Eddie Keher
Encyclopedia
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.
Keher began hurling with the Rower-Inistioge
club in his late teens. His performances with the club brought him to the attention of the Kilkenny
minor selectors and he quickly joined the team in 1957. A three-year tenure as a minor saw Keher fail to land an All-Ireland
, however, he quickly progressed onto the Kilkenny senior
team in 1959. Over the next eighteen years Keher played in 50 championship games and established himself as the most prolific scorer the game had ever seen. He won six All-Ireland
titles, ten Leinster
titles and three National Hurling League
titles before his retirement from inter-county duty in 1977. Keher also enjoyed an unsuccessful stint as coach of the Kilkenny senior team in the late 1980s.
Selected as the Texaco Hurler of the Year
in 1972, Keher subsequently succeeded Christy Ring
as the all-time top championship scorer. His tally of 36 goals and 307 points was a record which stood for over thirty years until it was surpassed by his fellow county man Henry Shefflin
. His tally of 2 goals and 11 points in the All-Ireland final of 1972 was a record score for a final which stood until Nicky English
surpassed it by a single point in 1989.
A winner of five consecutive All-Star
awards between 1971 and 1975, Keher's reputation as one of the all-time greats of hurling was cemented in 1984 when he was named, by popular opinion, in the left corner-forward position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century
. He swapped positions to right corner-forward when he was also included on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
in 1999.
, County Kilkenny
in 1941. From an early age he showed exceptional talent at the game of hurling, developing his skills with his friends in the square in his local village. Keher first came to prominence as an eight-year-old playing in an under-14 hurling final. Even at that early stage a report of the match described his exceptional talent and his amazing ability at free-taking.
Keher later attended the famous St. Kieran's College, a virtual nursery for young hurling talent. At the age of fifteen he was instrumental on the college hurling team that captured the Leinster colleges' title and subsequently defeated St. Flannans College of Ennis
in the 1957 All-Ireland
senior colleges' final. In the game itself Keher scored three goals in the second-half to clinch victory, before setting up a fourth goal for his team-mate on the forward line. He captured a second Leinster colleges' title in 1958, however, St. Kieran's were later trounced by St. Flannan's in the All-Ireland final. The score line of 3-10 to 0-2 was a huge blow for the proud hurling college. 1959 saw Keher win a third Leinster colleges' medal in-a-row, this time as captain of the team. He later guided St. Kieran's to a second All-Ireland colleges’ success in three years, this time over the Abbey School
, Tipperary Town CBS
.
Keher later went to Ross's College in Dublin where he studied to be a bank official. He subsequently worked in the Allied Irish Bank branches in St. Stephen's Green and Capel Street in Dublin. Keher later transferred to the bank's branch in Kilkenny before becoming manager of the AIB branch in Callan, County Kilkenny.
Keher was a founder-member of the No Name Club along with Fr. Tom Murphy and Garda
Éamonn Doyle. The organisation was established in 1978 and is devoted to providing alternative venues to public houses for young people and which now has about 30 branches across the country. Keher remains an active member of the No Name Club as the Club’s National Development Officer and is a member of the National Executive as National Treasurer.
In 2006 Keher was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Science at the University of Limerick
.
club in County Kilkenny. The club itself was not one of the most successful and had only joined the ranks of the senior county championship in the early 1960s. In 1968, however, the club came from nowhere to win the senior county title. Naturally Keher played a key role in this success and he was rewarded by being appointed captain of the Kilkenny
senior hurling team for 1969. He continued playing with the club until the late 1980s when he won a special junior hurling title.
minor hurling team selectors in the late 1950s. He quickly joined the team and won his first Leinster
title in that grade at the expense of Offaly
in 1957. Keher subsequently lined out in his first All-Ireland minor final with Tipperary
providing the opposition. A close and exciting game followed, however, at the full-time whistle Tipp were the winners by 4-7 to 3-7.
Keher won a second Leinster title in 1958 following a victory over Laois
, however, there would be no subsequent All-Ireland appearance that year as Galway
were the winners in the semi-final.
Keher captured a third consecutive Leinster title in 1959 after a huge 7-9 to 3-4 win over Wexford
. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted KIlkenny against Tipperary for the second time in three years. Once again the game turned into a close one, however, Keher ended up on the losing side again as Tipp won by 2-8 to 2-7.
