Final Stretch

Compiled by SEÁN MORANand GAVIN CUMMISKEY

Ryan way out in front in the scoring stakes: three finalists engaged in private battle

IT looks increasingly unlikely that a Tipperary or Kilkenny man will top the championship scoring charts, even with a massive haul this Sunday. Eoin Kelly needs 19 points to catch Dublin’s Paul Ryan – who racked up an impressive 2-47 in five matches. That’s an average of 10.6 points per game.

There is a little private duel going on between Kelly, on 4-22 (34), and Lar Corbett on 7-9 (30), while should Kilkenny win, Henry Shefflin could possibly pass both men out. The King currently resides on 1-25 (28) from three games, which is an average of 9.333 per game – although it’s worth noting all of Corbett’s total has come from play.

Of course, in total, everyone trails in Shefflin’s wake. The all-time record scorer has 21-122 from play and 3-295 from frees for a total of 24-417.

Shefflin Snr: a winner too

WHILE Henry Jnr’s many achievements are well -documented, it’s not widely known that Henry Shefflin Snr hurled at full forward for Warwickshire in a Junior All-Ireland final.

We’re not sure which final as the Kilkenny press pack states it was against Roscommon in the 1966 final yet Wikipedia assures us Warwickshire were beaten by Kildare in the ’66 decider, having lost to The Rossies in 1965 (3-9 to 2-11). Either way, we always presumed Shefflin Jnr didn’t lick it off the stones.

Kilkenny surnames tend to indicate what you are going to get from a hurler. Think Power, Delaney or Larkin.

Tommy Walsh’s bloodlines also run deep but on the maternal side of the family as his grandad Paddy Grace won All-Ireland medals in 1939 and 1947.

20 years on: minor stars and major achievements

WHEN Tipperary and Kilkenny met in the All-Ireland final 20 years ago the counties dominated final day with their minors also facing off. Kilkenny won by two points but considering the counties would win four All-Irelands between them in the next 10 years there were relatively few graduates from the ’91 minors.

Just Denis Byrne and PJ Delaney, at corner forward and centre forward respectively, of the victorious Kilkenny side would start in a senior final. Delaney scored the decisive goal against Galway in the ’93 All-Ireland final. Byrne won his medal in 2000 but had the unusual distinction of appearing for Tipperary against Kilkenny in the 2003 semi-final.

There were mixed fortunes for the Tipperary pair, Brian O’Meara and Tommy Dunne (right), who lined out at wing forward and centre forward respectively. O’Meara played on the 2001 team but lost his place for the final because of suspension. Dunne, however, was captain, lifted the MacCarthy Cup and was crowned Hurler of the Year.

He is also the Tipperary coach this year, having fulfilled the same role for the county under-21s, who won last year’s All-Ireland.