Hanifin played his club football with his local Castleisland Desmonds club and enjoyed much success. He won a number of county club championship titles with Castleisland throughout the 1980s and 1990s. These victories allowed the club to represent the county in the provincial club championship. A 2-6 to 0-9 defeat of the famous St. Finbarr's club gave Hanifin a Munster club winners' medal.[1] He later lined out in Croke Park for the All-Ireland final against St. Vincents of Dublin. In one of the most dramatic endings ever a fifty-eighth minute goal gave Castleisland a 2-2 to 0-7 victory. The win gave Hanifin an All-Ireland club winners' medal.[2]
Hanifin collected a second consecutive Munster club winners' medal in 1985 as the mighty 'Barr's' were defeated for the second consecutive year. Castleisland later qualified for another All-Ireland final. This time Burren provided the opposition and the game was another close affair. A second-half goal secured the title for Burran as Hanifin's side were defeated by 1-10 to 1-6.[3]
Intercounty
Hanifin also played with Kerry during the mid-1980s and early 1990s. He was part of the team that won Munster & All Ireland Championships in 1986 a year that would turn out to be Kerry's last All Ireland for 11 years.