On the same day that Keher's minor side lost the All-Ireland minor final the Kilkenny drew with Waterford
in the senior final and the replay was scheduled for exactly one month later. In those four weeks Keher made a seamless transition from minor to senior ranks. He impressed the selectors in some challenge games against Dublin
and Wexford and was listed as a substitute for the replay of the senior All-Ireland final. After twenty minutes in that game Keher replaced Johnny McGovern to make his senior debut. The replay was another great game with both sides giving it their all. Waterford scored three goals in the opening thirty minutes which gave the Munster men enough of a barrier to secure a 3-12 to 1-10 win.
Three years later in 1962 Keher captured his first major title with 'the Cats' when he won a National Hurling League
medal. It was Kilkenny’s first league title since 1933.
The following year Keher showed his scoring skill when he recorded 2-5 in the Leinster semi-final. He later won his first senior Leinster
title following a comfortable victory over Dublin. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly into the All-Ireland final where, for the third successive occasion, their opponents turned out to be Waterford. This was the second All-Ireland final to be broadcast live on Telefís Éireann, allowing the whole nation to witness Keher’s outstanding scoring talents. In the game itself he scored a record 14 points, ten of which came from frees, giving the Kilkenny men a comfortable 4-17 to 6-8 victory over the Decies. Keher had finally captured his first All-Ireland
medal.
In 1964 Keher won a second Leinster title following another huge win over Dublin. Staunch local rivals Tipperary later provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final, however, Kilkenny were the pundits’ favourites to retain the title. Jimmy Doyle
had other ideas, however, as he scored 10 points and set up Seán McLoughlin
for a goal. Tipperary’s fourteen-point winning margin, 5-13 to 2-8, was the biggest All-Ireland final win since Tipperary had overwhelmed Laois
in the 1949 decider. It was the second time that Keher had lost an All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny lost their provincial crown in 1965, however, Kilkenny bounced back in 1966 with Keher collecting a second National League medal and a third Leinster title. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where arch-rivals Cork provided the opposition. It was the first meeting of these two great sides since 1947 and ‘the Cats’ were installed as the firm favourites. In spite of this two goals by Colm Sheehan
and a third from John O'Halloran
gave Cork a merited 3-9 to 1-10 victory over a Keher-inspired Kilkenny. It was his third All-Ireland loss in less than a decade.
The following year Kilkenny continued their provincial dominance with Keher picking up a fourth Leinster title before lining out in a fifth All-Ireland final at Croke Park
. Tipperary were Kilkenny’s opponents on the day, however, by this stage Tipp’s pool of players was ageing and the county’s hurling fortunes were in decline. Kilkenny proved more than a match for the Munster champions. Goals from Paddy Moran
, Martin Brennan
and Tom Walsh at vital times laid to rest a bogey that Tipperary had over Kilkenny since 1922. Keher had collected a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
Wexford put an end to Kilkenny’s hopes of retaining the title in 1968, however, the Noresiders bounced back the following year with Keher, who was now captain of the side, collecting a fifth Leinster medal. Cork faced Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final and revenge for 1966 was foremost in the minds of the Kilkenny team. For a while it looked as if the Leesiders would triumph over their great rivals once again, however, five points from Kilkenny in the last seven minutes gave Keher the honour of climbing the Hogan Stand steps to collect the famed Liam McCarthy Cup
and a third All-Ireland winners' medal.
While Keher had already appeared in six All-Ireland finals, ending up on the winning side on three occasions, the best was yet to come for the Kilkenny team in the 1970s. 1971 saw Keher capture a sixth provincial medal as Kilkenny began to assert their dominance over Wexford. The Leinster champions later played Tipperary in the only eighty minute final between these great rivals. The game has gone down in All-Ireland final folklore for a number of reasons. As the first All-Ireland final to be broadcast by RTÉ
in colour, the nation saw Keher score a remarkable 2 goals and 11 points and still end up on the losing side. Kilkenny’s ever-dependable goalkeeper, Ollie Walsh
, had a nightmare of a game in which he conceded five goals, one of which passed through his legs, while that year’s Hurler of the Year, Michael 'Babs' Keating, played out the closing stages of the game in his bare feet. After a thrilling game Tipp emerged the victors on a score line of 5-17 to 5-14.
