Daly was educated at Tullamore CBS, with whom he lined out in various Leinster Colleges' competitions. A
dual player at minor levels in 1956, 1957 and 1958, he came onto the
Offaly senior football team during the
1958–59 National League. Daly also lined out with the
Offaly junior hurling team in 1959. Daly won back-to-back
Leinster SFC titles in 1960 and 1961, and lined out at centre-forward when Offaly were beaten by
Down in the
1961 All-Ireland SFC final. He also earned inclusion on the All-Army selection in the representative game against the
Combined Universities. Daly's other honours include an
Offaly JHC with
Ballinamere in 1959, an
Offaly SHC with
Tullamore in 1960, minor titles in both codes as well as
Army tournament and athletics awards. ==Personal life and death==