The death has occurred of former Galway hurler and inter-county referee Jimmy Cooney at the age of 68.

The Sarsfields man lined out for Galway in four championships from 1979 to ’82 and was left corner-back in the Tribesmen’s second ever All-Ireland senior hurling victory in 1980 when they beat Limerick in the final and also claimed a Railway Cup medal with a Galway-dominated Connacht side that year.

An All-Star in 1980 and ’81, Cooney started the following year’s final when Offaly beat Galway and his last senior inter-county game came against Kilkenny in the 1983 All-Ireland semi-final.

He won three senior county medals with Sarsfields and was a substitute when they won the All-Ireland crown in 1993.