In 1972 Keher won a seventh Leinster title following a victory over Wexford in a replay of the provincial final. Once again, Cork provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final, a game which is often considered to be one of the classic games of the modern era. Half-way through the second-half Cork were on form and stretched their lead to eight points. Drastic action was required for Kilkenny and Keher was deployed closer to the Cork goal. One of the most abiding memories of that game is of Keher grabbing the sliothar out of the sky and racing up the wing in the shadow of the Hogan Stand. From that sideline position Keher pucked the sliothar as if going for a point, however, the sliothar 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 goals and 9 points and collected his fourth All-Ireland medal. After scoring a remarkable 20 goals and 134 points during the 1972 championship season, Keher was an automatic choice as the Texaco Hurler of the Year
. His famous sideline goal from the All-Ireland final was chosen as one of RTÉ’s Top 20 GAA Moments
in 2005.
In 1973 the Leinster Championship posed little difficulty for Kilkenny and Keher collected a seventh provincial medal, however, his eighth All-Ireland final appearance was delayed due to injury. On that occasion Kilkenny were severely hampered by illness and injury and Limerick
won the game by 1-21 to 1-14.
Wexford were once again narrowly defeated by Kilkenny in the 1974 Leinster final, giving Keher a ninth provincial title. In a repeat of the previous year Limerick provided the opposition, however, revenge was foremost in the minds of Kilkenny supporters. The Munster champions stormed to a five point lead in the first 11 minutes, however, a converted penalty by Keher, supplemented by two further Kilkenny goals gave Kilkenny a twelve-point win and gave Keher a fifth All-Ireland medal.
In 1975 Kilkenny defeated Wexford for the fifth consecutive year in the provincial final, giving Keher a fifth Leinster medal in-a-row. It was his tenth Leinster title overall. Keher later lined out in yet another All-Ireland final with surprise semi-final winners Galway providing the opposition on this occasion. The men from the West led by three points at half-time, however, Keher’s huge tally of 2 goals and 7 points kept Galway at bay giving Kilkenny a 2-22 to 2-10 victory. Keher had once again powered his team to an All-Ireland victory, his sixth overall.
Sadly, it was to be Keher’s last appearance in an All-Ireland final. In spite of winning a third National League title in 1976, Wexford finally triumphed over their Leinster rivals in the provincial finals of 1976 and 1977, bringing the curtain down on Keher’s inter-county career.
hurling team in the Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He first lined out with his province in 1961 as Munster
provided the opposition in the final on St. Patricks Day. Spectators that day saw two of the all-time greats of the game battle against each other as Keher lined out in the forwards for Leinster and Christy Ring
lined out in the forwards for Munster. As Ring was ending his long career Keher was just beginning his. It would be 1964, however, before the young Keher won his first Railway Cup title. Further honous would come Keher’s way in 1965, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1977. His tally of nine winners' medals in this competition is a record for a Leinster player.
to take charge of the Kilkenny senior hurling team. It was a successful year for the duo as Kilkenny qualified for the provincial decider with Wexford providing the opposition. The game developed into a close affair; however, victory went to ‘the Cats’ by 2-21 to 2-17. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland final. Galway provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game turned out to be one of the least exciting finals of the decade. A goal by Noel Lane
after forty-seven minutes gave Galway a two-point lead; however, Galway failed to score for the rest of the game. Kilkenny, on the other hand, scored two long-range goals to secure a 2-12 to 1-8 victory. This victory gave Keher and Henderson All-Ireland victories as both players and as coaches. In 1987 Keher took charge of the Kilkenny team on his own for one season. It was an unsuccessful period as Kilkenny exited the provincial championship at an early stage.
