1984 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final
Encyclopedia
The 1984 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final was a hurling
match played at Semple Stadium
, Thurles
, County Tipperary
, on Sunday, 2 September 1984, to determine the winners of the 1984 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
. It was the first, and remains the only All-Ireland final to be played in the cradle town of the Gaelic Athletic Association
. The match was won by Cork, who beat Offaly
3-16 to 1-12. The referee was Paschal Long from Kilkenny
.
The win gave Cork their 24th All-Ireland title, and their first since 1978
; moreover, it was their third consecutive appearance in the final, having lost to Kilkenny
in 1982 and 1983. Meanwhile, Offaly had won the competition as recently as 1981 – their first and most recent final appearance. The 1984 final was the very first championship meeting between Cork and Offaly.
at the Gaelic Grounds
. In a game billed as the potential game of the year, 'the Rebels' went in as underdogs
against the recently crowned National Hurling League
champions. The title of underdogs seemed accurate as Limerick had a half-time lead of 1-10 to 1-5. Cork were a transformed side after the interval and held Limerick scoreless for the first twelve minutes of the half while helping themselves to 1-6. The goal was scored when the Limerick full-back, Leonard Enright
, topped the ball as he tried to clear off the ground and it spun back, struck the goalkeeper and into the path of Jimmy Barry-Murphy
who guided it over the line. A great second-half followed, however, Cork proved the experts wrong and secured a 3-15 to 2-13 victory.
The subsequent Munster final saw Cork play Tipperary
. It was their first meeting in the provincial decider since the 1970 Munster final. Regarded at the time as the 'best ever', the game was a classic encounter, however, the final seven minutes have entered Munster folkore. Cork trailed Tipp by four points with seven minutes left and the game looked lost. John Fenton
launched the comeback with a point before Tony O'Sullivan
sent the sliotar crashing into the net for an equalising goal. A draw seemed likely, however, a Tipp attack was halted and turned into a Cork one. O'Sullivan tried for the winning point, however, his shot was stopped by the goalkeeper only to fall to the hurley of Seánie O'Leary
who scored the winning goal. John Fenton tacked on an insurance point to give Cork the centenary year Munster title.
Cork's next game was an All-Ireland semi-final against Antrim
. The Ulster team were apathetic about the match and it was reported in the media that some players weren't even training for the game. The game was seen as a foregone conclusion, however, Antrim put in a good display for the opening thirty minutes. The end result was never in doubt and Cork booked their place in the All-Ireland final with a 3-26 to 2-5 victory.
. The midlanders were the warm favourites to win that game and to take the provincial title. Offaly did not have it all their own way and their victory came about largely through squandered scoring opportunities from Dublin. Three penalties were awarded during the game with Dublin failing to score from two while Offaly converted a goal from their penalty and avoided an upset.
The subsequent Leinster final pitted Offaly against Wexford
. Both sides had mixed fortunes in their respective semi-finals with Wexford putting in a great display in defeating three-in-a-row hopefuls Kilkenny
while Offaly had a laboured victory over 'the Dubs'. Because of this Offaly went into the provincial decider as underdogs. The game itself was an exciting affair with the result in doubt right up to the full-time whistle. The game ended in controversy as the referee, Pascal Long, played only one minute and five second of injury time, when as least three minutes had been lost due to injuries. Overall, Offaly were regarded as the better team for two-thirds of the game and their 1-15 to 2-11 victory was well merited.
Offaly's next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Galway
. While Offaly had been inmproving in each of their games during the championship, this was Galway's second game after an opener against Westmeath
. Because of this Offaly were tentatively given the nod to win and advance to the final, however, Galway were seen as dangerous when they were underdogs. Offaly had little difficulty in overwhelming the westerners and a 4-15 to 1-10 victory gave them a safe passage to the All-Ireland final.
.
Cork enjoyed a hugely successful decade in the seventies, winning four All-Ireland finals including three championships in-a-row. By the early 1980s many of the players from that team decided to retire and, after a period of transition in 1980 and 1981, a new Cork team emerged to take back-to-back Munster
titles in 1982 and 1983. Cork also contested the All-Ireland finals in both those years, however, they were defeated by their great rivals Kilkenny
on both occasions. The thought of becoming the first team to lose three All-Ireland finals in-a-row proved a great motivation.
