Willie Smith

William J. Smith (born 1944) is an Irish former hurler. At club level he played with Clonakenny and was also a member of the Tipperary senior hurling team.

Career

Smith first played hurling at juvenile and underage levels with a Na Fianna combination and won consecutive Mid Tipperary MAHC titles in 1961 and 1962. At adult level he lined out with Clonakenny and was part of the club's junior team that won the Tipperary JAHC title in 1967. Smith also lined out as a student with University College Dublin and won three Fitzgibbon Cup titles.

Smith first appeared at inter-county level as a dual minor in 1962. He was a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team that lost the 1962 All-Ireland minor final to Kilkenny. Smith subsequently spent two seasons with the under-21 team and was at right corner-back on the first Tipperary team to win an All-Ireland U21HC title in 1964. He also lined out with the intermediate and senior teams that year and was a non-playing substitute when Tipperary beat Cork in the 1964 Munster SHC final.

Family

His brother, Michael Smith, served as a Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary North at various times between 1969 and 2007. He also served as a minister in the governments of Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern.

Honours

University College Dublin Fitzgibbon Cup: 1964, 1965, 1968

Clonakenny Tipperary Junior A Hurling Championship: 1967 Mid Tipperary Junior A Hurling Championship: 1964, 1967

Tipperary Munster Senior Hurling Championship: 1964 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship: 1964 Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship: 1964, 1965 Munster Minor Hurling Championship: 1962