Larry Tompkins

Larry Tompkins (born 13 June 1963) is a former Irish Gaelic football manager and player.

Throughout his 20-year club career, he played for his adopted club Castlehaven, winning three Munster Club Championship titles during a golden age for the club; he had earlier played for his hometown club Eadestown, and also enjoyed championship successes.

Larry Tompkins was born in Greenmount, Rathmore just outside Naas, County Kildare in 1963.

The youngest of seven children, he showed a keen interest in Gaelic football from an early age.

Tompkins was educated at Rathmore national school where he first played both hurling and football.

He later attended Blessington secondary school in County Wicklow where he developed his football skills even further.

Tomkins first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a sixteen-year-old in 1979.

That year he was a member of the Kildare minor, under-21 and senior football teams.

Tompkins spent three seasons with Kildare at minor level.

Tompkins was captain of the Wicklow Vocational Schools team that won the Leinster championship in 1980.

The team subsequently lost the All-Ireland final to Derry.

Tomkins later trained as a carpenter; however, at a time when unemployment was rife in Ireland, he spent much of the early 1980s working in the United States.

When Tompkins emigrated to the United States in the 1980s he played his club football with the Donegal club in New York.

He enjoyed much success here and he captained the club to win the New York championship on two occasions.

Famously, the club never lost a championship game when Tompkins was included on the team.

It was in New York that Tompkins befriended the Collins's from Castlehaven, County Cork.

They persuaded him to join their local club when he returned to Ireland.

He lined out against Meath in the Leinster final in 1980, however, on that occasion 'the Lilywhites' were defeated on that occasion by 1–12 to 1–9.

He won a junior 'B’ title with the club in 1981, a victory which acted as a springboard for further success.

The following year Tompkins added a junior 'A’ title to his collection.

Further success followed in 1983 when Eadestown, with Tompkins playing a key role, secured a county intermediate championship title.

Tompkins returned to Ireland in 1987 and settled in Castlehaven, County Cork.

Tomkins began his club football career with his local club in Eadestown and enjoyed much success.

In 1987 Tomkins did just that and threw his lot in with 'the 'Haven'.

Two years later his decision bore fruit.

Tompkins was captain as Castlehaven defeated the famous St. Finbarr's club to take the county senior championship title in Cork.

Castlehaven later defeated St. Senan's of Clare to take the Munster club title.

Castlehaven's great run of success came to an abrupt end in the All-Ireland semi-final when the club was defeated by eventual champions Baltinglass.

At inter-county level, he captained Cork to win the 1990 All-Ireland Championship; he had earlier claimed a first winners' medal as centre-forward on the 1989 All-Ireland-winning team.

As well as being a successful captain for club and county, Tompkins was also selected for Leinster and Munster in the Railway Cup.

After retirement from playing, he served as a coach and manager, most notably with the Cork senior team.

Tompkins is widely considered one of the best players of his generation, and among the greatest of all time, as well as being regarded by many in the sport as Cork's greatest ever centre-forward.

Once described by former Kerry manager Mick O'Dwyer as 'one of the best players to ever play football', he was a three-time All-Star-winner.

Tompkins was also selected on the Kildare and Cork Teams of the Millennium.

Five years later in 1994 Tompkins secured a second county championship winners' medal following a victory over nearby rivals O'Donovan Rossa.

A second Munster club winners' medal later followed for Tompkins as Castlehaven defeated Clomnel Commercials of Tipperary.

Once again, 'the 'Haven' were later defeated by Kilmacud Crokes in the All-Ireland semi-final.

1997 saw Castlehaven lose the county final to Beara, however, the club later represented Cork in the provincial series of games.

A third Munster club title soon followed after a defeat of Fethard in the provincial decider.

Castlehaven faced heartbreak again following a third defeat in the All-Ireland semi-final.