After his playing days had ended Keher also came to be regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time. His huge scoring records, coupled with his deadly accuracy meant that he was an automatic choice for a special Hurling Team of the Century
, picked in 1984 to mark the centenary year of the Gaelic Athletic Association
. In 2000 he was picked on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
, thus cementing his reputation as one of the greatest players of all-time.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
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...
manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
Keher began hurling with the Rower-Inistioge
Rower-Inistioge GAA
Rower-Inistioge GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the Inistioge area of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling.-History:...
club in his late teens. His performances with the club brought him to the attention of the 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...
minor selectors and he quickly joined the team in 1957. A three-year tenure as a minor saw Keher fail to land an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
, however, he quickly progressed onto the Kilkenny senior
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
team in 1959. Over the next eighteen years Keher played in 50 championship games and established himself as the most prolific scorer the game had ever seen. He won six All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
titles, ten Leinster
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....
titles and three 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...
titles before his retirement from inter-county duty in 1977. Keher also enjoyed an unsuccessful stint as coach of the Kilkenny senior team in the late 1980s.
Selected as the Texaco Hurler of the Year
Texaco Hurler of the Year
The Texaco Hurler of the Year is a hurling award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. The award is part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all fields are honoured....
in 1972, Keher subsequently succeeded Christy Ring
Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring , better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1963. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in...
as the all-time top championship scorer. His tally of 36 goals and 307 points was a record which stood for over thirty years until it was surpassed by his fellow county man Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
. His tally of 2 goals and 11 points in the All-Ireland final of 1972 was a record score for a final which stood until Nicky English
Nicky English
Nicholas J. English , better known as Nicky English, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Lattin-Cullen and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1982 until 1996...
surpassed it by a single point in 1989.
A winner of five consecutive All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
awards between 1971 and 1975, Keher's reputation as one of the all-time greats of hurling was cemented in 1984 when he was named, by popular opinion, in the left corner-forward position 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...
. He swapped positions to right corner-forward when he was also included on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
The GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium was announced by GAA President Seán McCague at a special dinner at Croke Park on 24 July 2000. The initiative was sponsored by An Post who issued special commemorative stamps of the Millennium team members. The team was chosen to comprise, as a...
in 1999.
Biography
Keher was born in InistiogeInistioge
Inistioge is a small scenic village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is situated on the River Nore, southeast of Kilkenny. Historically, the name has been spelt as Ennistioge, Ennisteage, and in other ways....
, County 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...
in 1941. From an early age he showed exceptional talent at the game of hurling, developing his skills with his friends in the square in his local village. Keher first came to prominence as an eight-year-old playing in an under-14 hurling final. Even at that early stage a report of the match described his exceptional talent and his amazing ability at free-taking.
Keher later attended the famous St. Kieran's College, a virtual nursery for young hurling talent. At the age of fifteen he was instrumental on the college hurling team that captured the Leinster colleges' title and subsequently defeated St. Flannans College of Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
in the 1957 All-Ireland
Dr. Croke Cup
The Dr. Croke Cup is an inter-county GAA competition in hurling. The first Croke Cups took place between 1896 and 1915. Clare was the first winner of the Dr Croke Cup for Hurling in 1896. In 1909 Ulster were expelled from the Dr...
senior colleges' final. In the game itself Keher scored three goals in the second-half to clinch victory, before setting up a fourth goal for his team-mate on the forward line. He captured a second Leinster colleges' title in 1958, however, St. Kieran's were later trounced by St. Flannan's in the All-Ireland final. The score line of 3-10 to 0-2 was a huge blow for the proud hurling college. 1959 saw Keher win a third Leinster colleges' medal in-a-row, this time as captain of the team. He later guided St. Kieran's to a second All-Ireland colleges’ success in three years, this time over the Abbey School
Abbey CBS
The Abbey CBS is a Christian Brothers Secondary School in Tipperary town, South Tipperary in Ireland. The school has a rich history in education going back hundreds of years....
, Tipperary Town CBS
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
.
Keher later went to Ross's College in Dublin where he studied to be a bank official. He subsequently worked in the Allied Irish Bank branches in St. Stephen's Green and Capel Street in Dublin. Keher later transferred to the bank's branch in Kilkenny before becoming manager of the AIB branch in Callan, County Kilkenny.
Keher was a founder-member of the No Name Club along with Fr. Tom Murphy and Garda
Garda
Garda may refer to:* An Garda Síochána, the national police of the Republic of Ireland* Lake Garda, a lake in northern Italy.* Garda , a commune on the shores of the Italian Lake Garda in the province of Verona....
