 Having earlier won under-16 and minor championship titles, Dooley won Offaly Senior Championship titles in 1988, 1995, 1996 and 1998.At inter-county level, Dooley was part of the successful Offaly minor team that won back-to-back All-Ireland Championships in 1986 and 1987, before later ending up as an All-Ireland Championship runner-up with the Offaly under-21 team in 1989.He joined the Offaly senior team in 1988.