In 1981 Offaly became the thirteenth team to win the All-Ireland title when they defeated Galway
to take their very first championship. A victory in the centenary year final would preserved their 100% record in All-Ireland deciders.
club in Kilkenny
was named as the referee for the 1984 All-Ireland final on 21 August 1984. It was his first time taking charge of an All-Ireland decider, however, he had been a regular referee during the National Hurling League
. Long had also experienced both Cork and Offaly in earlier games in 1984. He took charge of Offaly's Leinster final
win over Wexford
and was also in charge for Cork's defeat of Antrim
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
. It was Cork's third consecutive appearance in the final, after suffering two defeats by Kilkenny
in 1982 and 1983, while Offaly were lining out in their first championship decider since they won the title in 1981. In spite of the GAA celebrating its 100th anniversary, this was the first ever championship meeting between these two sides.
Since 1914, Croke Park
in Dublin had been the home of the All-Ireland senior hurling final every year. Only in 1937 had the championship decider moved out of the capital city to FitzGerald Stadium
in Killarney
. 1984, however, was special as it was the centenary year of the Gaelic Athletic Association
. To mark the occasion it was deemed fitting that the All-Ireland final be played in the "home of hurling
" and the town where the association was established. Because of this Semple Stadium
in Thurles
was the venue for this very special championship final.
The weather on the day was fine and sunny; however, it was also a very humid day which resulted in many players suffering the effects of fatigue by the end of the game.
Both sides lined out in their usual jerseys. Offaly wore their green, white and gold strip while Cork lined out in their traditional red jerseys. There was one special change to the Cork strip that was introduced prior to the game. The Cork jersey now had the word ‘Corcaigh’ emblazoned across the front while the jersey also contained the GAA centenary logo. Only one set of these jerseys were made.
, Cork’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1931, was the first former great to be introduced to the crowd. Shortly afterwards Semple Stadium witnessed one of the biggest cheers of the day as Jack Lynch
, Cork’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1942 and former Taoiseach
, made his way onto the pitch. Lynch was followed by his former team mates Mick Kennefick
and Seán Condon
who captained Cork to the All-Ireland titles in 1943 and 1944 respectively.
Pat Stakelum
, Seán Kenny
and Jimmy Finn
, Tipperary
’s three-in-a-row All-Ireland winning captains of 1949, 1950 and 1951 were the next players to be introduced to the Thurles crowd. Paddy Barry
of Cork’s 1952 team was followed by Wexford
’s Nick O'Donnell
, who had recently been named on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century
as the greatest full-back in the history of the game and was captain of Wexford’s 1955 and 1960 All-Ireland winning teams. He was followed by his fellow county man Jim English
who played a key role in helping Wexford retain the title in 1956.
The 1950s and 1960s saw Tipperary and Kilkenny
come to dominate the All-Ireland series. Tony Wall
, Tipp’s captain from 1958, was followed by Frankie Walsh
of Waterford
, the 1959 All-Ireland winning captain and the last man to captain that county to the title. Matt Hassett
captained Tipperary to the 1961 All-Ireland title before handing over the captaincy to his Tipp team mate Jimmy Doyle
, regarded by many as one of the greatest players of all-time and All-Ireland winning captain of 1962 and 1965. He was followed by Séamus Cleere
, Kilkenny’s captain of 1963 and Mick Murphy
, Tipperary’s victorious captain of 1964. Gerald McCarthy was one of the youngest captains to take to the field. He was only twenty years-old when he guided Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1966. McCarthy was followed onto the field of play by Kilkenny’s 1967 captain, Jim Treacy
and Wexford’s 1968 captain, Dan Quigley
. At the time Quigley was the last Wexford man to captain his county to the All-Ireland title. There was another great cheer from the crowd as Eddie Keher
, recently named on the Team of the Century and Kilkenny’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1969, was introduced and made his way onto the field. He was followed by another Paddy Barry
, Cork’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1970, and Tadhg O'Connor
, Tipp’s victorious captain from 1971.
The rest of the 1970s saw Cork and Kilkenny claim dominance in the championship. Noel Skehan
, one of the greatest goalkeepers of all-time, took to the field as the All-Ireland winning captain of 1972. He was followed by Éamonn Grimes
, the last man to captain Limerick
to a championship title in 1973. Nicky Orr
and Billy Fitzpatrick
were next onto the filed as Kilkenny’s winning captains of 1974 and 1975 respectively. They were followed by three Corkmen, Ray Cummins
, Martin O'Doherty
and Charlie McCarthy
, victorious captains from Cork’s three-in-a-row in 1976, 1977 and 1978. The decade ended with Ger Fennelly
leading Kilkenny to All-Ireland victory for the fourth time that decade. Joe Connolly
, Galway
’s first All-Ireland winning captain in 57 years, received a warm welcome as he arrived on the pitch. The All-Ireland winning captain of 1981, Pádraig Horan
, represented Ofafly
’s sole win in the championship; however, he was playing in the All-Ireland final later that afternoon. Kilkenny’s Brian Cody
was next onto the field as he joined the elite group of All-Ireland winning captains in 1982. The last man onto the field that day was Liam Fennelly
, Kilkenny’s victorious captain of 1983, the 81st man to captain a team to an All-Ireland title.
