The Cork-Kilkenny rivalry is a hurling rivalry between Irish county teams Cork and Kilkenny, who first played each other in 1894. It is considered to be one of the biggest rivalries in Gaelic games.- - - Kilkenny's home ground is Nowlan Park and Cork's home ground is Páirc Uí Chaoimh, however, all of their championship meetings have been held at neutral venues, usually Croke Park.
While Cork have the highest number of Munster titles and Kilkenny are the standard bearers in Leinster, they are also two of the most successful teams in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, having won 66 championship titles between them to date.
As of 2021 the sides have met 29 times in the hurling championship including meeting 24 times at the All Ireland final stage, more than any other All Ireland hurling final fixture, (Kilkenny have won 13 of these finals compared to Cork’s 9 final wins with 2 draw’s).
Regarded as two of hurling's "big three", with Tipperary making up the trio, an All-Ireland final between Cork and Kilkenny is regarded as a special occasion.
History
1893: Beginnings
An inauspicious start to one of the greatest rivalries on 24 June 1894. Cork won on probably the most unsuitable playing surface in hurling history after somebody neglected to get the grass cut at the original venue in Ashtown. The goalposts were uprooted and spectators and players alike moved to the Phoenix Park after a long delay. Cork, represented by Blackrock, gave an exhibition of hurling and led by 3-4 to 0-1 at the interval. Each side made exactly the same return in the second half to give Cork the victory.
1903-1912: Kilkenny's first great era
On 16 July 1905, Cork played Kilkenny in the delayed 1903 All-Ireland home final. The Cats were completely overwhelmed as Cork powered to an 8-9 to 0-8 victory.
The delayed 1904 All-Ireland final, played on 24 June 1906, pitted three-in-a-row hopefuls Cork against Kilkenny. After losing four previous finals Kilkenny finally triumphed. Dick Doyle's first-half goal set the Cats on their way, while a last-minute miracle save by 'keeper Pat "Fox" Maher secured a narrow 1-9 to 1-8 victory.
Cork's 5-10 to 3-13 defeat of Kilkenny in the delayed 1905 All-Ireland final, played on 14 April 1907, was declared null and void as Cork goalkeeper Daniel McCarthy was a British Army reservist, while Kilkenny's Matt Gargan had played with Waterford in earlier rounds of the championship. The replay on 30 June 1907 saw Kilkenny's Jimmy Kelly score a record-equalling 5-2. Kilkenny scored their seven goals in a thirty-minute spell. A puck-out by Cork goalkeeper Jamesy Kelleher is said to have bounced and hopped over the Kilkenny crossbar for a point. Kilkenny powered to a 7-7 to 2-9 victory.
The delayed All-Ireland final on 21 June 1908 saw Cork face Kilkenny at Fraher Field. Jimmy Kelly got the first of his hat-trick of goals within seconds of the start. The game looked to be heading for a replay when Jack Anthony scored the winning point. The Cats survived two Cork goal hunts in the dying minutes and claimed a narrow 3-12 to 4-8 victory.
Gate receipts were a record £589 at Croke Park for the All-Ireland meeting of Cork and Kilkenny on 17 November 1912. Kilkenny's ability to score goals proved decisive as they recorded another one-point defeat of Cork. Sim Walton pulled on a long, dropping ball from Jimmy Kelly for Kilkenny's first goal. A long Matt Gargan ball dropped past the Cork 'keeper and stopped just an inch over the line for their second. A 2-1 to 1-3 score line gave Kilkenny their sixth All-Ireland title in nine years.
1926: A lone meeting after a fourteen-year absence
On 24 October 1926 Cork and Kilkenny did battle on a snow-covered Croke Park. Three Meagher brothers - Lory, Willie and Henry - bolstered the Kilkenny team. Paddy "Balty" Ahern led the Cork attack as the Rebels had the narrowest of leads at the interval. Kilkenny slumped in the second half, going down to a 4-6 to 2-0 defeat. It was the first of thirteen All-Ireland victories for legendary Cork trained Jim "Tough" Barry.
1931: Three All-Ireland finals
On 6 September 1931 Cork and Kilkenny faced each other in the All-Ireland decider. The first half was closely contested, with a goal from Mick Ahern helping Cork to a half-time lead of 1-3 to 0-2. Cork stretched the advantage to six points in the second half, but Kilkenny came storming back with a goal and then four points on the trot to take the lead by one point. In the dying moments Cork captain Eudie Coughlan got possession and made his way towards the goal. As he did so he slipped and fell but struck the sliotar while he was down on his knees, and it went over the bar to level the scores at 1-6 apiece and force a replay.
The replay took place a month later on 11 October 1931 and is regarded as a classic for its swinging fortunes. Cork once again had a four-point lead at the interval, however, Kilkenny again fought back in the second half. Lory Meagher sent over a 90-yard free to level the game at 2-5 apiece and again force a replay. After the game officials pressed for extra time, however, Cork captain Coughlan rejected this as a younger Kilkenny team would have the upper hand on an aging Cork team. It was also suggested at a meeting of the Central Council that both counties be declared joint champions and that half an All-Ireland medal by given to each player. This motion was later defeated.
Once again Cork and Kilkenny assembled at Croke Park on 1 November 1931 for the third installment of the All-Ireland final. Kilkenny captain Lory Meagher was ruled out of the game because of broken ribs sustained in the first replay and watched the game wearing his overcoat on the sideline. Such was the esteem in which he was held the game was virtually conceded to Cork since the star captain couldn't play. In spite of fielding a younger team, Kilkenny were defeated by Cork on a score line of 5-8 to 3-4. It was the first occasion when the GAA realised the lucrative nature of replays. Central Council reported earnings of £8000 from the gate at the three games.
