Dick Stokes (hurler)

In retirement from playing, Stokes became involved in team management and coaching. As selector to the Limerick senior team, he helped guide the team to the All-Ireland title in 1973.

His retirement came following the conclusion of the 1953 championship.

Stokes also lined out with the Limerick junior football team. In 1950 he won a Munster medal following a 3-6 to 1-6 defeat of Cork.

Four years later in 1947, Stokes was on the UCD hurling team lined out against Faughs in the county decider. A 6-12 to 4-9 of the hurling kingpins of Dublin, gave Stokes a championship medal in the small ball code. UC retained the title the following year.

In 1947 Stoke won a National Hurling League medal as Limerick defeated old rivals Kilkenny by 3-8 to 1-7 following an earlier drawn game.

In 1945 Stokes was named at full-forward on the UCD football team. A 3-8 to 0-2 defeat of UCC gave him a Sigerson Cup medal.

In 1943 UCD's senior football team reached the final of the county club championship. A 1-8 to 1-6 defeat of Seán McDermott's gave Stokes a Dublin Senior Football Championship medal.

He first enjoyed success on the hurling field in 1941. A 2-8 to 2-4 defeat of University College Galway and a 7-10 to 3-1 win over University College Cork gave Stokes his first Fitzgibbon Cup medal. Three years later in 1944, UCD made a clean sweep of the series once again, giving Stokes, who was now captain of the team, a second Fitzgibbon Cup medal.

Born in Oola, County Limerick, Stokes first played competitive hurling whilst at school in Doon CBS. He arrived on the inter-county scene as a dual player with the Limerick minor hurling and football teams. He made his senior hurling debut in the 1940 championship. Stokes went on to play a key part for Limerick and won one All-Ireland medal, one Munster medal and one National Hurling League medal.

In 1940 Stokes made his senior debut with the Limerick senior hurling team in a tournament game against Cork. He was subsequently included on the Limerick championship team, and made his debut in a drawn Munster semi-final against Waterford. It took two late goals from Jackie Power and a storming display by Mick Mackey to level the game. Another late rally gave Limerick a victory in the subsequent replay. Stokes's side put in another excellent performance in the Munster final to draw the game with Cork. At half-time in the replay Limerick looked like a spent force. Held scoreless for the entire thirty minutes, team captain Mick Mackey got the recovery underway in the second-half with a point from a seventy. He later moved back to the defence where Cork were running riot with goals. A pitch invasion scuppered the game for ten minutes, however, Limerick held on to win by 3-3 to 2-4 and Stoke collected a Munster medal. The subsequent All-Ireland decider on 1 September 1940 brought Kilkenny and Limerick together for the last great game between the two outstanding teams of the decade. Early in the second-half Kilkenny took a four-point lead, however, once Mick Mackey was deployed at midfield he proceeded to dominate the game. Limerick hung on to win the game on a score line of 3-7 to 1-7. The win gave Stoke an All-Ireland medal.

In 1938 he was moved to midfield and was a reserve on the Munster colleges team.

Richard Stokes (12 March 1920 – 17 November 2005) was an Irish hurler who played as a left wing-forward for the Limerick senior team.