Donal Franks
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| Native name | Dónall de Frainc (Irish) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1971 (age 54–55) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Hurling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left wing-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Donal Franks (born 1971) is an Irish hurling manager and former player. At club level, he played with Ballyskanegh and Birr and at inter-county level with the Offaly senior hurling team.
Playing career
Franks first played hurling for the Ballyskenagh club before transferring to Birr.[1] With his adopted club, he won seven Offaly SHC medals from eight consecutive finals appearances between 1999 and 2006.[2] Franks also won three Leinster Club SHC medals. He was also part of Birr's back-yo-back All-Ireland Club SHC title-winning teams in 2002 and 2003.[3]
At inter-county level, Franks first played for Offaly as a member of the minor team. He was at left wing-back when Offaly beat Clare by 2–16 to 1–12 in the 1989 All-Ireland MHC final.[4] Franks later progressed to the under-21 team and won consecutive Leinster U21HC medals in 1991 and 1992, however, these provincial wins were subsequently followed by consecutive All-Ireland U21HC final defeats.[5] Franks made his senior team debut in a National Hurling League game against Down in October 1992.[6]
Management career
Franks first became involved in management when he took charge of the Shamrocks club. He later coached Clonkill to a defeat by Raharney in the Westmeath SHC final in 2010.[7] Franks became Birr's senior team manager in 2012.[8] He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Westmeath manager's position in 2013, before taking over as Naas manager in 2014.[9][10] Franks also served as manager with club sides Round Towers and Abbeyleix.[11][12] He was appointed manager of the Laois intermediate camogie team in 2018.[13]
Honours
- Birr
- All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship (2): 2002, 2003
- Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship (3): 1999, 2001, 2002
- Offaly Senior Hurling Championship (7): 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
- Offaly
- Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship (2): 1991, 1992
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship (1): 1989
- Leinster Minor Hurling Championship (1): 1989
References
- ^ "Offaly hurlers wish to switch clubs". Midland Ttibune. 23 January 1999. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ^ "Club history". Birr GAA website. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ^ "FEATURE: Magnificent Birr were a real force of nature during their glorious heyday". Offaly Live. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ^ "Leinster Minor All-Ireland Hurling Winning Teams" (PDF). Leinster GAA website. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "Offaly: The glory years". Irish Independent. 9 June 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ^ "Donal Franks". Uibh Fhailí. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "Loughlin calls for more clinical Clonkill". Hogan Stand. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "Franks takes Birr reins". Hogan Stand. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "Hanley and Dunne hold on to hurling jobs". Irish Examiner. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "Franks takes over Naas". Hogan Stand. 24 December 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "Delaney delights in 'buzz' around Rathdowney-Errill ahead of Sunday's Laois SHC final". Laois Live. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "Stapleton the Towers hero". Irish Independent. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ^ "New Laois intermediate camogie manager has been announced". Laois Today. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2026.