Daniel Goulding

Daniel Goulding (born 6 July 1986 in Ovens, County Cork, Ireland) is an Irish sportsperson.

After beginning his club career as a member of the Éire Óg under-6 team, Goulding made it onto the club's minor team by 2002.

That year he won a county minor championship following a defeat of Carrigaline in the county final.

Goulding first played for Cork as a member of the county's minor team in 2003/2004, however, he enjoyed little success in this grade as Kerry dominated the provincial series at the time.

2005 saw Goulding join the Cork under-21 team.

Success was instant as he collected a Munster title following a three-point victory over Limerick.

Cork were later beaten by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.

In 2005 he was part of the Cork Junior team.

It was a successful season has a win over Kerry seen him pick up a Munster Junior Football Championship.

Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship final where they faced Meath.

In the end Cork won the title on a 0-10 to 1-04 scoreline to give Goulding an All-Ireland medal.

He began playing Gaelic football with his local club Éire Óg and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 2006 until announcing his retirement in October 2016.

Born in Ovens, County Cork, Goulding was educated at the local national school before later attending Coláiste Choilm in nearby Ballincollig.

Here he became a star on the school football team, winning Cork colleges and Munster honours in all grades.

Goulding added a second Munster under-21 title to his collection in 2006 following a 4–14 to 1–6 trouncing of Waterford.

He later lined out in the All-Ireland final against Mayo, however, it was the westerners who claimed the championship with a two-point victory.

In 2006 Goulding made his senior debut for Cork when he came on as a substitute and scored a goal in a National Football League game against Offaly.

Later that year he made his championship debut against Limerick but did not plays any part in Cork's Munster final victory over Kerry.

2007 was Goulding's last year as a member of the Cork under-21 team.

He won a third consecutive Munster title that year following a 3–19 to 3–12 defeat of Tipperary.

Cork later reached the All-Ireland final with Down providing the opposition.

Another close and exciting game of football developed as neither side took a decisive lead.

Colm O'Neill and Goulding combined to score two goals and to help Cork to a narrow 2–10 to 0–15 victory.

It was his 's first All-Ireland winners' medal at under-21 level.

Goulding was still a peripheral member of the team again in 2007 as Cork reached their first All-Ireland final since 1999.

Age-old rivals Kerry were the opponents in the first all-Munster All-Ireland final and although Goulding didn't start the game, he came on as a substitute.

It was a game to forget for Cork as Kerry triumphed by 3–13 to 1–9.

Goulding later studied structural engineering at the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and qualified with a first class honours degree in 2008.

He subsequently received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to research in the area of renewable energy and is currently completing his PhD on a part-time basis while working for Bord Gáis.

By 2008 Goulding had become a key forward on Éire Óg's top team.

He won a Mid Cork title that year following a one-goal victory over Dripsey.

Goulding's side later claimed the county junior championship following a 1–8 to 1–5 defeat of Ballygarvan.

In 2008 Goulding became a regular member of Cork's starting fifteen as 'the Rebels' gained a modicum of revenge on Kerry when the sides met in that year's Munster final.

Kerry were cruising by eight points at the interval, however, Cork stormed back in the second-half.

During his tenure at CIT Goulding played with the institute's football team that reached their first inter-varsitites final in 2009.

A 1–16 to 1–10 defeat of Dublin Institute of Technology, with Goulding top scoring with nine points, gave him a Sigerson Cup winners' medal.

Goulding plays his club hurling and football with the Éire Óg club and has enjoyed much success.

In 2014 he helped his side to win the Cork Intermediate Football Championship after a convincing 0-14 to 0-06 win over Rockchapel in the final.

In 2019 he won a Cork Premier Intermediate Football Championship after a win over St Michael's.

He was captain of the 2020 Cork Senior A Football Championship winning team when Éire Óg overcame Mallow in the delayed final due to the Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games played in June 2021.