{{Short description|Clare hurler}} {{morefootnotes|date=August 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox GAA player | code= Hurling | sport = Hurling | image = | name = Éamonn Taaffe | irish = Éamonn Táth | feet = 5 | inches = 11 | nickname = | occupation = Farmer | county = Clare | province = Munster | club = Tubber | clposition = Forward | clubs = | clyears = | clapps(points) = | clcounty = 0 | clprovince= | clallireland = | counties = Clare | icposition = Full-forward | icyears = 1993–2000 | icapps(points) = 8 (1–7) | icprovince = 1 | icallireland = 1 | allstars = 0 | nhl = 0 | clupdate = | icupdate = 14:30, 16 February 2015 | birth_date={{Birth date and age|1975|2|18|df=yes}} | birth_place=Tubber, County Clare, Ireland }} '''Éamonn Taaffe''' (born 18 February 1975) is an Irish former hurler who played as a full-forward for the Clare senior team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Clare/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=43864|title=Clare’s Eamonn Taaffe|publisher=Hogan Stand|accessdate=16 February 2015|date=7 July 1995|first=|last=}}</ref>
Born in Tubber, County Clare, Taaffe first played competitive hurling during his schooling at Our Lady's College. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Clare minor team, before later joining the under-21 side. He joined the senior panel during the 1993-94 league. Taaffe was a regular member of the team for much of the rest of the decade and won one All-Ireland medal and one Munster medal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/back-from-the-wilderness-26228458.html|title=Back from the wilderness|publisher=Irish Independent|accessdate=16 February 2015|date=26 January 2003|first=Dermot|last=Crowe}}</ref>
At club level Taaffe played with Tubber
Throughout his career Taaffe made 8 championship appearances. He retired from inter-county hurling following the conclusion of the 2000 championship.
==Playing career==
===Colleges===
During his schooling at Our Lady's College in Gort, Taaffe established himself as a key member of the senior hurling team. In 1993 he a Connacht medal, a first provincial title for the school in almost a decade. St Kieran's College provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider. Taaffe's side were somewhat overawed by the occasion and were defeated by 3–15 to 1–10.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/sport/gaelic-games/kieran-s-crowned-hurling-kings-1-2151333|title=Kieran's crowned hurling kings|publisher=Kilkenny People|date=5 May 2004|accessdate=26 November 2014|first=Trevor|last=Spillane|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701041906/http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/sport/gaelic-games/kieran-s-crowned-hurling-kings-1-2151333|archivedate=1 July 2015}}</ref>
===Club===
Taaffe played both hurling and Gaelic football with Tubber. After winning an under-16 championship medal he added a senior B championship medal to his collection during the early stage of his club career.
===Inter-county===
Taaffe's underage career with the Clare minor and under-21 teams yielded little success.
During the 1993–94 league campaign Taaffe was added to the Clare senior panel by manager Len Gaynor. He played in a number of games but was best known as a player on the fringes of the team.
In 1995, a hamstring injury kept Taaffe off the starting fifteen; however, he collected a Munster SHC medal as an unused substitute, with Clare defeating reigning provincial champions Limerick by 1-17 to 0-11. On 3 September 1995, Clare faced reigning champions Offaly in the All-Ireland decider. Taaffe was not even named on the official list of substitutes, but was introduced in the second half. After a long range speculative shot was sent towards the goalmouth Taaffe was at hand to send the sliotar to the net for the key goal for Clare. He was later substituted; however, Clare went on to win by 1–13 to 2–8, giving him an All-Ireland SHC medal.
Taaffe remained on the bench for the next few years, only starting one championship match. He won a second set of Munster and All-Ireland SHC medals in 1997 as Clare defeated Tipperary in both deciders.
In 1998, Taaffe won his first Munster SHC medal on the field of play following a 2–16 to 0–10 defeat of Waterford in a tense provincial decider replay.
After leaving the panel in 1999, Taaffe returned the following year and made a few cameo appearances as a substitute. His late{{clarify|date=June 2025|reason='late'? 'last' possibly?}} championship game was a 2–19 to 1–14 Munster SHC semi-final defeat by Tipperary that year.
==Honours==
===Player===
;Our Lady's College, Gort *Connacht Senior Colleges Hurling Championship (1): 1993
;Clare *All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (2): 1995, 1997 (sub) *Munster Senior Hurling Championship (3): 1995 (sub), 1997 (sub), 1998
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Navboxes |title=Éamonn Taaffe navigation boxes |bg= |fg= |list1= {{Clare Hurling Team 1995}} {{Clare Hurling Team 1997}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taaffe, Eamonn}} Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winners Category:Clare inter-county hurlers Category:Hurling forwards Category:Tubber hurlers Category:20th-century Irish farmers Category:20th-century Irish sportsmen Category:21st-century Irish farmers