All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1998

Infobox Hurling All-Ireland


year=1998
munster=Clare
leinster=Kilkenny
ulster=Antrim
connacht=
matches=
poty=Brian Whelehan
team=Offaly
titles=4th
captain=
manager=

The Guinness Hurling Championship 1998 ran from May to September of that year and was the second year that the Qualifier or "back-door" system was in use. The All-Ireland Hurling Final was won by Offaly who beat Kilkenny by 2-16 to 1-13.

Format

1998 was the second year that the controversial "back door" or qualifier system was used in the All-Ireland Championship. While the two provincial final winners automatically qualify for the All-Ireland semi-finals the two defeated provincial teams join Galway and the Ulster provincial final winners in two "quarter-finals". The two winners from these two games qualify for the semi-finals where they meet the Leinster and Munster winners. In 1998 Waterford and Offaly were the two teams to benefit from the qualifier system.

emi-final controversy

The All-Ireland semi-final between Clare and Offaly ended in controversy and disarray when the referee, Jimmy Cooney, clearly ended the game two minutes early with Clare three points up, 1-16 to 2-10. While Clare manager Ger Loughnane was furious, insisting that it was part of a vendetta to get Clare out of the championship, Cooney admitted that it was a simple error on his behalf. When the whistle blew there was disarray in Croke Park as the disgruntled Offaly supporters began a sit-down protest on the pitch as Clare had won the game. A Kildare v. Kerry IHC game planned for afterwards had to be cancelled.

As a compromise the Gaelic Athletic Association decided to play another game between the two teams. There was even more controversy in that game as the result was reversed with Offaly winning the game.

All-Ireland Final

As a result of the new Qualifier system of games for the second year in a row the All-Ireland final was contested by two teams from the same province. However, this year the final was a repeat of the Leinster final with Offaly taking on Kilkenny. Offaly were playing in their Third All-Ireland Final of the 1990s(having won against Limerick in 1994 and lost to Clare in 1995). Goals for Offaly reversed the Leinster final result and allowed the Offaly men to defeat "the Cats" heavily.

Provincial Hurling Championship Results

*Munster: Clare 2-16 : 0-10 Waterford
*Leinster: Kilkenny 3-10 : 1-11 Offaly
*Ulster: Antrim 2-13 : 1-19 Down

All-Ireland Hurling Championship Results

See also