’s goalkeeping skills after just a few seconds of play. The openings core of the day came for Cork when John Fenton
converted a free for his team after just one minute. The next five minutes saw Mark Corrigan record two wides for Offaly while Fenton sent the sliothar wide for Cork after a sideline cut. On the stroke of six minutes Pat Carroll
put Offaly on the scoreboard when he converted a point from play. Pádraig Horan
put Offaly in the lead less than a minute later when he scored another point. Cork’s Tony O'Sullivan
leveled the scores less than a minute later before Horan gave his side a 0-3 to 0-2 lead once again after converting a free. The next passage of play saw Cork’s confidence diminish as Tim Crowley
, Pat Hartnett and John Fenton recorded three consecutive wides for Cork. Pat Delaney
did likewise for Offaly shortly afterwards when he sent a ’65 wide.
The next passage of play saw both sides record tit-for-tat scores once again. A Tony O’Sullivan point leveled the scores for the third time of the match before Pat Delaney sent over ’65 to give Offaly the narrowest of leads once again. Cork rallied once again with O’Sullivan scoring an inspirational point from an almost impossible angle by the sideline. Ironically, he missed a relatively easy score shortly afterwards. Mark Corrigan
captured Offaly’s fifth point of the day after twenty-two minutes of play before he too sent his next shot wide. Pat Carroll increased the margin between the two teams when he also scored a point to put Offaly ahead by 0-6 to 0-4. This period of dominance was negated juts a few minutes later when Cork captured the first goal of the day. Jimmy Barry-Murphy
, who was largely anonymous up until that point, sent a pass into Seánie O'Leary
. O’Leary controlled the sliothar on his hurley before sending it past Damien Martin
into the Offaly net. After being two points down Cork were now ahead by a point. Offaly went on the attack immediately after the puck out, however, Pat Carroll’s shot went just wide of the post. John Fenton missed the chance to put Cork two points ahead when his shot also went wide for the fourth time, however, Tomás Mulcahy
increased the margin when he got Cork’s last score of the first half. Mark Corrigan recorded Offaly’s last score of the half when he pointed just on the stroke of half-time. The score at the interval gave Cork a narrow lead of 1-5 to 0-7.
While the first half was a close affair Cork took over completely in the second. John Fenton stretched Cork’s lead to two points when he sent over a free shortly after the restart. Cork went on the rampage after this score with five more unanswered points courtesy of Tony O’Sullivan, John Fenton, Seánie O’Leary, Fenton again and O’Sullivan again. At this point it looked as if the game was running away from Offaly; however, Cork did not relent. A Kevin Hennessy
shot on goal was blocked by goalkeeper Damien Martin; however, it landed into the waiting hand of Jimmy Barry-Murphy who sent a low shot into the goal. That shot was also blocked but only as far as Kevin Hennessy who had the simplest of taps into the Offaly net for Cork’s second goal. This gave Cork a ten-point lead with a score line of 2-11 to 0-7. Offaly fought back but Joe Dooley
’s shot on goal was saved by Ger Cunningham and was sent out over the line. Pat Delaney converted the subsequent ’65 to reduce the deficit and to record Offaly’s first score of the second half after seventeen minutes. Just when Offaly were getting back into the swing of things Cork went on the rampage again. A long clearance by Johnny Crowley bounced just in front of Seánie O’Leary who broke away from his marker and goaled for the third time for Cork. It was a personal triumph for O’Leary, Cork’s longest-serving player. Cork now led by 3-11 to 0-8.
Pat Delaney reduced the deficit with a ’65 and then with a free shortly afterwards, however, Offaly still trailed by ten points. John Fenton increased Cork’s lead even more when he captured his first point from play shortly a Joe Dooley shot went wide. Both sides exchanged tit-for-tat scores once again for the final eight minutes of the game. Tony O’Sullivan stretched Corks’ lead once again before Pat Carroll clawed one back for Offaly. John Fenton captured his second point from play on the stroke of the sixty-sixth minute before Pat Carroll reduced Cork’s lead once again with another point for Offaly. Just at the end of normal playing time Mark Corrigan scored a goal for Offaly, however, it was too little too late as Cork still led by eight points. This was Offaly’s last score of the game as John Fenton finished of his game with a seventh point. Pat Hartnett, Fenton’s partner at midfield, then sent over the final point of the day as a huge cheer erupted from the Cork fans at the sight of Hartnett with his fist clenched in delight at the 3-16 to 1-12 score line. The full-time whistle was blown immediately after the puck out and Cork had captured their twenty-fifth All-Ireland title.
