Cork v Kilkenny Countdown

GAELIC GAMES/ SHF Buildup: Countdown to the Senior Hurling Final between Cork and Kilkenny

Hurling's aristocrats

Previous final showdowns

1966 September 4th, Croke Park

Cork 3-9, Kilkenny 1-10 Attendance: 68,249

Out of all the county's 28 All-Ireland victories this counts as one of the greatest for Cork. For a start the county was emerging from one of the most barren spells in its hurling history. It had been 12 years since the three-in-a-row success of 1952-54 and Christy Ring presented with his eighth All-Ireland medal. It was even 10 years since the most recent Munster title win. In the interim Tipperary had dominated the game winning five All-Irelands. The surprise eclipse of that Tipp team - going for a three-in-a-row themselves - by an Eamonn Cregan-inspired Limerick in the Munster first round opened the door for Cork.

This was a young team - so young there were rumours that Ring, 46 that year, might be recalled to add experience. Captained by Gerald McCarthy, who would go on to become the first and so far only hurler to captain senior and under-21 All-Ireland winners, the side also featured a young Justin McCarthy and was trained by the veteran Jim "Tough" Barry.

There was great interest in the final with a record attendance for an All-Ireland between the counties - a record that will be finally broken this weekend.

On the way to the final the team adapted Yellow Submarine to Red Submarine for the bus sing-along. Tensions - which could have been high, given the desperation of the county for an All-Ireland - evaporated and this process was helped by the team's underdog status. Opponents Kilkenny had been in three of the previous four finals and were strongly fancied to win with such high-profile names as Ollie Walsh, Ted Carroll, Pat Henderson and Eddie Keher on board.

Cork's experienced centre back Denis O'Riordan failed a late fitness test and couldn't play. On the day Kilkenny were well below-par and Cork played above themselves. Kilkenny's precarious two-point lead at half-time, 0-7 to 1-2, was eroded in the second half and Cork ran out convincing winners. Colm Sheehan scored all three goals, including a scrambled effort that prompted this enigmatic summary from the full forward: "Who got the touch? Who shot Michael Collins?"

There were scenes of unbridled celebration at the end as Cork supporters flooded the pitch. Kilkenny would be back to win the following year's All-Ireland but Cork, despite the youth of the team, weren't back until 1970 with a much-changed side.

- Seán Moran

Controversial moves

Advertisements on hurleys

That Seán Ó hAilpín has donated one of his hurleys to be auctioned to raise funds for an Irish language school in Belfast might not be of interest to too many people outside of Cork, but the hurley in question was one of the talking points around the country this time last month.

It started when bookmakers Paddy Power managed to steal some of the headlines from the best hurling match of the year - the drawn All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Wexford. During that game three players, Wexford's Paul Codd and Damien Fitzhenry, and Ó hAilpín, had the Paddy Power logo printed on their hurleys, and for days afterwards the players and the bookmakers were in the centre of a storm that once again put the spotlight on player endorsements.

Despite being accused of "ambushing" a few select intercounty hurlers, Paddy Power proved again as far as GAA promotions go there is still no such thing as bad publicity. The company got their value worth from the individual deals of €750 secured with the players for each game they carry the sponsored hurleys. The reaction from the GAA hierarchy was swift, and they soon had Paddy Power under pressure to back down.

"Personal endorsements specifically exclude playing gear," said GAA president Seán Kelly, "and this is a feature of all major field games."

The GAA also threatened to terminate the contract on Paddy Power's corporate box in Croke Park, and in a surprising move, the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) also come out criticising the nature of the deal.

Cork's Setanta Ó hAiplín was also part of the original deal, but opted not to display the logo on the day, and another four hurlers - two each from Kilkenny and Tipperary - were lined up to display the logo for the second All-Ireland semi-final. By the middle of the week, however, Paddy Power had backed down, announcing the deals had been "temporarily suspended". There was no further examination of the matter, with the GAA's Games Administration Committee announcing it was off the agenda for their meeting later in the week. But the parting shot came from Paul Codd, who was somewhat incensed by the GAA reaction, claiming he was willing to use the hurley again, but he was putting all the revenue generated from the sponsorship into the Wexford Players Fund.

- Ian O'Riordan

Hurling Speak 2003 July

"I felt we didn't deal with it properly last year. We kept licking our wounds. We're not licking our wounds now. We're coming out with all guns blazing."

Wexford manager John Conran promises to deliver in the qualifiers after losing to Kilkenny in the Leinster final.

"We're Leinster champions this year. It wasn't a big thing. Not a big issue. Not something that was much on the agenda."

Brian Cody leaves no one in any doubt that Kilkenny's goal is the All-Ireland.

"It's an honour for my club to be represented but from day one it was Charlie (Carter) and I'd prefer if it was him going up today. I get enough publicity."

DJ laments the absence of his Young Ireland's team-mate and Kilkenny captain Charlie Carter after his intercounty retirement ahead of the Leinster final.

"Today worked well but tomorrow I could fall back on my arse again."

Wexford's Larry Murphy doesn't get carried away despite a man-of-the-match performance in the victory over Waterford in the qualifiers.

"We might as well be in another country we feel so far away. I mean, we're five hours away from good intercounty hurling. That's a trip from here to New York. And that's reality."

Antrim manager Dinny Cahill vents his frustrations after his team give an impressive - but losing - performance at Croke Park.

"One major game in a year is not enough for them. A series of games is what they deserve. The question is would they produce the goods against a team like Cork next Sunday?"

"If Antrim want to make progress they need to play the big boys. They will now have no serious match until February. This has to be addressed."

Hurling Development Committee member PJ O'Grady.

"Listen, they say being a parent is no bother provided you have no problems. Management is the same."

Mike McNamara compares looking after a top county hurling team with the trials of parenthood.

- Gavin Cummiskey