Dáire O'Leary (born 2002) is an Irish hurler who plays as a defender for club side Watergrasshill, at divisional level with Imokilly and at inter-county level with the Cork senior hurling team.
Born and raised in Watergrasshill, County Cork, O'Leary played hurling to a high standard during his time as a student at St. Colman's College in Fermoy. He won a Dean Ryan Cup medal in 2017, following a 2âÂÂ12 to 1âÂÂ13 win over St Flannan's College in the final. He later lined out in the Dr Harty Cup.
O'Leary later lined out with University College Cork in the Fitzgibbon Cup. He later transferred to the Garda College and was part of their Ryan Cup-winning team in 2025. O'Leary was subsequently named on the Higher Education Team of the Year.
O'Leary began his club career at juvenile and underage levels with the Watergrasshill club. He made his adult championship debut in August 2020. O'Leary won a Cork PIHC medal in 2024, after lining out at centre-back in the 2âÂÂ16 to 0âÂÂ19 win over Carrigaline in the final. He later added a Munster Club IHC title to his collection, before winning an All-Ireland Club IHC medal following a 2âÂÂ15 to 0âÂÂ18 defeat of Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry in the 2025 All-Ireland club final.
Performances at club level resulted in O'Leary being called up to the Imokilly divisional team. He won consecutive Denis O'Riordan Cup titles in 2023 and 2024. O'Leary was at centre-back when Imokilly beat Sarsfields by 1âÂÂ23 to 0âÂÂ17 to win the Cork PSHC title in 2024.
O'Leary first appeared on the inter-county scene with Cork as a member of the minor team during their unsuccessful Munster MHC campaign in 2019. He immediately progressed to Cork's under-20 team in 2020. Success in this grade was immediate, with O'Leary claiming Munster and All-Ireland U20HC medals in his first year on the team, following defeats of Tipperary and Dublin in the respective finals. Injury ruled him out of much of the 2021 season, however, O'Leary was listed as one of the extended panel members when Cork retained the All-Ireland U20HC title after a defeat of Galway in the 2021 All-Ireland U20HC final.
O'Leary joined the senior team as a member of the extended training panel in 2021. He was listed as a panel member for Cork's 2021 National Hurling League game against Limerick in June 2021. O'Leary continued to make a number of appearances throughout the respective National League camapigns in 2022 and 2023, however, a series of foot and groin injuries impacted his further development. He was listed as an extended panel member for Cork's 3âÂÂ29 to 1âÂÂ34 extra-time defeat by Clare in the 2024 All-Ireland final.
Work commitments forced O'Leary to leave the Cork panel for the 2025 season. He was recalled to the panel by new manager Ben O'Connor in October 2025.