A to Z of Kilkenny v Tipperary Championship History

By Liam Hogan

Antrim: were regular semi-final contestants before the backdoor was introduced. Tipperary’s last semi-final with Antrim was in 1988 at Croke Park and was anything but easy as the game was in the melting pot for the opening fifty minutes until Pat Fox scored Tipp’s third goal to help ease into a 3-15 to 2-10.

Kilkenny’s last All-Ireland semi-final clash with Antrim was in 1993 when winning handsomely 4-18 to 1-9. It was one of seven penultimate round games between the teams with Antrim causing an upset in 1943 scoring a 4-4 to 1-6 victory in Corrigan Park.

Borders: play a major part in hurling folklore and it features strong in the Tipperary versus Kilkenny rivalry. The border at Urlingford did have a notice welcoming would be travellers to Tipperary “to the home of hurling”.

Kilkenny folk might not agree but Tipp can look favourably at records where they won six out of seven championship games between 1937 to 1971 inclusive. Tipp won in 1937 (final), ’45 (final), 50 (final), ’58 (semi-final) ’64 (final) and ’71 (final).

Change: in the 1950s saw Galway allowed free access to the All-Ireland hurling final meaning the Munster and Leinster champions were to compete in the semi-final.

On August 10th, 1958, Tipperary took on Kilkenny at Croke Park and won 1-13 to 1-8. The clash was best remembered as the game of the two Doyle’s, John & Jimmy. Jimmy Doyle’s goal from a free helped the Tipp lead 1-5 to 0-7 at half time a lead they never relinquished in a clash that was played in very heavy rain.

Declan Ryan: was the manager of the Tipperary team when they last met Kilkenny in a semi-final in 2012. Ryan was centre forward on the Tipp team that beat Kilkenny in 1991 final.

Eoin Kelly: didn’t feature in the 2012 semi-final against Kilkenny. The Mullinahone clubman didn’t make the starting fifteen in the Munster semi-final against Cork but came on as a substitute and also came on as substitute in the Minster final win over Waterford but saw no action in the Kilkenny encounter.

Francis Loughnane: was the Nenagh Guardian man of the match in the 1971 All-Ireland final win over Kilkenny in 1971. He scored 0-4 but the citation praised Loughnane for his overall display, never relenting in the eighty-minute final.

Goals: and there were ten in the 1971 final as Tipperary won 5-17 to 5-14. Tipperary scored five goals in their 5-13 to 2-8 win over Kilkenny in the 1964 decider.

Henry Shefflin: was Kilkenny’s top scorer with 0-11 (0-10f, 0-1’65) in the 2012 semi-final with T J Reid scoring on 2-2 and man of the match Aidan Fogarty adding 1-3.

Ireland International: Ned Byrne played prop forward for Ireland in the 1970s but lined out for Kilkenny at left corner forward in the 1971 All-Ireland final.

James Owens: will be the man in the middle for next Sunday’s game. He refereed the last championship meeting, the All-Ireland final 2019. Both Paudie O’Dwyer and Johnny Murphy were the linesmen and Liam Gordon was fourth official.

Keating: Michael ‘Babs’ scored 2-12 in Tipperary’s 3-26 to 6-8 win over Galway in the 1971 All-Ireland semi-final win over Galway at Birr. Tipperary defeated Kilkenny in the final.

Leinster: Kilkenny lost the Leinster final to Galway in 2012. It was Galway’s first success since joining the Leinster championship. Kilkenny exacted revenge in the All-Ireland final, after a replay.

Michael Cahill: was ever present, the only player to play in all of Tipperary’s outings during 2012. He played six league and four championship games including the full seventy minutes of the semi-final. Netminder David Herity was in goal for the 2012 semi-final. He has since become Tipperary goalkeeping coach.

Noel Skehan: the nine-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper with Kilkenny never played Tipperary in a championship game. Skehan was sub goalkeeper to Ollie Walsh in the 1963, 1967 & 1969 All-Ireland winning teams before taking over the number one position in 1972 when the Nore-siders defeated Cork. Skehan added five more Celtic Crosses in 1974, 1975 & 1979 plus back-to-back wins over Cork in 1982 and 1983.