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
match played at Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
, Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, on Sunday, 2 September 1984, to determine the winners of the 1984 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1984
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1984 was the 98th series of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition...
. It was the first, and remains the only All-Ireland final to be played in the cradle town of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
. The match was won by Cork, who beat Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
3-16 to 1-12. The referee was Paschal Long from Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
.
The win gave Cork their 24th All-Ireland title, and their first since 1978
1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final was the 91st All-Ireland Final and the culmination of the 1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, an inter-county hurling tournament for the top teams in Ireland. The match was held at Croke Park, Dublin, on 3 September 1978, between Cork...
; moreover, it was their third consecutive appearance in the final, having lost to Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
in 1982 and 1983. Meanwhile, Offaly had won the competition as recently as 1981 – their first and most recent final appearance. The 1984 final was the very first championship meeting between Cork and Offaly.
Paths to the final
CORK MSHC Semi-final: Cork 3-15 – 2-13 Limerick Limerick GAA The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick... MSHC Final: Cork 4-15 – 3-14 Tipperary Tipperary GAA The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names... AISHC Semi-final: Cork 3-26 – 2-5 Antrim Antrim GAA The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams... |
OFFALY LSHC Semi-final: Offaly 2-11 – 1-11 Dublin Dublin GAA Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams... LSHC Final: Offaly 1-15 – 2-11 Wexford Wexford GAA The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in... AISHC Semi-final: Offaly 4-15 – 1-10 Galway Galway GAA The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,... |
Cork
Cork's opening game of the championship was a Munster semi-final meeting with LimerickLimerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
at the Gaelic Grounds
Gaelic Grounds
The Gaelic Grounds or Páirc na nGael is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Limerick City, Ireland, home to the Limerick hurling and football teams....
. In a game billed as the potential game of the year, 'the Rebels' went in as underdogs
Underdogs
Underdogs is the second full-length album released by the Matthew Good Band in 1997, as a follow-up to the 1995 album Last of the Ghetto Astronauts...
against the recently crowned National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
champions. The title of underdogs seemed accurate as Limerick had a half-time lead of 1-10 to 1-5. Cork were a transformed side after the interval and held Limerick scoreless for the first twelve minutes of the half while helping themselves to 1-6. The goal was scored when the Limerick full-back, Leonard Enright
Leonard Enright
Leonard Enright is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Patrickswell and with the Limerick senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1988.-References:...
, topped the ball as he tried to clear off the ground and it spun back, struck the goalkeeper and into the path of Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...
who guided it over the line. A great second-half followed, however, Cork proved the experts wrong and secured a 3-15 to 2-13 victory.
The subsequent Munster final saw Cork play Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
. It was their first meeting in the provincial decider since the 1970 Munster final. Regarded at the time as the 'best ever', the game was a classic encounter, however, the final seven minutes have entered Munster folkore. Cork trailed Tipp by four points with seven minutes left and the game looked lost. John Fenton
John Fenton
John Fenton is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987. Fenton is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Club:Fenton played his club hurling with his local Midleton club and...
launched the comeback with a point before Tony O'Sullivan
Tony O'Sullivan
Tony O'Sullivan is an Irish retired sportsperson. A dual player, he played both hurling and Gaelic football with his local club Na Piarsaigh and was a member of both Cork senior inter-county teams in the 1980s and 1990s.-Club:O’Sullivan played his club hurling with the Na Piarsaigh club on the...
sent the sliotar crashing into the net for an equalising goal. A draw seemed likely, however, a Tipp attack was halted and turned into a Cork one. O'Sullivan tried for the winning point, however, his shot was stopped by the goalkeeper only to fall to the hurley of Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...
who scored the winning goal. John Fenton tacked on an insurance point to give Cork the centenary year Munster title.
Cork's next game was an All-Ireland semi-final against Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
. The Ulster team were apathetic about the match and it was reported in the media that some players weren't even training for the game. The game was seen as a foregone conclusion, however, Antrim put in a good display for the opening thirty minutes. The end result was never in doubt and Cork booked their place in the All-Ireland final with a 3-26 to 2-5 victory.
Offaly
Offaly's championship opener was a Leinster semi-final meeting with DublinDublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
. The midlanders were the warm favourites to win that game and to take the provincial title. Offaly did not have it all their own way and their victory came about largely through squandered scoring opportunities from Dublin. Three penalties were awarded during the game with Dublin failing to score from two while Offaly converted a goal from their penalty and avoided an upset.
