Misplaced Pages

Nicholas Quaid (born 12 June 1989) is an Irish hurler who plays as a goalkeeper for club side Effin and at inter-county level with the Limerick senior hurling team.

Early life

Quaid was born in Effin, County Limerick, the middle child of three sons born to Tommy Quaid and Breda Grace. His father was an All-Ireland runner-up with Limerick as a goalkeeper in 1980. His grandfather, Jack Quaid, won a Munster Championship medal in 1955, while his cousin, Joe Quaid, was the All-Ireland runner-up goalkeeper in 1994 and 1996.

Playing career

University

During his studies at the Institute of Technology, Tralee, Quaid became involved with the institute's senior hurling team. On 26 February 2011, he was at midfield when Tralee IT defeated Institute of Technology, Carlow by 1-17 to 1-15 in the final of the Ryan Cup.

Club

Quaid joined the Effin club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels before joining the club's junior team. On 31 October 2010, Quaid won a Limerick Junior Championship medal following Effin's 1-16 to 1-10 defeat of St. Kieran's.

As a member of divisional side Emmets, Quaid was at midfield when the team was defeated by Kilmallock in the Limerick Senior Championship final on 3 October 2010.

On 25 September 2011, Quaid was at centre-back when Effin defeated Ballybrown in the final of the Limerick Intermediate Championship. His display in the subsequent 0-14 to 0-11 defeat of Ballyduff in the Munster final earned Quaid particular praise in the media.

Inter-county

Minor and under-21

Quaid first played for Limerick at minor level in 2006. His two seasons in the grade ended with back-to-back Munster Championship defeats by Tipperary.

On 5 June 2008, Quaid made his first appearance for the Limerick under-21 hurling team, lining out in goal in Limerick's 2-17 to 1-07 defeat of Waterford. His three seasons in the under-21 grade ended with early championship defeats.

Senior

Quaid was one of a number of new players drafted onto the Limerick senior hurling team in 2010 in place of many of the 2009 panel who refused to play under manager Justin McCarthy. On 21 February 2010, he made his senior debut at midfield for Limerick in a National League defeat by Galway at FitzGerald Park. Quaid made his first championship appearance on 20 June 2010 when he was introduced as a substitute for Andrew Brennan in the 44th minute of a Munster Championship defeat by Cork.

Following the return of many of the regular Limerick panel in 2011, Quaid was one of the few players to be retained, switching from an outfield player to goalkeeper. On 30 April 2011, he won a National League Division 2 medal after a 4-12 to 2-13 defeat of Clare in the final.

Quaid's performances during the 2012 season earned him an All-Star nomination.

On 14 July 2013, Quaid was in goal in Limerick's 0-24 to 0-15 defeat of Cork in the Munster final.

Quaid was appointed captain of the Limerick senior hurling team on 9 December 2015.

On 30 July 2018, Quaid's injury-time save from a Séamus Harnedy shot at goal in the All-Ireland semi-final the previous day was listed by Sports Illustrated as its "sports highlight of the weekend". The magazine wrote: "You can’t really call yourself a sports fan if you don’t appreciate this play...Séamus Harnedy found himself in front of the net with a chance to score a potential game-winning goal. He might have been the hero if not for this jaw-dropping effort from Limerick goalie Nickie Quaid. Quaid, while diving to his right, managed to knock the ball out of mid-air before Harnedy could hit it into the net." On 19 August 2018, Quaid was in goal when Limerick won their first All-Ireland title in 45 years after a 3-16 to 2-18 defeat of Galway in the final. He ended the season by being nominated for a second All-Star Award.

On 31 March 2019, Quaid was selected in goal for Limerick's National League final meeting with Waterford at Croke Park. He collected a winners' medal following the 1-24 to 0-19 victory. On 30 June 2019, Quaid won his first Munster Championship medal in six years following Limerick's 2-26 to 2-14 defeat of Tipperary in the final.

On 25 October 2020, Quaid won a second successive National League medal after Limerick's 0-36 to 1-23 win over Clare in the delayed final. Later that season he claimed a second successive Munster Championship medal - the third of his career - after keeping a clean sheet in the 0-25 to 0-21 Munster final defeat of Waterford. On 13 December 2020, Quaid won a second All-Ireland Championship medal after keeping a clean sheet in the 0-30 to 0-19 win over Waterford.

Quaid won an All Star at the end of the 2024 season.

