The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1969 was the 83rd staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Kilkenny won the championship, beating Cork 2–15 to 2–9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.
The championship
Participating counties
ProvinceCountyMost recent successAll-IrelandProvincialLeinsterDublin19381961Kilkenny19671967Laois19151949OffalyWestmeathWexford19681968MunsterClare19141932Cork19661966Galway19231922Limerick19401955Tipperary19651968Waterford19591963BritainLondon1901
Format
Leinster Championship First round: (1 match) This is a single match between two of the weaker teams drawn from the province of Leinster. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the quarter-final.
Quarter-final: (1 match) This is a single match between the winner of the first round and another team drawn from the province of Leinster. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the quarter-final join three other Leinster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the Leinster final.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.
Munster Championship
Quarter-final: (2 matches) These are two lone matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Munster. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two quarter-finals join the other two Munster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the final.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland final.
All-Ireland Championship
Semi-final: (1 match) This is a lone match between London and the Leinster champions. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winner advances to the All-Ireland final.
Final: (1 match) The semi-final winner and the Munster champions contest the final.
Fixtures
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Championship statistics
Scoring
Hat-trick heroes: First hat-trick of the championship: Charlie McCarthy for Cork against Clare (Munster quarter-final) Second hat-trick of the championship: Paddy Molloy for Offaly against Laois (Leinster quarter-final) Third hat-trick of the championship: Paddy Molloy for Offaly against Wexford (Leinster semi-final) Fourth hat-trick of the championship: Willie Walsh for Cork against Tipperary (Munster final) Fifth hat-trick of the championship:Fr. Tom Walsh for Kilkenny against London (All-Ireland semi-final) Widest winning margin: 26 points Laois 5–12 : 0–1 Westmeath (Leinster first round) Most goals in a match: 10 Offaly 8–10 : 2–5 Laois (Leinster quarter-final) Most points in a match: 32 Kilkenny 3–22 : 1–10 London (All-Ireland semi-final) Most goals by one team in a match: 8 Offaly 8–10 : 2–5 Laois (Leinster quarter-final) Most goals scored by a losing team: 3 Wexford 3–11 : 5–10 Offaly (Leinster semi-final) Most points scored by a losing team: 12 Waterford 1–12 : 3–18 Tipperary(Munster quarter-final)
Miscellaneous
Offaly reach the Leinster final for the first time since 1928. Kilkenny's 2–15 to 2–9 victory over Cork in the All-Ireland final was their biggest triumph over their archrivals since the 1905 All-Ireland final. The score on that occasion was 7–7 to 2–9.
Top scorers
Season Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Paddy MolloyOffaly8–1842314.002Eddie KeherKilkenny1–353849.503Charlie McCarthyCork6–133147.754Jimmy DoyleTipperary1–182137.005Willie WalshCork4-031543.756Paddy BatesLaois2-071326.507Pat DelaneyKilkenny3-031243.00Michael KeatingTipperary1-091234.008Pat HegartyCork1-081142.759Tom MurphyKilkenny3-011025.00
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Paddy MolloyOffaly5-0519Laois2Paddy MolloyOffaly3-0413WexfordEddie KeherKilkenny1–1013Dublin4Eddie KeherKilkenny0–1212London5Jimmy DoyleTipperary1-0811Waterford6Charlie McCarthyTipperary3-0110ClareTom MurphyKilkenny3-0110LondonPaddy BatesLaois2-0410Westmeath9Willie WalshCork3-009TipperaryPat DelaneyKilkenny3-009OffalyTony DoranWexford2-039OffalyCharlie McCarthyCork1-069KilkennyTom WalshWaterford0-099Tipperary
Debutantes The following players made their début in the 1969 championship:
Player Team Date Opposition GamePaschal RussellClareJune 15CorkMunster quarter-finalDónal CliffordCorkJune 15ClareMunster quarter-finalCharlie CullinaneCorkJune 15ClareMunster quarter-finalPat HegartyCorkJune 15ClareMunster quarter-finalTony MaherCorkJune 15ClareMunster quarter-finalRoger TuohyCorkJune 15ClareMunster quarter-finalWillie WalshCorkJune 15ClareMunster quarter-finalPat DelaneyKilkennyJune 22DublinLeinster semi-finalMick LawlerKilkennyJune 22DublinLeinster semi-finalJoe MilleaKilkennyJune 22DublinLeinster semi-finalRay CumminsCorkJuly 27TipperaryMunster finalSéamus LooneyCorkSeptember 7KilkennyAll-Ireland finalJoe MurphyCorkSeptember 7KilkennyAll-Ireland final
Retirees The following players played their last game in the 1969 championship:
Player Team Last Game Date Opposition DébutNaoise JordanClareLeinster finalJune 15Cork1958Éamonn RussellClareLeinster finalJune 15Cork1962Tom RyanClareLeinster finalJune 15Cork1958Éamonn FoxOffalyLeinster finalJuly 20Kilkenny1963Mick BurnsTipperaryMunster finalJuly 27Cork1958Seán McLoughlinTipperaryMunster finalJuly 27Cork1958Donie NealonTipperaryMunster finalJuly 27Cork1958Noel O'GormanTipperaryMunster finalJuly 27Cork1965Denis MurphyCorkAll-Ireland finalSeptember 7Kilkenny1960Joe MurphyCorkAll-Ireland finalSeptember 7Kilkenny1969Tom MurphyKilkennyAll-Ireland finalSeptember 7Cork1963
References
Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005). Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005). Nolan, Pat, Flashbacks: A Half Century of Cork Hurling (The Collins Press, 2000).