The subsequent Leinster final pitted Offaly against Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
. Both sides had mixed fortunes in their respective semi-finals with Wexford putting in a great display in defeating three-in-a-row hopefuls Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
while Offaly had a laboured victory over 'the Dubs'. Because of this Offaly went into the provincial decider as underdogs. The game itself was an exciting affair with the result in doubt right up to the full-time whistle. The game ended in controversy as the referee, Pascal Long, played only one minute and five second of injury time, when as least three minutes had been lost due to injuries. Overall, Offaly were regarded as the better team for two-thirds of the game and their 1-15 to 2-11 victory was well merited.
Offaly's next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. While Offaly had been inmproving in each of their games during the championship, this was Galway's second game after an opener against Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
. Because of this Offaly were tentatively given the nod to win and advance to the final, however, Galway were seen as dangerous when they were underdogs. Offaly had little difficulty in overwhelming the westerners and a 4-15 to 1-10 victory gave them a safe passage to the All-Ireland final.
Background
The All-Ireland final was a unique occasion as it was the very first championship meeting between Cork and OffalyOffaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
.
Cork enjoyed a hugely successful decade in the seventies, winning four All-Ireland finals including three championships in-a-row. By the early 1980s many of the players from that team decided to retire and, after a period of transition in 1980 and 1981, a new Cork team emerged to take back-to-back Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
titles in 1982 and 1983. Cork also contested the All-Ireland finals in both those years, however, they were defeated by their great rivals Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
on both occasions. The thought of becoming the first team to lose three All-Ireland finals in-a-row proved a great motivation.
In 1981 Offaly became the thirteenth team to win the All-Ireland title when they defeated Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
to take their very first championship. A victory in the centenary year final would preserved their 100% record in All-Ireland deciders.
Referee
Pascal Long from the CarrickshockCarrickshock GAA
Carrickshock is an Irish Gaelic Athletic Association club situated in the south of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1928 when the teams from Hugginstown and Knockmoylan were amalgamated....
club in Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
was named as the referee for the 1984 All-Ireland final on 21 August 1984. It was his first time taking charge of an All-Ireland decider, however, he had been a regular referee during the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
. Long had also experienced both Cork and Offaly in earlier games in 1984. He took charge of Offaly's Leinster final
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland....
win over Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
and was also in charge for Cork's defeat of Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Overview
Sunday September 2 was the date of the 1984 centenary All-Ireland senior hurling final between Cork and OffalyOffaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
. It was Cork's third consecutive appearance in the final, after suffering two defeats by Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
in 1982 and 1983, while Offaly were lining out in their first championship decider since they won the title in 1981. In spite of the GAA celebrating its 100th anniversary, this was the first ever championship meeting between these two sides.
Since 1914, Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
in Dublin had been the home of the All-Ireland senior hurling final every year. Only in 1937 had the championship decider moved out of the capital city to FitzGerald Stadium
FitzGerald Stadium
Fitzgerald Stadium is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Killarney, Ireland, and is the home championship venue for the Kerry senior football team....
in Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
. 1984, however, was special as it was the centenary year of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
. To mark the occasion it was deemed fitting that the All-Ireland final be played in the "home of hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
" and the town where the association was established. Because of this Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
in Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
was the venue for this very special championship final.
The weather on the day was fine and sunny; however, it was also a very humid day which resulted in many players suffering the effects of fatigue by the end of the game.
Both sides lined out in their usual jerseys. Offaly wore their green, white and gold strip while Cork lined out in their traditional red jerseys. There was one special change to the Cork strip that was introduced prior to the game. The Cork jersey now had the word ‘Corcaigh’ emblazoned across the front while the jersey also contained the GAA centenary logo. Only one set of these jerseys were made.
Pre-match celebrations
As part of the centenary celebrations a special presentation took place prior to the game itself. All living former All-Ireland winning captains were given a special introduction onto the field. On that occasion the 60,000 spectators took to their feet as they witnessed some of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game take to the field. 84-year-old Eudie CoughlanEudie Coughlan
Eugene 'Eudie' Coughlan was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1919 until 1931. Coughlan captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1931...
, Cork’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1931, was the first former great to be introduced to the crowd. Shortly afterwards Semple Stadium witnessed one of the biggest cheers of the day as Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
, Cork’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1942 and former Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
, made his way onto the pitch. Lynch was followed by his former team mates Mick Kennefick
Mick Kennefick
Mick Kennefick was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1942 until 1944. Kennefick captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1943.-Club:...
and Seán Condon
Seán Condon
Seán Condon was an Irish sposrtsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1942 until 1951. Condon holds the distinction of being one of only a handful of players to captain his county to All-Ireland titles in both minor...
who captained Cork to the All-Ireland titles in 1943 and 1944 respectively.
Pat Stakelum
Pat Stakelum
Pat Stakelum was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Holycross-Ballycahill and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1947 until 1957. Stakelum captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland title in 1949....
