Quick Facts
Biography
Robert "Bobby" Dineen (born 1919) was an Irish hurler who played as a centre-forward for the Cork senior team.
Dineen made his first appearance for the team during the 1939 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen for just two seasons until he left the panel after the 1940 championship. During that time he won one Munster medal. Dineen was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.
At club level Dineen played with Midleton.
Playing career
Club
Dineen played hurling and Gaelic football with Midleton and enjoyed some success during his club career.
Having claimed the divisional title at junior level in 1945, Midleton subsequently qualified for the county decider. A 3-6 to 3-3 defeat of Passage gave Dineen a junior championship medal.
Inter-county
In 1939 Dineen made his senior debut with Cork as the team made a breakthrough in the provincial championship after nearly a decade in the doldrums. A narrow 4-3 to 3-4 defeat of Limerick gave Cork the title and gave Dineen his only Munster medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Kilkenny. In one of the most iconic championship deciders of all-time, played on the day that World War II broke out, the climax of which was played in a ferocious thunder storm. While a draw looked likely as the hour drew to a close Paddy Phelan sent a seventy-yard free in towards the Cork goalmouth. The sliotar was gobbled up by the defence and cleared, but only as far as Jimmy Kelly who sent it straight over the bar for a one-point lead. Immediately after the puck-out the referee blew the whistle and Cork were defeated on a score line of 2-7 to 3-3.
Dineen left the senior hurling panel after Cork's exit from the championship in 1940.