Month: September 2020

Kilkenny v Galway 1975 Final

A link to some highlights of the 1975 All Ireland Final. This was the last of the All Ireland wins by the great Kilkenny team of the late 60’s and early 70’s. This particular Kilkenny team is considered to be second in stature only to Brian Cody’s squad of 2006 – 2015.

Eddie Keher scored 2-7 in the Final and held the record for highest score by an individual in an All Ireland Final until Nicholas English of Tipperary hit 2-12 versus Antrim in 1989. It was a very strong championship season for Eddie Keher who hit 4-23 and won his 6th All Ireland Senior medal and his 5th successive All Star

Other strong contributions in this Final were from Liam O’Brien who scored 5 points and won hurler of the year, and from Mick Crotty who scored 5 points and set up Eddie Keher’s second goal after gathering a long clearance from a young Brian Cody. It was also the year the saw the first appearance in a Final by Galway since 1958. They would later appear in 3 Finals in row from 1979 to 1981.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-20206477.html

Kilkenny Cork 2006

The beginning of Kilkenny’s great run under Brian Cody where they would win 4 in a row from 2006-2009 and add to that with further wins in 2011, 2012 2014 and 2015. Indeed it might even have been 7 in a row but for Henry Shefflin’s injury and Lar Corbett’s hat trick performance in the 2010 final.

Brian Cody had already managed Kilkenny to victory in 2000, 2002 and 2003 but this was a new team that was being built. The incentive on the day was to prevent Cork from winning another three in a row – a feat they had last accomplished against Kilkenny back in 1978.

Kilkenny brought a high level of intensity to the game -the plan was to swarm Cork in order to nullify their short passing / running game. James Cha Fitzpatrick dominated midfield and both back lines performed well with Noel Hickey overcoming a health scare and John Tennyson and James Ryall putting in solid performances. An injury to JJ Delaney in the semi final had ruled him out of contention for the final. Jackie Tyrell was the victorious captain. Up front, Henry Shefflin contributed 8 points, while Aidan Fogarty also had a solid game netting 1-3.

https://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/flashback-2006-all-ireland-shc-final-kilkenny-v-cork/

League Final Win 1986

A number of Articles on the National Hurling League win of 1986. Kilkenny beat Galway comprehensively by 3-11 to 2-5 to take their 7th title and their 3rd of the 1980’s under Manager Pat Henderson. 9 of the double double team of 1982-83 lined out on the day with Ger Fennelly scoring 1-47 in the campaign.

Things were looking good for the remainder of the year following this win. Kilkenny had a strong run in Leinster overcoming both Wexford and Dublin before defeating Offaly in the Final by 4-10 to 1-11, helped by a hat-rick by Liam Fennelly. This was the knock out era when a loss meant that your county was out of the Hurling Championship until the following year.

However a nasty surprise lay in wait at Thurles in the All Ireland Semi Final, when Kilkenny perhaps complacent from their good run were at the receiving end of a similar scoreline from a resurgent Galway. Shocks are rare in Kilkenny hurling and this was one of the more disappointing days of the 1980’s with much grumbling among hurling purists about the introduction of 3 man midfield tactics by Galway Manager Cyril Farrell.

In hindsight this was the emergence of Galway’s great team of Joe Cooney , Tony Keady, Gerry McInerney etc. They would meet again in the All Ireland Final of 1987.

KK v Tipp : 2009 League Final

Some Highlights

The game that kick started the greatest inter county rivalry in hurling history. A volcanic emotion charged contest which had several players dismissed resulting in wide open spaces all over the pitch. Tipperary playing on home turf, and irked by a previous league defeat to Kilkenny, brought a very physical game to their opponents from the outset and led by 8 points at one stage.

With both Brian Hogan and Henry Shefflin having to leave the field early, a then relatively unknown 20 yr old Richie Hogan assumed a leadership role and kept Kilkenny in the game throughout. A dramatic long range point by Eddie Brennan from 80 meters sealed the win for Kilkenny in injury time but Tipperary had fired a warning shot. A contender for greatest ever Hurling League Final and just a few months later the 2 counties would produce one of the greatest All Irelands of all time.

Full Game

Link to 2009 League Final Article

Kilkenny top 15 : 1970 – 2020

Noel Skehan

Michael Kavanagh

Noel Hickey

Jackie Tyrell

Tommy Walsh

Ger Henderson

JJ Delaney

Frank Cummins

Michael Fennelly

TJ Reid

Henry Shefflin

DJ Carey

Eddie Brennan

Richie Power

Eddie Keher

Panel Substitutes ( 30 Member Panel )

Richie Hogan, Eoin Larkin, Billy Fitzpatrick, Keiran Purcell, Liam Fennelly, Martin Comerford, Derek Lyng, Liam O’Brien, Cha Fitzpatrick, Brian Hogan, Joe Hennessy, Pat Henderson, Willie O’Connor, Phil Larkin, James McGarry

An almost unbeatable team even if up against Hurlings all time ‘Non Kilkenny’ 15 Best.

The only reason Richie Hogan and Eoin Larkin are subs here is due to the fact that DJ and Eddie Keher are guaranteed their positions and that TJ has had to carry weaker team’s. Richie Power probably better suited to full forward on this team. Half Forward line can not be disputed and Midfield again – relatively easy with 2 x 8 time medal winners.

Very difficult to choose one of the Hendersons over Brian Hogan for Center Back but the selection must acknowledge previous eras when the harsh physicality tended to go unnoticed by referees and the team cannot be entirely made of Cody’s 2006-2012 group either.

Sub Goalkeeper very difficult – James McGarry by virtue of longevity and clean sheets in All Irelands just shades PJ Ryan, followed by Eoin Murphy.

The 30 strong Panel allows for several stylists such as Liam O’Brien, Joe Hennessy, 2 time winning captain Liam Fennelly, and the Fitzpatricks – each with 5 winners medals. Keiran Purcell and Derek Lyng bring the power.

1984 – 3 in a row dashed

A game that should have been a formality turned into an epic encounter described with passion in Raymond Smiths book ‘the hurling immortals’. Pat Henderson’s team were aiming for 3 in a row – the first since the early 1900’s and in the Centenary year of the GAA too for added measure. Hurling fans began to anticipate the prospect of a mouth watering 3 in a row All Ireland bid versus their 1982 and 1983 opponents Cork – and on Munster turf in Semple Stadium.

Alas it was not to be – a succession of pre match injuries to 3 key members of the double double winning defense gave Wexford the boost required to take the game to the Champions. Despite the handicap and falling behind by significant margins twice within the game, Kilkenny produced a valiant 20 minute comeback in the second half to level the game. A chance appeared for a point which might have turned the game in Kilkenny’s favour but this was lost and Tony Doran ended Kilkenny dreams with a last hoorah.

Meanwhile in Munster, even more drama was to be played out in one of the greatest Munster Finals of all time where Tipperary laid the foundation for their re-emergence as a hurling power with a defiant performance against Cork. Tipp looked winners with 5 minutes to go but as with Tony Doran v Kilkenny, Seanie O’Leary broke Tipp hearts with a late pounce and it was Cork who eventually went on to be crowned Centenary champions.