1939-1947: Two iconic All-Ireland meetings
On the same day that England and France declared war on Germany, the All-Ireland final between Cork and Kilkenny entered the realms of folklore as the famous "thunder and lightning final", so called because the climax of the game was played in a fierce thunderstorm. A then record crowd of 39,000 for a Cork-Kilkenny game saw both sides remain level for much of the game. Kilkenny pulled forward by three points at one stage, however, Willie Campbell landed a long-range free in the net for a dramatic equalising goal for Cork. While it looked as if the game was heading for a replay Kilkenny's Terry Leahy whipped over the winning point after he connected with a Paddy Phelan 70-yards free. With that the long whistle sounded and Kilkenny were the champions by 2-7 to 3-3.
After a seven-year absence, Cork and Kilkenny renewed their rivalry in the All-Ireland decider on 1 September 1946. Cork were aiming for a fifth All-Ireland title within six years, while Kilkenny were All-Ireland runners-up to Tipperary the previous year. While some had written off Cork's chances, they took an interval lead of four points. With ten minutes remaining Cork's lead was reduced to just two points, however, goals by Mossy O'Riordan and Joe Kelly secured the 7-6 to 3-8 victory.
Regarded by many oldtimers as the greatest All-Ireland final of them all, there was much at stake when Cork and Kilkenny met each other on 7 September 1947. After losing back-to-back championship deciders in 1945 and 1946, Kilkenny faced the unpalatable prospect of becoming the first team in championship history to lose three-in-a-row. Cork, on the other hand, were hoping to capture an unprecedented sixth All-Ireland title in seven years. Like many of their previous contests there was little to separate these two sides. Kilkenny took a narrow 0-7 to 0-5 lead at the interval, however, the game was far from over. Mossy O'Riordan and Joe Kelly got Cork back into the game with two second-half goals, however, Kilkenny's Jim Langton and Terry Leahy were the key players with tallies of 0-3 and 0-6 respectively. As the game headed towards a replay it was Leahy who chipped over the winning point. It was the first time since 1893 that Kilkenny failed to score a goal against Cork.
1966-1972: Renewed rivalry
After an absence of nineteen years, Cork and Kilkenny faced each other in the All-Ireland final on 4 September 1966. Cork, seeking a first title in twelve years, laid the foundations for this victory with a solid first-half performance as having played into the win they trailed by 0-7 to 1-2. Not long after the restart Cork went ahead with Colm Sheehan scoring a hat-trick of goals. A 3-9 to 1-10 gave Cork the title in front of a then record of 68,249 spectators.
The respective All-Ireland champions of 1966 and 1967 faced each other in the last sixty-minute All-Ireland final on 7 September 1969. Cork had the better of the opening half and had a three-point lead at the break. The third quarter saw Kilkenny with the edge and on two occasions the sides could not be separated. Cork faded completely in the final quarter allowing Kilkenny to ease to a 2-15 to 2-9 victory.
Regarded as one of the classic games of the modern era, the All-Ireland final on 3 September 1972 was the only eighty-minute championship decider between Cork and Kilkenny. In a game that produced a plethora of scores, Cork's ability to find the net gave them a 2-8 to 0-12 lead at the interval. Halfway through the second-half Cork were on form and stretched their lead to eight points. Drastic action was required for Kilkenny and Eddie Keher was deployed closer to the Cork goal. One of the most abiding memories of that game is of Keher grabbing the sliotar out of the sky and racing up the wing in the shadow of the Hogan Stand. From that sideline position Keher pucked the sliotar as if going for a point, however, the sliotar dropped short, deceiving Cork goalkeeper Paddy Barry, and ending up in the back of the net. After scoring that goal an almost emotionless Keher simply turned around to go back to his normal playing position with blood pouring out of a cut over his eye. Keher finished the game with a tally of 2-9 as Kilkenny scored seven points without reply to capture a memorable 3-24 to 5-11 victory.
1978-1983: Kilkenny double after Cork treble
Not the greatest of games between these two sides, however, it was notable as Cork attempted to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row on 3 September 1978. The game ebbed and flowed for much of the seventy minutes with no side breaking away. The sides were level eight times. With thirteen minutes left, Jimmy Barry-Murphy hit a low shot in towards the goal and it bobbled in past goalkeeper Noel Skehan. A 1-15 to 2-8 gave Cork their first championship three-in-a-row since 1954.
Kilkenny were rank outsiders going into the All-Ireland final on 5 September 1982 as the attendance dropped below 60,000 for the first time since before World War II. The opening eighteen minutes were frantic, however, a Noel Skehan save from a Seánie O'Leary shot inspired Kilkenny. A brace of goals from Christy Heffernan in two minutes just before the break gave Kilkenny a 2-11 to 0-7 lead. Cork rallied after the restart, however, Skehan was the hero for Kilkenny as they powered to a 3-18 to 1-13 victory.
The first period of the All-Ireland final on 4 September 1983 was similar to the previous year as Kilkenny built up an interval advantage of six points. Shortly after the restart, Kilkenny's advantage was nine points, however, they failed to score for the last seventeen minutes of the game. Cork rallied and narrowed the deficit to two points before running out of time. Billy Fitzpatrick scored 0-10 for Kilkenny, while Noel Skehan won a ninth All-Ireland medal, a full twenty years after he won his first as a substitute.