Inter-provincial

On 19 February 2012, Quaid was sub goalkeeper to Donal Óg Cusack in Munster's 3-14 to 1-16 Railway Cup semi-final defeat by Leinster.

Personal life

Educated at Effin national school, Quaid later attended Mannix College in Charleville. After completing his Leaving Certificate he attended the Institute of Technology, Tralee where he completed a B.Sc in health, leisure and fitness, sports development, APA, health & wellness, personal training and sports psychology. He later worked as a Sports and Recreation Facilitator at St. Joseph's Foundation in Charleville.

Career statistics

As of match played 07 July 2024.

Honours

Institute of Technology, Tralee

• Ryan Cup (2): 2007 2011

Effin

• Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship: 2011
• Limerick Intermediate Hurling Championship: 2011, 2021
• Limerick Junior Hurling Championship: 2010

Limerick

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Munster Senior Hurling Championship: 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• National Hurling League Division 1: 2019, 2020, 2023
• National Hurling League Division 2: 2011
• Munster Senior Hurling League: 2018
• Waterford Crystal Cup: 2015

Awards

• The Sunday Game Team of the Year: 2020, 2022, 2024
• GAA GPA All Stars Awards: 2020, 2022, 2024

References

1. "The great Tommy Quaid". Hogan Stand. 1 January 1993. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
2. "Ryan Cup win for Tralee IT". Hogan Stand. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
3. "Mulcahy's goal helps Kilmallock bridge gap". Irish Times. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
4. "Moloney the Effin hero". Limerick Leader. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
5. "Towering Quaid display guides Effin to title glory". Irish Independent. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
6. Larkin, Brendan (19 April 2006). "Limerick and Clare ring the changes ahead of minor hurling qualifier". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
7. "Limerick add to Waterford's woes". Irish Times. 6 June 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
8. "Ryan's 3-9 gives Clare timely lift". Irish Times. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
9. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (15 July 2010). "O'Connor inspires Banner in thriller". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
10. "McCarthy dispute gets silent treatment". Irish Times. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
11. Keys, Colm (22 February 2010). "McCarthy hails defiant display of Treaty men". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
12. "Cork record comfortable win over Limerick". Irish Examiner. 20 June 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
13. Cahill, Jackie (14 February 2011). "Limerick step up to the plate for O'Grady". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
14. O'Connor, Christy (2 May 2011). "Limerick on the rise". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
15. O'Riordan, Ian. "Galway top list with 14 as Kilkenny earn 12". Irish Times. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
16. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (15 July 2011). "Day of joy sends tremor through Treaty". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
17. "Quaid to captain Shannonsiders". Hogan Stand. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
18. Neville, Steve (30 July 2018). "US magazine calls Nickie Quaid's save against Cork the 'sports highlight of the weekend'". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
19. Moore, Paul (30 July 2018). "Nickie Quaid's amazing save was voted as the best sports moment of the weekend by a huge U.S. magazine". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
20. "The Quaid supremacy - Limerick goalkeeping dynasty seeking to add triumph after going through tragedy". Irish Independent. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
21. McGoldrick, Seán (19 August 2018). "Limerick are All Ireland hurling champions for the first time in 45 years following epic victory over Galway". Irish Independent. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
22. "All Star hurling nominees: 15 Limerick players in contention". Hogan Stand. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
23. O'Toole, Fintan (31 March 2019). "Limerick end 22-year with for league honours in style with final win over Waterford". The 42. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
24. O'Toole, Fintan (30 June 2019). "More glory for Limerick as they lift Munster crown with 12-point win over Tipperary". The 42. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
25. Fogarty, John (25 October 2020). "Lethal Limerick storm to victory despite Tony Kelly brilliance". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
26. Fogarty, John (15 November 2020). "Limerick made to work by Waterford for historic Munster SHC crown". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
27. Fogarty, John (13 December 2020). "Limerick show consistency in a world gone mad to claim All-Ireland honours". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
28. "Conroy and O'Donnell scoop Player of the Year awards". RTÉ News. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
29. "Early Leinster damage decisive". Irish Examiner. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
30. "Mannix pupils reap awards". The Corkman. 6 October 2005. Retrieved 2 July 2011.

• 1989 births
• Living people
• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winners
• All Stars Awards winners (hurling)
• Effin hurlers
• Irish schoolteachers
• Limerick inter-county hurlers
• Munster inter-provincial hurlers
• Hurling goalkeepers
• Quaid family
• 21st-century Irish sportsmen