stars 0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 12:08, 6 August 2022.

Early life

Born and raised in Rossmore, County Tipperary, Quirke's father, Dan Quirke, won an All-Ireland medal at under-21 level in All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship.[1] He first played as a schoolboy in various juvenile competitions at Rossmore National School before later lining out as a student at Thurles CBS. Quirke lined out in all grades and was a member of the Thurles CBS senior team that beat St. Francis' College to win the Harty Cup in 2015, before losing the subsequent All-Ireland final to St. Kieran's College.[2][3]

Club career

Quirke began his club career at juvenile and underage levels with Clonoulty–Rossmore. He won consecutive divisional championship titles with the club's minor team in 2014 and 2015, before winning a Tipperary U21AHC title after a defeat of Thurles Sarsfields in the final.[4] Quirke scored two points from play when Clonoulty–Rossmore beat Nenagh Éire Óg in the 2018 Tipperary SHC final.[5]

Inter-county career

Quirke began a two-year association with the Tipperary minor hurling team in advance of the 2015 Munster MHC. He was an unused substitute for the Munster final defeat of Limerick, and again for the All-Ireland final defeat by Galway.[6][7] Again eligible for the minor grade in 2016, Quirke won a second successive Munster MHC medal from the substitutes' bench after a 17-point defeat of Limerick in the Munster final.[8] He later won an All-Ireland medal on the field after coming on as a substitute in the 1–21 to 0–17 defeat of Limerick.[9]

After a year away from the inter-county scene, Quirke was called up to the Tipperary under-21 hurling team for the 2018 Munster U21HC. After lining out at left wing-back in Tipperary's 2–23 to 1–13 defeat by Cork in the Munster final, he was in the same position when the result was reversed and Tipperary beat Cork in the subsequent All-Ireland final.[10][11]

Quirke was one of 12 under-21 players called up to the senior team's pre-season training panel in November 2018, however, he was later released from the panel.[12] He was later recalled to the senior panel and made his first appearance in a 2–14 to 0–18 defeat by Limerick in round 1 of the 2020 National League.[13][14] Later that season, Quirke made his championship debut when he came on as a 73rd-minute substitute for Jason Forde in an All-Ireland qualifier defeat of Cork.[15] By 2022 he was a regular member of the starting fifteen and started all four games in Tipperary's unsuccessful Munster Championship campaign.[16]

Death

On 5 August 2022, Quirke collapsed and died while playing a Tipperary SHC match for his club against Kilruane MacDonaghs at Semple Stadium.[17] The match was abandoned after he was taken to Tipperary University Hospital. Tipperary GAA postponed the weekend's matches as a mark of respect.[18][19][20] President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Micheál Martin paid tribute.[21] A vigil was held at his home club on 6 August.[22] Tributes were also paid on television ahead of the camogie finals on 7 August.[23] His funeral was held on 9 August in Clonoulty.[24]

Career statistics
Team Year National League Munster All-Ireland Total
DivisionAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScore
Tipperary 2019 Division 1A 00-0000-0000-0000-00
2020 40-0600-0010-0050-06
2021 30-0010-0000-0040-00
2022 Division 1B 30-0040-01—70-01
Career total 100-0650-0110-00160-07

Honours
Thurles CBS
Clonoulty–Rossmore
Tipperary

References
  1. "A Clonoulty-Rossmore and Tipperary star, Dillon Quirke kept on achieving in his hurling career". The 42. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  2. "Thurles CBS crush Rochestown's double dreams to win their eighth Harty Cup". The 42. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  3. "Kilkenny school St Kieran's have won their 20th All-Ireland title". The 42. 5 April 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  4. "Clonoulty Rossmore crowned Tipperary U21 Hurling champions". Tipp FM website. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  5. "Favourites Nenagh beaten as Clonoulty/Rossmore land first Tipp title in 21 years". The 42. 21 October 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  6. Cormican, Eoghan (13 July 2015). "Tipperary storm up final stretch against Limerick". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  7. O'Toole, Fintan (6 September 2015). "Great start for Galway as they lift All-Ireland minor hurling title against Tipperary". The 42. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  8. "Tipperary romp to Munster minor title". Irish Examiner. 10 July 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  9. Cormican, Eoghan (5 September 2016). "Redemption as powerful Premier get hands on cup". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  10. Cormican, Eoghan (5 July 2018). "Cork outclass Tipperary on home soil to end 11-year Munster U21 hurling crown wait". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  11. "Injury time drama as late Tipperary goal secures All-Ireland U21 victory over Cork". Irish Independent. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  12. "12 All-Ireland U21 winners in 40-man Tipperary hurling pre-season squad as new sponsor named". The 42. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  13. "Sheehy names three league debutants in Tipp team to face Limerick". The 42. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  14. "Limerick claw back 10-point deficit to carve out thrilling win over hosts Tipp". The 42. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  15. "Late Morris goal clinches Tipperary win in All-Ireland qualifier battle against Cork". The 42. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  16. "Tipperary GAA in shock following death of Dillon Quirke". RTÉ. 6 August 2022.
  17. "The death has occurred of Dillon Quirke". RIP.ie. 5 August 2022. Unexpectedly in Semple Stadium.
  18. "Clonoulty/Rossmore and Tipperary hurler Dillon Quirke passes away". Nenagh Guardian. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  19. Bray, Allison (6 August 2022). "Tipperary hurling star Dillon Quirke (24) dies after falling ill during match". Irish Independent. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  20. "Tipperary GAA in mourning as senior star Dillon Quirke dies after collapsing during game". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  21. "Dillon Quirke: Tipperary hurler dies after collapsing mid-game". BBC News Europe.
  22. "Funeral details for Dillon Quirke announced". 8 August 2022.
  23. Finn, Melanie (8 August 2022). "'It just seems so unfair' – RTÉ Sport honours tragic hurler Dillon Quirke ahead of coverage of All-Ireland camogie final".
  24. "Funeral of Tipperary hurler Dillon Quirke to be held at noon". The 42. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
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