Hurley first played
Gaelic football for
Cork as full-forward on the
minor team during the unsuccessful
1954 Munster MFC campaign. A year later, he was part of the
St Finbarr's team that won the
Cork SHC title after beating
Glen Rovers in the
final. Hurley added a
Cork SFC medal to his collection in 1956, while he also had the distinction of winning a
Dublin SFC title with Erin's Hope the same year, as his teacher-training studies in the capital made him eligible to play with the club. After returning to Cork, Hurley resumed his club career with St Finbarr's in 1957. He won a second Cork SFC title that year, before claiming a third winners' medal as
team captain in 1959. By that stage, Hurley had joined the
Cork senior football team. He served as
team captain in 1960. ==Coaching career==