Ollie Walsh: the more famous Kilkenny goalkeeper had just one championship win over the Premier when Kilkenny defeated Tipp 3-8 to 2-7 in the 1967 decider. Walsh’s senior career began in 1956 and continued until 1972 when he won five All-Ireland medals.

Paul Curran: was the Tipperary captain in 2012. He led Tipp to Munster final victory over Waterford at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on July 15. The team was: Brendan Cummins; Conor O’Brien, Paul Curran, Michael Cahill; Thomas Stapleton, Conor O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; Brendan Maher, Shane McGrath; Pa Bourke, Patrick Maher, Lar Corbett; Brian O’Meara, John O’Brien, Noel McGrath. Subs: Eoin Kelly for Bourke; Shane Bourke for O’Meara; Donagh Maher for Stapleton; Seamus Callanan for McGrath.

Qualifiers: was the buzz word in 2013. Tipperary had lost their Munster semi-final clash with Limerick. Kilkenny had fell to Dublin in the Leinster semi-final replay and when both met in the qualifier at Nowlan Park on Saturday, July 6th as it happens. Eoin Kelly’s goal was not enough to save Tipperary who lost 0-20 to 1-14. Lar Corbett went off injured in the first half.

Roscommon: were Tipperary’s semi-final opponents in 1913. Tipp won 10-0 to 0-1 at Jones Road. Kilkenny played Lancashire in the 2012 semi-final and won 4-4 to 1-4 in Liverpool.

Six Semi-Finals: involving the great rivals and its three-a-piece.

1887: Tipperary 4-7-1 Kilkenny 0-0 at Urlingford

1900: Tipperary 1-11 Kilkenny 1-8 at Carrick on Suir

1958: Tipperary 1-13 Kilkenny 1-8 at Croke Park

2002: Kilkenny 1-20 Tipperary 1-16 at Croke Park

2003: Kilkenny 3-18 Tipperary 0-15 at Croke Park

2012: Kilkenny 4-24 Tipperary 1-15 at Croke Park

Top Scorer: Pa Bourke 1-8 (0-4f, 0-1’65) in the 2012 semi-final. It was not enough as Kilkenny won by 4-24 to 1-15 in a game when the teams were level eight times in the first half.

Underage: Tipperary has gained an advantage over the Cats judging on recent underage finals. Last year, thirteen man Tipp defeated Kilkenny in the Minor final, after extra time. Just over a month ago, the under 20s did likewise. Sam O’Farrell, Darragh McCarthy, Oisin O’Donoghue and Paddy McCormack were on the starting fifteen and will be involved again on Sunday.

Venues: Various venues were used in staging the All-Ireland semi-finals like Birr, Urlingford, and Semple Stadium as recent as 1986 when Galway staged a surprise win over a fancied Kilkenny team. However, in 1950, the venue was Tuam as Tipperary, the All-Ireland champions travelled to take on a star-studded Galway team and won 4-7 to 2-6. Tipperary defeated Kilkenny to retain the Liam MacCarthy before completing the three-in-a-row with victory over Wexford in 1951.

Winning: Prior to the 2002 semi-final, Tipperary enjoyed a positive record against Kilkenny, only losing once in the championship in the previous 79 years.

X-Factor: Jimmy Coogan is training the Clonoulty/Rossmore senior hurlers this year and in 2002, he scored the decisive goal as Kilkenny edged a classic semi-final, ending Tipperary defence of the All-Ireland title.

Youth: had its day in the curtain raiser as Tipperary minors secured a place in the All-Ireland final when defeating Galway 2-16 to 1-14. Future stars that played that day included Ronan Maher, Michael Breen, Barry Heffernan, and John McGrath.

Zach: Thomastown were surprise winners of last year's Kilkenny senior hurling championship from where John Donnolly was selected as captain. Another player from the club drafted into the panel was Zach Bay Hammond who played against Tipperary in the National League earlier this year.