, Seán Kenny
Seán Kenny (hurler)
Seán Kenny was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Borris-Ileigh and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1940s and 1950s. Kenny captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland title in 1950.-Early life:...
and Jimmy Finn
Jimmy Finn
Jimmy Finn is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Borris-Ileigh and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1949 until 1959.-Club:...
, Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
’s three-in-a-row All-Ireland winning captains of 1949, 1950 and 1951 were the next players to be introduced to the Thurles crowd. Paddy Barry
Paddy Barry (Sarsfield's)
Paddy Barry was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Sarsfield's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1947 until 1964. Barry is regarded as one of Cork’s greatest-ever hurlers....
of Cork’s 1952 team was followed by Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
’s Nick O'Donnell
Nick O'Donnell
Nick O'Donnell was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Éire Óg in Kilkenny and St. Aidan’s in Wexford. He was also a member of both the Kilkenny and Wexford senior inter-county teams from 1947 until 1962...
, who had recently been named on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century
GAA Hurling Team of the Century
The Hurling Team of the Century was chosen as part of the Gaelic Athletic Association's centenary year celebrations in 1984 to comprise, as a fifteen-member side divided as one goalkeeper, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwardss and three full-forwards, the best hurling players of...
as the greatest full-back in the history of the game and was captain of Wexford’s 1955 and 1960 All-Ireland winning teams. He was followed by his fellow county man Jim English
Jim English
Jim English was an Irish hurler who played as a right wing-back for the Wexford senior team from 1952 until 1964....
who played a key role in helping Wexford retain the title in 1956.
The 1950s and 1960s saw Tipperary and Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
come to dominate the All-Ireland series. Tony Wall
Tony Wall
Tony Wall is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Thurles Sarsfields and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1953 until 1967...
, Tipp’s captain from 1958, was followed by Frankie Walsh
Frankie Walsh
Frankie Walsh is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Mount Sion from 1955 until 1974 and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1956 until 1969. Walsh captained Waterford to the All-Ireland title in 1959.-Biography:Frankie Walsh was born in...
of Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
, the 1959 All-Ireland winning captain and the last man to captain that county to the title. Matt Hassett
Matt Hassett
Matt Hassett is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Toomevara and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1960 until 1962. Hassett captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland title in 1961.-Biography:Matt Hassett was born in Toomevara, County...
captained Tipperary to the 1961 All-Ireland title before handing over the captaincy to his Tipp team mate Jimmy Doyle
Jimmy Doyle
James 'Jimmy' Doyle , is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with the famous Thurles Sarsfields club from 1956 until 1975 and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1957 until 1973...
, regarded by many as one of the greatest players of all-time and All-Ireland winning captain of 1962 and 1965. He was followed by Séamus Cleere
Séamus Cleere
Séamus Cleere is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Bennetsbridge and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1960 until 1968. Cleere captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1963.-Club:Cleere played his club hurling with his local Bennettsbridge club...
, Kilkenny’s captain of 1963 and Mick Murphy
Mick Murphy (Tipperary hurler)
Michael 'Mick' Murphy is a former Irish sportsperson. He played senior hurling with Tipperary from 1960 until 1964.-Early life:...
, Tipperary’s victorious captain of 1964. Gerald McCarthy was one of the youngest captains to take to the field. He was only twenty years-old when he guided Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1966. McCarthy was followed onto the field of play by Kilkenny’s 1967 captain, Jim Treacy
Jim Treacy
Jim Treacy is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Bennettsbridge and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1963 until 1975...
and Wexford’s 1968 captain, Dan Quigley
Dan Quigley
Dan Quigley is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Rathnure and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s. Quigley captained Wexford to the All-Ireland title in 1968.-Club:Quigley played his club hurling with the famous Rathnure...
. At the time Quigley was the last Wexford man to captain his county to the All-Ireland title. There was another great cheer from the crowd as Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher
Edward Peter Keher , better known as Eddie Keher, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game....
, recently named on the Team of the Century and Kilkenny’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1969, was introduced and made his way onto the field. He was followed by another Paddy Barry
Paddy Barry (St. Vincent's)
Paddy Barry is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Vincent's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1962 until 1974. Barry captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1970....
, Cork’s All-Ireland winning captain of 1970, and Tadhg O'Connor
Tadhg O'Connor
Tadhg O'Connor is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Roscrea and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. O'Connor captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland title in 1971.-Club:O’Connor played his club hurling with his local club in Roscrea...
, Tipp’s victorious captain from 1971.
The rest of the 1970s saw Cork and Kilkenny claim dominance in the championship. Noel Skehan
Noel Skehan
Noel Skehan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local Bennettsbridge club and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1963 and 1985. Skehan is regarded as one of the greatest hurling goalkeepers of all-time.Skehan's status as one of the all-time greats...
