Cork and Kilkenny hurling rivalry

Cork–Kilkenny

First contested	24 June 1894
Number of meetings	26
Most recent meeting	10 August 2008
Next meeting	TBA
All-time series  (SHC only)	9–3–14 Kilkenny
Largest victory	Cork 6-8 : 0-2 Kilkenny

The Kilkenny - Cork fixture is one of the most significant sporting rivalries in hurling. Both teams are the standard bearers in the respective Munster and Leinster provincial competitions. They are also the 2 most successful teams in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship with Kilkenny having won 33 titles to Cork's 30 titles. The sides have met 26 times in the senior hurling championship with Kilkenny winning 14 times, Cork winning 9 times and 3 matches ending in a draw. The Cork-Kilkenny fixture is the most common All Ireland Senior hurling final fixture, the sides meeting 23 times (21 times not including replays), with Kilkenny winning 13 of these finals, Cork winning 8 finals and 2 finals finishing in a draw match. ^[1]

Roots

History

Both Kilkenny and Cork are members of hurling's 'Big Three', with Tipperary completing the trio. Kilkenny, however, are latecomers to the top table of hurling’s elite teams. By the time the team won their first All-Ireland title in 1904, both Cork and Tipperary had already annexed six championship titles apiece. Kilkenny weren’t long catching up, however, as they won six All-Ireland titles in the ten years between 1904 and 1913.

Both Cork and Kilkenny had already clashed in some classic All-Ireland championship deciders, most notably in 1905, 1907 and 1912, however, the fierce rivalry between these two counties did not begin until 1931 when an epic series of games took place between ‘the Cats’ and ‘the Rebels’ to decide the resting place of the All-Ireland title. After a close All-Ireland final both sides finished level – 1-6 apiece. The replay of the final took place four weeks later and is regarded as a classic. Cork took the lead at half-time, however, Kilkenny fought back. Once again both sides finished level – 2-5 apiece. After this game officials pressed for extra time, however, this was rejected.

It was also suggested at a meeting of the GAA’s Central Council that both counties be declared joint champions and that half an All-Ireland medal by given to each player. This motion was later defeated. The first week of November saw the second replay of the All-Ireland final take place. At the third attempt Cork triumphed by 5-8 to 3-4, however, both teams contributed greatly to an amzing series of games whih revitalised the flagging fortunes of the hurling championship.

Statistics

Team	All-Ireland	Provincial	National League	Total
Kilkenny	33	67	13	109
Cork	30	50	14	94
Combined	63	117	27	203

Last five head-to-head fixtures

Date	Team A	Score	Team B	Venue	Competition
10 August 2008	Kilkenny	1-23 : 0-17	Cork	Croke Park	All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
3 September 2006	Cork	1-13 : 1-16	Kilkenny	Croke Park	All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
12 September 2004	Kilkenny	0-9 : 0-17	Cork	Croke Park	All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
14 September 2003	Cork	1-11 : 1-14	Kilkenny	Croke Park	All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
12 September 1999	Kilkenny	0-12 : 0-13	Cork	Croke Park	All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Famous moments

