The Kilkenny-Tipperary rivalry is a hurling rivalry between Irish county teams Kilkenny and Tipperary, who first played each other in 1887. It is considered to be one of the biggest rivalries in Gaelic games.
While Tipperary have the second 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 61 championship titles between them to date.
As of the completion of the 2016 season the sides have met 27 times in the hurling championship including meeting 20 times at the All Ireland final stage (Tipperary have won 11 of these finals compared to Kilkenny's 8 final wins with 1 draw).
Regarded as two of hurling's "big three", with Cork making up the trio, an All-Ireland final between Tipperary and Kilkenny, is regarded as a special occasion.
History
1887: The beginning
The first meeting between the two teams occurred on 27 October 1887, when Kilkenny hosted Tipperary at Urlingford. That All-Ireland semi-final was played on a Thursday afternoon, after both teams turned up at Clonmel the previous Sunday but were not allowed to play as other games were in progress and because the South Tipperary Board was in dispute with the Central Council. In the circumstances, the teams arranged to play on the following Thursday in Urlingford. Tullaroan objected to some of the Thurles players before the game started on the grounds that they were not from the parish. This was accepted but Thurles had no difficulty getting replacements from among their supporters. There were plenty willing to take the place of those who could not play. It was reported that Frank Moloney "refereed with much difficulty".
1895-1900: The rivalry intensifies
With Cork withdrawing from the championship and therefore passing up the opportunity to claim a fourth successive All-Ireland title, a Tipperary side represented by Tubberadora faced Kilkenny's Mooncoin in the delayed 1895 All-Ireland final on 16 March 1896. In the first decider to take place at what would later be called Croke Park, Tipperary tore into Kilkenny. Paddy Riordan is said to have scored all but one point of Tipp's total. Mick Coogan captured Kilkenny's only score of the game, as Tipperary claimed a massive 6–8 to 1–0 victory.
On 25 March 1900, Tubberadora once again represented Tipperary in an All-Ireland final showdown with Kilkenny who were represented by Threecastles. The Cats dominated for the opening twenty-three minutes, however, controversy reigned over hand-passed scores which were awarded to Kilkenny in spite of being illegal at the time. Mikey Maher of Tipperary scored a second-half hat-trick to help his side to a huge 7–13 to 3–10 victory.
For only the second time in the history of the championship, Kilkenny faced Tipperary in an All-Ireland semi-final on 29 June 1902. Tipp continued their dominance over their Leinster rivals, and claimed a 1–11 to 1–8 victory.
1909-1916: Kilkenny's first great era
After nearly twenty years of near misses, Kilkenny finally arrived at the All-Ireland table by winning their first three titles in a four-year spell between 1904 and 1907. A dispute over the Railway Shield in 1908 resulted in the team withdrawing for the championship, while there was further trouble the following year when a selection row left the team short of substitutes. On 12 December 1909 a Mooncoin selection faced Tipperary representatives Thurles in the All-Ireland decider at the Cork Athletic Grounds. Kilkenny goals proved decisive courtesy of Jimmy Kelly and a hat-trick by Bill Hennebry. A 4–6 to 0–12 victory for Kilkenny meant a first All-Ireland final defeat for Tipperary.
On 28 July 1912, Kilkenny faced Tipperary in an alternative game to the original 1911 All-Ireland final. Limerick were the Munster champions, however, a retreat in the city meant that they pulled out of the decider. Tipperary were then nominated by the Munster Council to play Kilkenny, however, they were defeated by 3–3 to 2–1.
Two years later on 2 November 1913, Kilkenny's representatives Mooncoin faced Tipperary's Toomevara in the All-Ireland decider. As well as being the first fifteen-a-side final, Kilkenny were presented with the opportunity of joining Cork and Tipperary in a list of teams to have won three successive championships. A Matt Gargan goal gave Kilkenny a 1–4 to 1–1 lead at the interval. The second half was a low-scoring affair. Tipperary added just one more point, while Sim Walton got Kilkenny's only score when he bagged a goal with twelve minutes remaining. A 2–4 to 1–2 victory gave Kilkenny their seventh All-Ireland crown in ten championship seasons.
The great Kilkenny team of the first decade of the 20th century went into decline after their 1913 championship triumph, however, they had won last kick in 1916. Tipperary once again provided the opposition on 21 January 1917, as Kilkenny aimed to secure a fourth successive championship defeat of their near neighbours. Tipperary were five points down, however, they came bouncing back for a famous victory. Hugh Shelly scored a hat-trick for Tipperary, however, the game was not without incident as Tipperary's Tommy Shanahan and Kilkenny's Dick Grace were sent off. A 5–4 to 3–2 victory gave Tipperary a first defeat of Kilkenny since the 1900 All-Ireland semi-final.
1922: Kilkenny's last triumph for 45 years
In one of the great All-Ireland finals, Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the delayed decider on 9 September 1923. Tipp played into the Canal End for the opening thirty minutes, however, the sides remained deadlocked. With ten minutes remaining Tipperary looked poised for success as they had a one-goal lead. Kilkenny's only All-Ireland medallist, Dick Grace, sent in a speculative seventy yard free towards a crowded Tipp goalmouth. Matty Power, John Roberts, Paddy Donoghue and Dick Tobin were all involved in the action, however, the free went untouched into the net for the equaliser. Tipperary quickly regained the lead with another goal, however, Kilkenny were not finished and two further goals secured a 4–2 to 2–6 victory. Team captain Wattie Dunphy became the first Kilkenny man to lift the newly introduced Liam MacCarthy Cup.
