James Edward Young (16 October 1915 – 23 August 1992) was an Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer who played in various positions for the Cork senior teams.
Young made his first appearance for the senior hurling team during the 1938 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement after the 1949 championship. During that time he won five All-Ireland medals, six Munster medals and three National Hurling League medals. Young was an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.
At club level Young was an eight-time county hurling championship medalist with Glen Rovers. He also played football at club level with Dohenys.
Young's father, Jack, and his brother Éamonn, were All-Ireland medalists in football with Cork.
Playing career
Club
Young played his club hurling with Glen Rovers and enjoyed much success during a golden age for the club.
In 1938 Young joined the senior team as Glen Rovers set out to make history by besting Blackrock's twenty-five-year-old championship record of winning successive titles. Midleton stood in the way of a fifth successive championship title, however, a comprehensive 5–6 o 1–3 score line secured the victory and gave Young his first championship medal.
The success continued once again the following year as Glen Rovers faced Blackrock in their first championship decider meeting in almost a decade. A 5–4 to 2–5 win for the Glen gave Young a second successive championship medal.
Sarsfield's stood in the way of Glen Rovers securing a seventh successive championship in 1940. In one of the most high-scoring county finals of all-time, Young won his third championship medal following a 10–6 to 7–5 defeat of Sars.
In 1941 Glen Rovers reached an eighth successive decider. In a game that set them apart from all other teams, the team continued their stranglehold of club hurling in Cork by claiming the victory following a 4–7 to 2–2 defeat of Ballincollig. It was a fourth successive championship medal for Young. Nine-in-a-row proved beyond Glen Rovers and a defeat by Ballincollig in the championship semi-final brought the teams great run of success to an end.
In 1944 the Glen were back in the county final once again. A 5–7 to 3–3 defeat of three-in-a-row hopefuls St. Finbarr's gave Young a fifth championship medal.
The Glen made it two-in-a-row in 1945 with Young adding a sixth championship medal to his collection as divisional side Carrigdhoun were bested by 4–10 to 5–3.
After an absence of two years Glen Rovers were back in the county final again in 1948. A 5–7 to 3–2 victory gave Young his seventh championship medal.
In his final season with the Glen Rovers senior team, Young played in a ninth county decider. Divisional side Imokilly were out to cause a shock, however, and an exciting game unfolded. A 6–5 to 0–14 score line gave Young his eighth and final championship medal.
Inter-county
Young first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor hurling team in 1932. He spent two years in that grade, however, Cork failed in their championship hopes.
In 1938 Young made his senior championship debut for Cork. Although that year's campaign ended in defeat Cork were about to make a breakthrough the following year after a decade in the doldrums. A narrow 4–3 to 3–4 defeat of Limerick gave Cork the title and gave Young his first Munster medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Kilkenny. In one of the most iconic championship deciders of all-time, played on the day that World War II broke out, the climax of which was played in a ferocious thunder storm. While a draw looked likely as the hour drew to a close Paddy Phelan sent a seventy-yard free in towards the Cork goalmouth. The sliotar was gobbled up by the defence and cleared, but only as far as Jimmy Kelly who sent it straight over the bar for a one-point lead. Immediately after the puck-out the referee blew the whistle and Cork were defeated on a score line of 2–7 to 3–3.
Although defeated in the All-Ireland decider, Cork continued their breakthrough in 1940. An 8–9 to 6–4 defeat of Tipperary in the decider gave Toung his first National Hurling League medal. He added a second winners' medal to his collection in 1941 following a defeat of Dublin.