• Cork 6-8 : 0-2 Kilkenny (June 24, 1894 at the Phoenix Park) - An inauspicious start to one of the greatest rivals in hurling. Cork won on probably the most unsuitable playing surface in hurling history after somebody neglected to get the grass cut at the original venur in Ashtown. The goalposts were uprooted and spectators and players alike moved to the Phoenix Park after a long delay. Cork, represented by Blackrock, gave an exhibition of hurling and led by 3-4 to 0-1 at the interval. Each side made exactly the same return in the second-half to give Cork the victory.
• Kilkenny 2-7 : 3-3 Cork (September 3, 1939 at Croke Park) - On the same day that England and France declared war on Germany the All-Ireland hurling final entered the realms of folklore as the famous 'thunder and lightning final', so called because the climax of the game was played in a fierce thunderstorm. A record crowd of 39,000 for a Cork-Kilkenny game saw both sides remain level for much of the game. Kilkenny pulled forward by three points at one stage, however, Willie Campbell landed a long-range free in the net for a dramatic equalising goal for Cork. While it looked as if the game was heading for a replay Kilkenny's Terry Leahy whipped over the winning point after he connected with a Paddy Phelan 70-yards free. With that the long whistle sounded and Kilkenny were the champions.
• Kilkenny 0-14 : 2-7 Cork (September 7, 1947 at Croke Park) - Regarded by many as the greatest All-Ireland hurling final of them all there was much at stake for both sides. After losing back-to-back championship deciders in 1945 and 1946, Kilkenny faced the unpalatable prospect of becoming the first team in championship history to lose three-in-a-row. Cork, on the other hand, were hoping to capture their sixth All-Ireland title in seven years. Like many of their previous contests there was little to separate these two sides. Kilkenny took a narrow 0-7 to 0-5 lead at the interval, however, the game was far from over. Mossie O'Riordan and Joe Kelly got Cork back into the game with two second-half goals, however, Kilkenny's Jim Langton and Terry Leahy were the key players with tallies of 0-3 and 0-6 respectively. As the game headed towards a replay it was Leahy who chipped over the winning point. It was the first time since 1893 that Kilkenny failed to score a goal against Cork.
• Kilkenny 3-24 : 5-11 Cork (September 3, 1972 at Croke Park) - Regarded as one of the classic games of the modern era, this was the only eighty-minute championship decider between Cork and Kilkenny. In a game that produced a plethora of scores, Cork's ability to find the net gave them a 2-8 to 0-12 lead at the interval. Half-way through the second-half Cork were on form and stretched their lead to eight points. Drastic action was required for Kilkenny and Eddie Keher was deployed closer to the Cork goal. One of the most abiding memories of that game is of Keher grabbing the sliotar out of the sky and racing up the wing in the shadow of the Hogan Stand. From that sideline position Keher pucked the sliothar as if going for a point, however, the sliotar dropped short, deceiving Cork goalkeeper Paddy Barry, and ending up in the back of the net. After scoring that goal an almost emotionless Keher simply turned around to go back to his normal playing position with blood pouring out of a cut over his eye. Keher finished the game with a tally of 2 goals and 9 points as Kilkenny scored seven points without reply to capture a memorable victory.
• Cork 1-15 : 2-8 Kilkenny (September 3, 1978 at Croke Park) - Not the greatest of finals between these two sides, however, it was notable as Cork attempted to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. The game ebbed and flowed for much of the seventy minutes with no side breaking away. With thirteen minutes left Jimmy Barry-Murphy hit a low shot in towards the goal and it bobbled in past Noel Skehan. Commentator Michael O'Hehir summed up the significance of the goal by saying "...and Jimmy Barry-Murphy, the scorer of the goal that could win an All-Ireland." The goal turned out to be the deciding factor as Cork went on to win and secure the elusive three-in-a-row.

All time results

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Competition
1887	Kilkenny	w/o from	Cork		AISHC quarter-final
24 June 1894	Cork	6-8 : 0-2	Kilkenny	Phoenix Park	AISHC final
16 July 1905	Cork	8-9 : 0-8	Kilkenny	Fraher Field	AISHC 'home' final
24 June 1906	Kilkenny	1-9 : 1-8	Cork	Carrick-on-Suir	AISHC final refixture
14 April 1907	Cork	5-10 : 3-12	Kilkenny	Tipperary	AISHC final
30 June 1907	Kilkenny	7-7 : 2-9	Cork	Fraher Field	AISHC final replay
21 June 1908	Kilkenny	3-12 : 4-8	Cork	Fraher Field	AISHC final
17 November 1912	Kilkenny	2-1 : 1-3	Cork	Jones's Road	AISHC final
24 October 1926	Cork	4-6 : 2-0	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final
6 September 1931	Cork	1-6 : 1-6	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final
11 October 1931	Cork	2-5 : 2-5	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final replay
1 November 1931	Cork	5-8 : 3-4	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final 2nd replay
3 September 1939	Kilkenny	2-7 : 3-3	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
1 September 1946	Cork	7-5 : 3-8	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final
7 September 1947	Kilkenny	0-14 : 2-7	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
4 September 1966	Cork	3-9 : 1-10	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final
7 September 1969	Kilkenny	2-15 : 2-9	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
3 September 1972	Kilkenny	3-24 : 5-11	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
3 September 1978	Cork	1-15 : 2-8	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final
5 September 1982	Kilkenny	3-18 : 1-13	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
4 September 1983	Kilkenny	2-14 : 2-12	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
6 September 1992	Kilkenny	3-10 : 1-12	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
12 September 1999	Cork	0-13 : 0-12	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final
14 September 2003	Kilkenny	1-14 : 1-13	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
12 September 2004	Cork	0-17 : 0-9	Kilkenny	Croke Park	AISHC final
3 September 2006	Kilkenny	1-16 : 1-13	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC final
10 August 2008	Kilkenny	1-23 : 0-17	Cork	Croke Park	AISHC semi-final

See also

• Cork GAA
• Kilkenny GAA
• Munster Senior Hurling Championship
• Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

References

1. ^ "Cork chase Guinness All-Ireland hurling treble". http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=65578. Retrieved 26 August 2006.