1937-1964: Scarce Encounters
A builders' strike at Croke Park in 1937 resulted in an historic All-Ireland final taking place at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney on 5 September 1937, however, the game failed to live up to expectations. Newcomer Tommy Doyle pointed for Tipperary virtually from the throw-in. Kilkenny, who had dominated the early part of the decade and were appearing in their sixth final in seven years, had somewhat of a veteran team that failed to match Tipperary's speed. The Cats managed only a brace of points as Tipp notched up 2-8 courtesy of goals by Dinny Murphy and Jimmy "Butler" Coffey. Kilkenny introduced their veteran star, Lory Meagher, at the interval and he scored Kilkenny's solitary score of the second half, a point and the opening score of the period. Tipperary responded with another goal for Dinny Murphy, as they ran out easy winners by 3–11 to 0–3.
A record crowd of 69,459 turned up to Croke Park to see the first post-war All-Ireland decider on 2 September 1945. After four years of one-sided finals which yielded a record-breaking four successive All-Ireland triumphs for Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary provided one of the best games in years. Tipp faced a strong sun in the opening half and conceded two early points without reply. A goal by Eddie Gleeson after fifteen minutes gave Tipp the lead and by half-time they had stretched their advantage to 4–3 to 0–3. Kilkenny fought back after the interval and goals by Tom Walton, Jack Mulcahy and Seánie O'Brien reduced Tipp's advantage to four points with ten minutes remaining. A Tony Brennan goal settled the game and gave Tipp the impetus once again as they finished the game as champions with a 5–6 to 3–6 victory.
After a five-year absence, Kilkenny faced reigning champions Tipperary in the All-Ireland final on 3 September 1950. Kilkenny played into a gale-force wind and glaring sunshine for the opening period and took a 0–7 to 0–5 lead at the break. Tipperary emerged as a different side after the interval, while Kilkenny changed tactics and passed on several opportunities to stretch their lead with some easy points in favour of trying to engineer goals. A minute from the end Paddy Kenny scored Tipp's only goal of the game to put them four points ahead. Tipperary supporters were still celebrating when Kilkenny's right wing-back Jimmy Kelly sent the sliotar to the net from seventy yards. Kilkenny eagerly awaited the puck-out and the chance to level the game, however, referee and former All-Ireland medallist Con Murphy (Cork) blew full-time. Kilkenny, who were the one point specialists, having won five All-Ireland titles by that margin, were at the wrong end for once as they were downed by 1–9 to 1–8.
For the third time in history, Kilkenny and Tipperary faced each other in an All-Ireland semi-final on 10 August 1958. Galway had received a bye to the All-Ireland final without playing a single game, while this match was seen as the de facto All-Ireland final, Tipperary once again showed that they held the Indian sign over Kilkenny by claiming a 1–13 to 1–8 victory.
The All-Ireland final on 6 September 1964 was Tipperary's fourth All-Ireland in five years, having won the title in both 1961 and 1962, though Kilkenny entered the game as reigning champions and favourites having beaten Waterford the previous year. John "Mackey" McKenna scored Tipp's first goal after ten minutes as the Munster champions took a 1–8 to 0-6 interval lead. The second half saw Tipperary score goals for fun, with Donie Nealon getting a hat-trick and Seán McLoughlin another. Kilkenny were humiliated at the full-time whistle as Tipperary triumphed by 5–13 to 2–8.
1967-1971: Kilkenny breakthrough
Kilkenny and Tipperary dominated the late sixties and faced each other in the All-Ireland final on 3 September 1967. The game presented Tipperary's John Doyle with the chance of making history by winning a record-breaking ninth All-Ireland medal, however, it was Kilkenny who made history by claiming a first championship win over Tipp in forty-five years. Kilkenny 'keeper Ollie Walsh earned the Texaco Hurler of the Year award for his performance in the game, having had seven stitches put into his wrist after an accident on the way to the game. Kilkenny were in arrears by six points at the interval, however, it would have been more but for Walsh. Tipperary only scored one point in the second half. The game also ended on a sour note, with Kilkenny centre-forward Tom Walsh needing to have his eye removed as a result of a second-half injury.
In 1971 Kilkenny and Tipperary emerged from their respective provinces to contest the All-Ireland decider on 5 September. The game was notable as it was the first All-Ireland final to be broadcast in colour by Telefís Éireann, a factor which contributed to an attendance of 61,393. Tipperary relied on two freak goals to put them in the driving seat, one of which passed through Ollie Walsh's legs. Kilkenny's Eddie Keher surpassed his own record by scoring 2-11, in spite of ending up on the losing side. The game is also memorable for the fact that Michael "Babs" Keating discarded his boots and socks and played out the last period of the game in his bare feet. The final score of 5–17 to 5-14 gave Tipperary a merited victory and allowed the team to go top of the all-time roll of honour.
1991: A lone meeting