Career
Born in Blackrock, County , O'Riordan first excelled at hurling in his youth. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty when he first linked up with the senior team. He made his debut during the 1946 championship.
He was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion. At club level he played with Blackrock. O'Riordan's brother, Gerry, was a four-time All-Ireland medallist with.
Throughout his career O'Riordan made 18 championship appearances. He retired from inter-county hurling following the conclusion of the 1952 championship Inter-county O'Riordan made his senior championship debut for on 9 June 1946 in a 2-9 to 2-1 quarter-final defeat of Clare. On 1 September 1946 faced old rivals Kilkenny in the All-Ireland decider.
While some had written off 's chances, they took an interval lead of four points. With ten minutes remaining 's lead was reduced to just two points, however, goals by O'Riordan and Joe Kelly secured a 7-6 to 3-8 victory. It was O'Riordan's first All-Ireland medal. retained their provincial dominance in 1947 with O'Riordan picking up a second winners' medal following a 2-6 to 2-3 defeat of Limerick once again.
The subsequent All-Ireland final on 7 September 1947 was a repeat of the previous year with Kilkenny providing the opposition. The stakes were high for both sides as were aiming for a record sixth championship in seven seasons while Kilkenny were aiming to avoid becoming the first team to lose three consecutive All-Ireland finals. In what has been described as one of the greatest deciders of all-time, little separated the two teams over the course if the hour.
A Joe Kelly goal put one point ahead with time almost up, however, Terry Leahy proved to be the hero of the day. With that the game was over and were beaten by 0-14 to 2-7. It was the fifth time that Kilkenny had pipped by a single point in an All-Ireland final.
After a period of dominance by Tipperary between 1949 and 1951, bounced back in 1952. A late Paddy Barry goal gave a 1-11 to 2-6 defeat of four-in-a-row hopefuls Tipperary. It was O'Riordan's second medal.
On 7 September 1952 faced Dublin in the All-Ireland decider. An appendicitis ruled Joe Hartnett out of the game, resulting in Willie John Daly being switched to centre-forward. Liam Dowling scored a vital goal in the first half to give the interval lead.
Dublin's attack collapsed in the second half as Dowling scored a second goal. The 2-14 to 0-7 victory gave O'Riordan his second All-Ireland medal. On 27 August 2008, Maurice (Mossie) O'Riordan died in Newcastle NSW (Australia), where he had lived for some 40 years, after a severe stroke.
He was 82 years old. Team.
