Seán Stack (born 1953) is an Irish retired hurler who played as a centre-back for the Clare senior team.
Born in Listowel, County Kerry, Stack first played competitive hurling during his schooling at St. Flannan'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, junior and intermediate sides. He made his senior debut during the 1974 championship. Stack immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen and won two National Hurling League medals. He was a Munster runner-up on five occasions.
As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions, Stack won two Railway Cup medal. At club level he is a one-time Munster medallist with Sixmilebridge. In addition to this he has also seven championship medals.
Throughout his career Stack made 28 championship appearances. His retirement came following the conclusion of the 1987 championship.
In retirement from playing Stack became involved in team management and coaching. At inter-county level he was trainer of the Clare under-21 team before later serving as a selector. At club level Stack has taken charge of numerous club teams including Sixmilebridge, Clonlara, Toomevara and Na Piarsaigh.
During Stack's playing days, and in spite of a lack of championship success, he won one All-Star award. He has been repeatedly voted onto teams made up of the sport's greats, including at centre-back on a special non-All-Ireland-winning Team of the Century in 1984. Stack was also chosen as one of the 125 greatest hurlers of all-time in a 2009 poll, before being included on a special Team of the 1980s in 2013.
Biography
Seán Stack was born in Listowel, County Kerry in 1953. His father was a native of Kerry while his mother hailed from Glin, County Limerick. Stack spent the first year of his life in Listowel before moving to Glin for three years. In 1957 his father purchased a farm of near Sixmilebridge, County Clare.
Stack was educated locally and first came to prominence on the hurling field at school and college (St. Patrick's College, Maynooth). He later moved the United States where he spent a number of years working.
Stack’s son, also named Seán, is a hurling referee and on the intercounty panel representing Dublin.
Playing career
University
During his studies at St. Patrick's College in Maynooth, Stack was an automatic inclusion on the college hurling team. In 1973 he was at left wing-back as St. Patrick's faced University College Galway in the inter-varsities final. A narrow 2–12 to 4–4 victory gave Stack a first Fitzgibbon Cup medal.
St. Patrick's reached the decider for a second successive year in 1974. A 2–10 to 1–7 defeat of University College Dublin secured a second successive Fitzgibbon Cup medal for Stack.
Stack was also a regular member of the starting fifteen over the next three years, however, St. Patrick's faced defeat in three successive championship deciders.
Club
Stack was still a minor when he was drafted onto the Sixmilebridge senior team in 1971. He was at left wing-forward as Sixmilebridge faced Tubber in the intermediate decider. Stack top scored with 1–2 as Sixmilebridge secured promotion to the senior ranks following a 4–14 to 4–4 victory.
After defeat in the senior decider in 1976, Sixmilebridge returned to contest a second successive county final the following year against Kilkishen. Mickey White was the hero for Sixmilebridge as he lofted the winning point seventy five seconds from the final whistle to secure a narrow 1–6 to 1–5 victory. Not only was it a first championship medal for Stack, who had the honour of captaining the team, but it was a first title for Sixmilebridge.
Two-in-a-row proved beyond Sixmilebridge, however, the team contested the decider again in 1979.
Despite playing against the breeze in the first half Sixmilebridge led by 2–4 to 0–5. The Bridge powered on in the second half to claim a 5–11 to 0–9 victory over St. Brendan's. It was Stack's second championship medal.
Éire Óg defeated Sixmilebridge in the 1982 decider, however, both sides were back in the final again the following year. After a 1–10 to 3–4 draw, Sixmilebridge triumphed in the replay following a 1–10 to 1–7 victory. It was Stack's third championship medal.