 From his debut, Coughlan was ever-present as a midfielder or left wing-back and made a combined total of 53 Championship appearances across both codes in a career that ended with his last game for the Cork hurling team in 1980.During that time he was part of five All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – four as a hurler and one as a Gaelic footballer.Coughlan also secured a combined total of 10 Munster Championship medals and three National Hurling League medals.