▁E ff in . ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁St ▁M unch in ' s ▁College , ▁L imer ick . ▁ ▁His ▁brother , ▁Ger ry ▁Re a , ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁inter - count y ▁hur ler , ▁while ▁his ▁grand un cle , ▁Matt ▁Re a , ▁was ▁an ▁All - I reland ▁medal ▁winner ▁as ▁a ▁G ael ic ▁footballer ▁with ▁Dublin . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁ ▁Club ▁ ▁Re a ▁began ▁his ▁club ▁hur ling ▁career ▁with ▁E ff in ▁before ▁joining ▁Dublin ▁club ▁F augh s ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁It ▁was ▁with ▁the ▁latter ▁club ▁that ▁he ▁enjoyed ▁his ▁greatest ▁success . ▁ ▁After ▁losing ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁championship ▁dec ider , ▁F augh s ▁were ▁back ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁again ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁A ▁defeat ▁of ▁St . ▁V inc ents ▁gave ▁Re a ▁his ▁first ▁championship ▁medal . ▁ ▁F augh s ▁surrender ed ▁their ▁title ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁but ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁back - to - back ▁titles ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁bring ▁Re a ' s ▁championship ▁medal ▁t ally ▁to ▁three . ▁ ▁Inter - count y ▁ ▁Re a ' s ▁performances ▁at ▁club ▁level ▁brought ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁att ent ions ▁of ▁the ▁inter - count y ▁select ors ▁and ▁he ▁soon ▁joined ▁the ▁L imer ick ▁senior ▁team . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁after ▁eigh teen ▁years ▁in