Tiernan O'Halloran

Tiernan O'Halloran
O'Halloran warming up before a 2011–12 Heineken Cup game against Toulouse.
Birth nameTiernan Davan O'Halloran
Date of birth (1991-02-26) 26 February 1991 (age 33)
Place of birthClifden, County Galway, Ireland
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight98 kg (15 st 6 lb; 216 lb)
SchoolGarbally College
Cistercian College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
Current team Connacht
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Connemara ()
– Galwegians ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2024 Connacht 236 (249)
Correct as of 2 May 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2011 Ireland U20 8 (5)
2013– Emerging Ireland 3 (5)
2016–2017 Ireland 6 (10)
Correct as of 27 June 2017

Tiernan O'Halloran (Irish name: Tiernan Ó hAllaráin; born 26 February 1991) is a professional rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily plays as a fullback or on the wing. O'Halloran currently plays for Irish provincial side Connacht in the Pro14.

Early life

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O'Halloran grew up in Clifden. O'Halloran played rugby with Connemara at a young age.[1] He attended Garbally College in Ballinasloe, playing for the side in the Connacht Junior Schools Cup, scoring a try as they beat Coláiste Iognáid in the final in 2005.[2] O'Halloran later transferred to Cistercian College in Roscrea and played for them in the Leinster Senior Schools Cup.[3][4]

In addition to rugby, O'Halloran played Gaelic football growing up. He played with Clifden at club level and was on the Galway minor panel for two years.[5]

Rugby career

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Connacht

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O'Halloran was involved with the Connacht youth set up from a young age, and trained with the academy squad at just 16 years old.[6] He made his debut against Olympus Madrid in the 2009–10 Challenge Cup, scoring a try 30 minutes into the game.[7][8] O'Halloran made his league debut in the same season, starting against Scarlets in a 2009–10 Celtic League match on 25 April 2010.[9] The following season, while still in the academy, O'Halloran made three replacement appearances in the 2010–11 Celtic League,[10] but didn't feature in the Challenge Cup.[11]

After graduating from the Connacht academy, O'Halloran was signed on a development contract for the 2011–12 season.[12] That season saw Connacht qualify for the Heineken Cup, Europe's premier club competition, for the first time. On 11 November 2011, O'Halloran scored Connacht's first ever try in the competition against Harlequins in the opening round. He also featured for Connacht in the 36–10 defeat to Toulouse in and the 23–19 loss against Gloucester, scoring another try against Gloucester. O'Halloran then played in the 24–3 loss against Toulouse but played in the province's first ever Heineken Cup win when Connacht beat Harlequins 9–8. In the 2011–12 Pro12 O'Halloran scored tries in both games against the Cardiff Blues along with tries Leinster and Glasgow Warriors. In Round 20 of matches, O'Halloran scored a try in a 26–21 victory over Ulster to take his tally of tries to five in the Pro12 and seven in all competitions.

In April 2024, O’Halloran announced that he would retire from professional rugby at the end of the 2023–24 season, bringing to an end a 15-year career all with his home province of Connacht.[13] In addition to his 48 tries, the Connemara native kicked 3 conversions (1 v Zebre 3/3/2017; 2 v Oyonnax 20/1/2018) and a drop goal (v Cardiff 12/2/2017) during his career.

International

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O'Halloran has represented Ireland internationally at under-age level. He played for both Ireland schools and the Ireland under-20s. During the 2011–12 season, he was called up by Declan Kidney to train with the senior team. O'Halloran received his first full international cap against South Africa on 18 June 2016.[14] He played his last match for Ireland in 2017 and finished with 6 caps, winning four matches and losing two.[15]

Family

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He is the son of Aidan O'Halloran, who was a member of the All-Ireland winning Offaly football team in 1982. In 2012, Aidan O'Halloran became President of the Connacht Branch of the IRFU while his son was playing for the senior team.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Connemara RFC – Outpost is punching above its weight". Irish Independent. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Callaghan sets Garbally on way". Irish Independent. 17 March 2006. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Cody try enough to see Roscrea through". The Irish Times. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Woods try seals victory". The Irish Times. 5 February 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Surfing Connacht's rising tide of optimism". Irish Independent. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  6. ^ "'We used to do weights training in a little shed' – O'Halloran on Connacht's rise". The42. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Teenager O'Halloran Set For Connacht Debut". Irish Rugby. 8 October 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Connacht Rugby v Olympus Rugby XV Madrid". European Professional Club Rugby. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Scarlets Revel in Nine-Try Trouncing Of Connacht". Pro12. 25 April 2010. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Connacht Squad Index: Tiernan O'Halloran". Pro12. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Player Archive: Tiernan O'Halloran". European Professional Club Rugby.
  12. ^ "O'Halloran's form nets deal of approval from Elwood". Irish Independent. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Tiernan O'Halloran to retire from rugby". Connacht Rugby. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  14. ^ Keane, Rory (22 June 2016). "Fullback O'Halloran eager for second Ireland cap after brief cameo debut".
  15. ^ "TIERNAN O'HALLORAN". espnscrum. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  16. ^ "O'Halloran determined for Connacht". Galway City Tribune. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
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