Heffernan first played juvenile and underage hurling with the Nenagh Éire Óg club before joining the club's top adult team.[1] His performances for the club brought him to the attention of the Tipperary minor team selectors, and he had two seasons in that grade. Heffernan progressed onto the Tipperary under-21 team and won three consecutive All-Ireland Under-21 Championship titles from 1979 to 1981. He lined out with the Tipperary senior hurling team for two seasons but made his only championship appearance when he came on as a substitute for Pat Fitzelle in the 1984 Munster final defeat by Cork.[2] His brother, John Heffernan, and his nephews, Mikey and Barry Heffernan, are All-Ireland Championship-winners with Tipperary.[3]
