Tipperary hurling has lost another link to the great team of the 1960s, with the death of John ‘Mackey’ McKenna. The Borrisokane clubman died on Thursday morning at the age of 87.
He played in the county’s four All-Ireland final winning teams in five years, 1961, 1962, 1964 and 1965, twice at centre forward and twice at full forward from where he scored a goal against Kilkenny in the 1964 final and five swashbuckling points from play in the following year’s final against Wexford.
He was a replacement for the 1967 defeat by Kilkenny but back at full forward a year later when Tipperary lost to Wexford.
‘Mackey’ McKenna also won six Munster titles and four national leagues. In August, he was present when Borrisokane unveiled a monument in his honour at the club.
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This year’s Tipperary All-Ireland winning manager Liam Cahill spoke at the event, quoting his father that “there was no heading for the corner flag with that fella. It was straight for the black spot.”
