Michael John Flaherty

M. J. 'Inky' Flaherty (27 September 1917 – 20 May 1992) was an Irish sportsperson. He played inter-county hurling for Galway from 1936 to 1953, and was a noted boxer. Flaherty trained the Galway hurling team in the 1950s, and again in the 1970s, leading the side to league success in 1975. Starting out playing hurling for his beloved Liam Mellows, Flaherty went on to spend most of his inter-club days representing Ballinasloe in both hurling and Gaelic football. Also contributing as a coach and referee, his lifelong dedication to the GAA was recognised in 1989 when he was presented with a GAA All-Time All-Star Award. The currently uncontested Connacht Senior Hurling Championship was named in his honour.

Club

A native of Bohermore in Galway city, Inky played in his first county championship final for Liam Mellows in 1935. Only 17 years old, he scored 3 goals, helping Mellows to their first county senior hurling title. After moving to Ballinasloe in 1940 for work purposes, Flaherty joined St. Brigid's hurling team, Ballinasloe, which made the transition to senior level that same year. With Ballinasloe he reached another county championship final in 1943, but was denied the win by his former club, Liam Mellows. He finally got a county hurling medal with Ballinasloe when they won the championship in 1951.

Inter-county

Flaherty played inter-county hurling for Galway from 1936 to 1953, captaining the side to a National Hurling League title in 1951 in New York. He also won a Railway Cup(Inter-provincial) medal with Connacht in 1947.

Flaherty was a notable referee, regularly refereeing club and county matches at different levels throughout the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He refereed the All-Ireland hurling final in 1949, a clash between Tipperary and Laois which saw Tipp winning the first of their 3 in a row on a scoreline of 3-11 to 0-3. At the age of 32, Flaherty was yet to contest a hurling final of his own.