Final countdown

Compiled by IAN O'RIORDAN

Not so lucky Cats: Kilkenny's All-Ireland final replays record nothing to brag about

A first senior final replay since Waterford beat Kilkenny in 1959, a first minor replay since Galway beat Kilkenny in 2004, and the first time in GAA history that a senior and minor All-Ireland hurling final replay are set to be decided on the same day.

So what does that mean in terms of omens? Galway have an advantage by default, given they’ve never before played in a senior All-Ireland hurling final replay, and have therefore never lost one.

Kilkenny, however, lost out in that 1959 replay: having drawn with Waterford, 1-17 to their 5-5, Kilkenny then lost out on the second attempt, losing 3-12 to 1-10.

Kilkenny have also been involved in two other senior hurling replays: in the 1905 final (actually played in April, 1907), they lost out to Cork 5-10 to 3-13, but this result was “disputed” and in the subsequent replay, played in June 1907, Kilkenny won out 7-7 to 2-9.

Kilkenny were also taken to replay in 1931, drawing with Cork 2-5 apiece, before losing the replay 5-8 to 3-4 – which means they’ve played in three replays, losing two and winning one.

Previous All-Ireland SHC Final Replays

1905 Kilkenny 7-7 Cork 2-9

1908 Tipperary 3-15 Dublin 1-5

1931 Cork 5-8 Kilkenny 3-4

1934Limerick 5-2 Dublin 2-6

1959 Waterford 3-12 Kilkenny 1-10

1959 PROGRAMME (1ST GAME)

Major minor: Young Dub Costello getting ready for fifth under-18 final in two years

Surely the fact Cormac Costello finds himself playing in his fifth All-Ireland minor final in two years must be some kind of record? At any grade?

What is certain is Costello has been the stand-out Dublin minor over the last two years: he played his first final with the Dublin hurlers last year, at corner forward, losing out to Galway, and two weeks later, played at wing forward with the football team that lost out to Tipperary, a late goal by substitute Colman Kennedy denying Costello and his team-mates a first All-Ireland medal.

Still young enough for the minor grade this year, Costello maintained the demanding dual role all summer, helping take the Dublin minor hurlers back to the All-Ireland final earlier this month, where they drew with Tipperary: again, he followed that up two weeks later when helping Dublin beat Meath in last Sunday’s All-Ireland minor football replay, chipping in with 0-5, including four frees.

So that makes it one All-Ireland medal from four finals, with the chance to make it two from five tomorrow. Win or lose, Costello has come a long way since his childhood days practising frees at Parnell Park while his father, Dublin secretary John Costello, went about his frequently late evening business, and it’s surely only a matter of time before the youngster from Whitehall Colmcille’s is looking forward to his next All-Ireland final, at either under-21 or indeed senior grade.

One such feat at minor level still unrivalled, however, is that of Tipperary hurler Jimmy Doyle, who holds the unique record of playing in four successive All-Ireland minor finals, all in hurling: in 1954 Doyle played in goal when Tipp lost to Dublin, but after moving out the field, helped Tipperary win three successive minor titles, beating Galway in 1955, and Kilkenny in both 1956 and 1957. Doyle went on to win six All-Ireland senior titles.