The Final Countdown: Kilkenny v Tipperary

Expert View : Martin Comerford, former Kilkenny All-Ireland winner.

“We’ve beaten them in important games, and Tipperary have beaten us in important games too. So there was never anything different from our side with regard to playing Tipperary. It was just another team, another game, to just go out and perform as best you can and try and get across the line.

“And we treated every team on their own merits. But Brian Cody would obviously look at the strengths of Tipperary, the weaknesses that he would perceive in the Tipperary camp and Eamon O’Shea will do the same with the Kilkenny starting 15, and try and work your performance around that.

“I’m sure Brian picks the team on what he’s seeing in training and if Henry is performing on the training field it’ll be very difficult for Brian to leave Henry Shefflin off. His experience on the day will be a huge asset to Kilkenny. I’m sure he wouldn’t let Kilkenny down if he was given a role to do on the day.

“Both teams are going to be prepared for it 110%. They’re going to leave no stone unturned. I’m sure Eamon O’Shea is going to have Tipperary fully primed for the day and Brian Cody likewise will have the Kilkenny lads fully, fully primed. Whoever’s hungriest, with that little bit of mental strength to come through certain situations when they arise, and a bit of luck will be the winners on the day.”

From the Archives

Tipperary 3-11 Kilkenny 0-3

September 5th 1937

Only two All-Ireland hurling finals in the past 100 years have been played outside of Croke Park: the Thurles centenary final in 1984 and this one, 77 years ago today.

The 1937 match was played in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, as the original Cusack Stand was being constructed but was 11 months behind schedule leaving Croke Park unusable for the hurling final.

The counties had each won 11 All-Irelands at that stage and the six previous final meetings had been evenly shared. But Tipperary were a younger team, which was to be a significant advantage on the vast new playing surface (180 x 100 yards) in Killarney.

By half-time that advantage had been well exploited and Tipp, with goals from Dinny Murphy and Jimmy Coffey, led by 2-8 to 0-2.

An ageing Kilkenny, for whom the great Lory Meagher made his last appearance in a county jersey, went down to their heaviest All-Ireland defeat, 0-3 to 3-11.

The Westmeath author John Weldon, who was better known by his nom de plume Brinsley MacNamara under which he wrote Valley of the Squinting Windows, attended the final and wrote an account for The Irish Times, which concluded on an elegiac note.

“Later one mingled again with the crowds in the streets, they were moving out of Killarney now and going up against the mountains, which had begun to change their colours in the evening light. The scene had the timeless quality of a great painting.”

Buying History

You can’t buy the Liam MacCarthy Cup, but you can purchase the historic birthplace of football and hurling, as Hayes Hotel in Thurles, goes under the hammer at the Allsop Space auction in the RDS on September 16th.

Hayes Hotel is where it all started: at the behest of Michael Cusack, seven men met in there on November 1st, 1884 and founded the Gaelic Athletic Association “for the preservation and cultivation of our national pastimes”. Since then Hayes Hotel has been synonymous with the GAA.

Located in the centre of Thurles town, Hayes Hotel comprises of a reception, lounge bar, coffee dock, two nightclubs together with 30 ensuite bedrooms all set on approx. 0.44hectares.

“We are very excited about Hayes Hotel, it has already gained a lot of pre-auction interest,” says Robert Hoban, Director of Auctions, Allsop Space. “We will know its destiny on September 16th and we hope that it continues to be an integral part of the community in Thurles and for GAA fans up and down the country.”

The eserve range for the property is set at €450,000 - €500,000)

The Big Screen

Odeon Cinemas have once again officially partnered with the GAA to host free screenings of both the All-Ireland hurling final between Tipperary and Kilkenny this Sunday, plus the All-Ireland football final between Kerry and Donegal.

Free tickets for these both sporting occasions are available to collect online now at gaa.tickets.ie, or at an OdeonCinema box-office on the day of each event.

You Bet

Paddy Power novelty specials ahead of the final -

6/1 Winning captain to drop the trophy

2/1 Tipp captain to sing Slievenamon during speech

3/1 Tipp captain to sing The Galtee Mountain Boy during speech

5/2 Kilkenny captain to sing The Rose of Mooncoin during speech

5/1 Copperface Jacks to get a mention

3/1 Langtons to get a mention

66/1 Lar to score a hat-trick

Number of the Day - 30

As in 30 years since Limerick last won an All-Ireland minor title, a wait they hope to end when they face Kilkenny in Sunday’s final. Indeed it’s the first final clash between the counties since that 1984 final, which Limerick won after a replay. Kilkenny are seeking their 21st title having last won in 2010, while Limerick are chasing their fourth crown.