, one of the greatest goalkeepers of all-time, took to the field as the All-Ireland winning captain of 1972. He was followed by Éamonn Grimes
Éamonn Grimes
Éamonn Grimes is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club South Liberties and with the Limerick senior inter-county team from 1966 until 1982. Grimes captained Limerick to the All-Ireland title in 1973.-Biography:Éamonn Grimes was born in Donoughmore, County Limerick...
, the last man to captain Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
to a championship title in 1973. Nicky Orr
Nicky Orr
Nicholas 'Nicky' Orr is an Irish retired hurler who played as a full-back for the Kilkenny senior team from 1971 until 1976.Orr joined the Kilkenny team during the 1971 championship and became a regular player over subsequent seasons. During that time he won two All-Ireland winner's medals, three...
and Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club the Fenians and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1986. Fitzpatrick captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1975.-Biography:Billy Fitzpatrick was born in Johnstown,...
were next onto the filed as Kilkenny’s winning captains of 1974 and 1975 respectively. They were followed by three Corkmen, Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...
, Martin O'Doherty
Martin O'Doherty
Martin O'Doherty is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1982...
and Charlie McCarthy
Charlie McCarthy (hurler)
Charlie McCarthy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1980. McCarthy captained Cork to a third consecutive All-Ireland title in 1978.-Biography:Charlie McCarthy was born in Cork in 1946...
, victorious captains from Cork’s three-in-a-row in 1976, 1977 and 1978. The decade ended with Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1989. Fennelly captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1979.-Biography:Ger Fennelly was born in Piltown, County...
leading Kilkenny to All-Ireland victory for the fourth time that decade. Joe Connolly
Joe Connolly (hurler)
Joe Connolly is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Castlegar and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1984. Connolly captained Galway to the All-Ireland title in 1980.-Biography:Joe Connolly was born in Castlegar, County Galway in...
, Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
’s first All-Ireland winning captain in 57 years, received a warm welcome as he arrived on the pitch. The All-Ireland winning captain of 1981, Pádraig Horan
Pádraig Horan
Pádraig Horan is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club St. Rynagh’s and with the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1986. Horan later served as manager of both the Offaly and Laois senior inter-county teams.-Club:Horan played his...
, represented Ofafly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
’s sole win in the championship; however, he was playing in the All-Ireland final later that afternoon. Kilkenny’s Brian Cody
Brian Cody
Brian Cody is an Irish hurling manager and former player, currently managing the Kilkenny senior inter-county team, where he has been in charge since 1998...
was next onto the field as he joined the elite group of All-Ireland winning captains in 1982. The last man onto the field that day was Liam Fennelly
Liam Fennelly
Liam Fennelly is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1981 until 1992.-Biography:...
, Kilkenny’s victorious captain of 1983, the 81st man to captain a team to an All-Ireland title.
Match report
With the pre-match festivities completed the game began. The opening minutes were played at a frantic pace with the Offaly men testing the Cork defence and Ger CunninghamGer Cunningham
Ger Cunningham is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1981 until 1998. Cunningham is regarded as one of the greatest hurling goalkeepers of all-time.Cunningham's status as one of Cork's...
’s goalkeeping skills after just a few seconds of play. The openings core of the day came for Cork when John Fenton
John Fenton
John Fenton is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987. Fenton is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Club:Fenton played his club hurling with his local Midleton club and...
converted a free for his team after just one minute. The next five minutes saw Mark Corrigan record two wides for Offaly while Fenton sent the sliothar wide for Cork after a sideline cut. On the stroke of six minutes Pat Carroll
Pat Carroll (hurler)
Pat Carroll was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Coolderry and with the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1985.-Early & private life:...
put Offaly on the scoreboard when he converted a point from play. Pádraig Horan
Pádraig Horan
Pádraig Horan is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club St. Rynagh’s and with the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1986. Horan later served as manager of both the Offaly and Laois senior inter-county teams.-Club:Horan played his...
put Offaly in the lead less than a minute later when he scored another point. Cork’s Tony O'Sullivan
Tony O'Sullivan
Tony O'Sullivan is an Irish retired sportsperson. A dual player, he played both hurling and Gaelic football with his local club Na Piarsaigh and was a member of both Cork senior inter-county teams in the 1980s and 1990s.-Club:O’Sullivan played his club hurling with the Na Piarsaigh club on the...
leveled the scores less than a minute later before Horan gave his side a 0-3 to 0-2 lead once again after converting a free. The next passage of play saw Cork’s confidence diminish as Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Newcestown and Cork in the 1970s and 1980s.-Playing career:...