Éamonn Doyle. The organisation was established in 1978 and is devoted to providing alternative venues to public houses for young people and which now has about 30 branches across the country. Keher remains an active member of the No Name Club as the Club’s National Development Officer and is a member of the National Executive as National Treasurer.
In 2006 Keher was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Science at the University of Limerick
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
.
Club
Keher played his club hurling with his local Rower-InistiogeRower-Inistioge GAA
Rower-Inistioge GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the Inistioge area of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling.-History:...
club in County Kilkenny. The club itself was not one of the most successful and had only joined the ranks of the senior county championship in the early 1960s. In 1968, however, the club came from nowhere to win the senior county title. Naturally Keher played a key role in this success and he was rewarded by being appointed captain of the 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...
senior hurling team for 1969. He continued playing with the club until the late 1980s when he won a special junior hurling title.
Inter-county
Keher’s performances for St. Kieran’s College brought him to the attention of the KilkennyKilkenny 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...
minor hurling team selectors in the late 1950s. He quickly joined the team and won his first Leinster
Leinster Minor Hurling Championship
The ESB Leinster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council...
title in that grade at the expense of 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...
in 1957. Keher subsequently lined out in his first All-Ireland minor final with 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...
providing the opposition. A close and exciting game followed, however, at the full-time whistle Tipp were the winners by 4-7 to 3-7.
Keher won a second Leinster title in 1958 following a victory over Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
, however, there would be no subsequent All-Ireland appearance that year as 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,...
were the winners in the semi-final.
Keher captured a third consecutive Leinster title in 1959 after a huge 7-9 to 3-4 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...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted KIlkenny against Tipperary for the second time in three years. Once again the game turned into a close one, however, Keher ended up on the losing side again as Tipp won by 2-8 to 2-7.
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...
in the senior final and the replay was scheduled for exactly one month later. In those four weeks Keher made a seamless transition from minor to senior ranks. He impressed the selectors in some challenge games against 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...
and Wexford and was listed as a substitute for the replay of the senior All-Ireland final. After twenty minutes in that game Keher replaced Johnny McGovern to make his senior debut. The replay was another great game with both sides giving it their all. Waterford scored three goals in the opening thirty minutes which gave the Munster men enough of a barrier to secure a 3-12 to 1-10 win.
Three years later in 1962 Keher captured his first major title with 'the Cats' when he won a 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...
medal. It was Kilkenny’s first league title since 1933.
The following year Keher showed his scoring skill when he recorded 2-5 in the Leinster semi-final. He later won his first senior Leinster
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....
title following a comfortable victory over Dublin. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly into the All-Ireland final where, for the third successive occasion, their opponents turned out to be Waterford. This was the second All-Ireland final to be broadcast live on Telefís Éireann, allowing the whole nation to witness Keher’s outstanding scoring talents. In the game itself he scored a record 14 points, ten of which came from frees, giving the Kilkenny men a comfortable 4-17 to 6-8 victory over the Decies. Keher had finally captured his first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
medal.
In 1964 Keher won a second Leinster title following another huge win over Dublin. Staunch local rivals Tipperary later provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final, however, Kilkenny were the pundits’ favourites to retain the title. 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...
had other ideas, however, as he scored 10 points and set up Seán McLoughlin
Seán McLoughlin
Seán McLoughlin is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Thurles Sarsfields and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1958 until 1969.-References:-Teams:...
for a goal. Tipperary’s fourteen-point winning margin, 5-13 to 2-8, was the biggest All-Ireland final win since Tipperary had overwhelmed Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
in the 1949 decider. It was the second time that Keher had lost an All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny lost their provincial crown in 1965, however, Kilkenny bounced back in 1966 with Keher collecting a second National League medal and a third Leinster title. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where arch-rivals Cork provided the opposition. It was the first meeting of these two great sides since 1947 and ‘the Cats’ were installed as the firm favourites. In spite of this two goals by Colm Sheehan
Colm Sheehan
Colm Sheehan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Éire Óg and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1968.-Club:...
and a third from John O'Halloran
John O'Halloran
John O'Halloran is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs UCC and Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1963 until 1969.-Inter-county:...
gave Cork a merited 3-9 to 1-10 victory over a Keher-inspired Kilkenny. It was his third All-Ireland loss in less than a decade.
