Tommy was one of Westmeath hurling's leading lights during the 1950s and 60s. Over a 20-year period, he lined out for no fewer than six clubs in both hurling and Gaelic football in four different counties.

He left his native Whitehall as a 16-year-old in the late 1940s to work as a hardware assistant in Trim. He represented both Trim and Meath in hurling and football before transferring back to his home county in 1954. Along with fellow Ringtown men Paddy Maxwell, Paddy 'Bunty' Godfrey and Feichin Smith, Tommy was involved in many memorable games with Westmeath, including the 1955 Leinster semi-final against Wexford and the 1956 Leinster quarter-final versus Kilkenny.

Despite giving an excellent account of themselves in both games, Westmeath were beaten, but Tommy's performances during that era saw him selected on Leinster's Railway Cup panels in 1956, '57 and '60.

Due to dwindling numbers, the Ringtown club was forced to disband in 1956, but Tommy continued his playing career in Laois with Clonad (hurling) and The Heath (football).  Tommy, whose father Jim was a member of Ringtown's three-in-a-row junior championship winning team in 1915, '16 and '17, contributed to the club's history, 'Ringtown - The First Century', which was published in 2002.