, Pat Hartnett and John Fenton recorded three consecutive wides for Cork. Pat Delaney
Pat Delaney (Offaly hurler)
Pat Delaney is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Kinnitty and with the Offaly senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s...
did likewise for Offaly shortly afterwards when he sent a ’65 wide.
The next passage of play saw both sides record tit-for-tat scores once again. A Tony O’Sullivan point leveled the scores for the third time of the match before Pat Delaney sent over ’65 to give Offaly the narrowest of leads once again. Cork rallied once again with O’Sullivan scoring an inspirational point from an almost impossible angle by the sideline. Ironically, he missed a relatively easy score shortly afterwards. Mark Corrigan
Mark Corrigan (hurler)
Mark Corrigan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Kinnitty and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1980 until 1990. Corrigan was a key member of the Offaly team that won All-Ireland titles in 1981 and 1985.-References:...
captured Offaly’s fifth point of the day after twenty-two minutes of play before he too sent his next shot wide. Pat Carroll increased the margin between the two teams when he also scored a point to put Offaly ahead by 0-6 to 0-4. This period of dominance was negated juts a few minutes later when Cork captured the first goal of the day. Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...
, who was largely anonymous up until that point, sent a pass into Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...
. O’Leary controlled the sliothar on his hurley before sending it past Damien Martin
Damien Martin
Damien Martin is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Rynagh's and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from the 1960s until the 1980s. Martin has the distinction of being presented with the very first All-Star award...
into the Offaly net. After being two points down Cork were now ahead by a point. Offaly went on the attack immediately after the puck out, however, Pat Carroll’s shot went just wide of the post. John Fenton missed the chance to put Cork two points ahead when his shot also went wide for the fourth time, however, Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1983 until 1994. Mulcahy currently works as a pundit with The Sunday Game...
increased the margin when he got Cork’s last score of the first half. Mark Corrigan recorded Offaly’s last score of the half when he pointed just on the stroke of half-time. The score at the interval gave Cork a narrow lead of 1-5 to 0-7.
While the first half was a close affair Cork took over completely in the second. John Fenton stretched Cork’s lead to two points when he sent over a free shortly after the restart. Cork went on the rampage after this score with five more unanswered points courtesy of Tony O’Sullivan, John Fenton, Seánie O’Leary, Fenton again and O’Sullivan again. At this point it looked as if the game was running away from Offaly; however, Cork did not relent. A Kevin Hennessy
Kevin Hennessy
Kevin Hennessy is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1982 until 1993.-Club:...
shot on goal was blocked by goalkeeper Damien Martin; however, it landed into the waiting hand of Jimmy Barry-Murphy who sent a low shot into the goal. That shot was also blocked but only as far as Kevin Hennessy who had the simplest of taps into the Offaly net for Cork’s second goal. This gave Cork a ten-point lead with a score line of 2-11 to 0-7. Offaly fought back but Joe Dooley
Joe Dooley
Joe Dooley is an Irish former hurlers and manager.Regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Dooley enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Seir Kieran and remains the only Offaly player to have won three All-Ireland titles...
’s shot on goal was saved by Ger Cunningham and was sent out over the line. Pat Delaney converted the subsequent ’65 to reduce the deficit and to record Offaly’s first score of the second half after seventeen minutes. Just when Offaly were getting back into the swing of things Cork went on the rampage again. A long clearance by Johnny Crowley bounced just in front of Seánie O’Leary who broke away from his marker and goaled for the third time for Cork. It was a personal triumph for O’Leary, Cork’s longest-serving player. Cork now led by 3-11 to 0-8.
Pat Delaney reduced the deficit with a ’65 and then with a free shortly afterwards, however, Offaly still trailed by ten points. John Fenton increased Cork’s lead even more when he captured his first point from play shortly a Joe Dooley shot went wide. Both sides exchanged tit-for-tat scores once again for the final eight minutes of the game. Tony O’Sullivan stretched Corks’ lead once again before Pat Carroll clawed one back for Offaly. John Fenton captured his second point from play on the stroke of the sixty-sixth minute before Pat Carroll reduced Cork’s lead once again with another point for Offaly. Just at the end of normal playing time Mark Corrigan scored a goal for Offaly, however, it was too little too late as Cork still led by eight points. This was Offaly’s last score of the game as John Fenton finished of his game with a seventh point. Pat Hartnett, Fenton’s partner at midfield, then sent over the final point of the day as a huge cheer erupted from the Cork fans at the sight of Hartnett with his fist clenched in delight at the 3-16 to 1-12 score line. The full-time whistle was blown immediately after the puck out and Cork had captured their twenty-fifth All-Ireland title.