The following year Kilkenny continued their provincial dominance with Keher picking up a fourth Leinster title before lining out in a fifth All-Ireland final at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. Tipperary were Kilkenny’s opponents on the day, however, by this stage Tipp’s pool of players was ageing and the county’s hurling fortunes were in decline. Kilkenny proved more than a match for the Munster champions. Goals from Paddy Moran
Paddy Moran (hurler)
Paddy Moran 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 1972.-Early life:...
, Martin Brennan
Martin Brennan (hurler)
Martin Brennan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Erin's Own and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 19678 until 1969.-References:...
and Tom Walsh at vital times laid to rest a bogey that Tipperary had over Kilkenny since 1922. Keher had collected a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
Wexford put an end to Kilkenny’s hopes of retaining the title in 1968, however, the Noresiders bounced back the following year with Keher, who was now captain of the side, collecting a fifth Leinster medal. Cork faced Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final and revenge for 1966 was foremost in the minds of the Kilkenny team. For a while it looked as if the Leesiders would triumph over their great rivals once again, however, five points from Kilkenny in the last seven minutes gave Keher the honour of climbing the Hogan Stand steps to collect the famed Liam McCarthy Cup
Liam McCarthy Cup
The MacCarthy Perpetual Challenge Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the hurling team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-The trophy:...
and a third All-Ireland winners' medal.
While Keher had already appeared in six All-Ireland finals, ending up on the winning side on three occasions, the best was yet to come for the Kilkenny team in the 1970s. 1971 saw Keher capture a sixth provincial medal as Kilkenny began to assert their dominance over Wexford. The Leinster champions later played Tipperary in the only eighty minute final between these great rivals. The game has gone down in All-Ireland final folklore for a number of reasons. As the first All-Ireland final to be broadcast by RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
in colour, the nation saw Keher score a remarkable 2 goals and 11 points and still end up on the losing side. Kilkenny’s ever-dependable goalkeeper, Ollie Walsh
Ollie Walsh
Patrick Oliver Walsh , better known as Ollie Walsh, was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1956 until 1972 and subsequently served as manager of the team from 1990 until 1995...
, had a nightmare of a game in which he conceded five goals, one of which passed through his legs, while that year’s Hurler of the Year, Michael 'Babs' Keating, played out the closing stages of the game in his bare feet. After a thrilling game Tipp emerged the victors on a score line of 5-17 to 5-14.
In 1972 Keher won a seventh Leinster title following a victory over Wexford in a replay of the provincial final. Once again, Cork provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final, a game which is often considered to be one of the classic games of the modern era. Half-way through the second-half Cork were on form and stretched their lead to eight points. Drastic action was required for Kilkenny and Keher was deployed closer to the Cork goal. One of the most abiding memories of that game is of Keher grabbing the sliothar out of the sky and racing up the wing in the shadow of the Hogan Stand. From that sideline position Keher pucked the sliothar as if going for a point, however, the sliothar dropped short, deceiving Cork goalkeeper 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....
, 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 goals and 9 points and collected his fourth All-Ireland medal. After scoring a remarkable 20 goals and 134 points during the 1972 championship season, Keher was an automatic choice as the Texaco Hurler of the Year
Texaco Hurler of the Year
The Texaco Hurler of the Year is a hurling award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. The award is part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all fields are honoured....
. His famous sideline goal from the All-Ireland final was chosen as one of RTÉ’s Top 20 GAA Moments
Top 20 GAA Moments
Top 20 GAA Moments was a poll of the best moments of Gaelic football and hurling in the television era. In early 2005, the Irish public chose its favourite from 20 memorable moments from the last 40 years, as selected by ten RTÉ sports personalities and featured on the "Sunday Sport" programme...
in 2005.
In 1973 the Leinster Championship posed little difficulty for Kilkenny and Keher collected a seventh provincial medal, however, his eighth All-Ireland final appearance was delayed due to injury. On that occasion Kilkenny were severely hampered by illness and injury and 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...
won the game by 1-21 to 1-14.
Wexford were once again narrowly defeated by Kilkenny in the 1974 Leinster final, giving Keher a ninth provincial title. In a repeat of the previous year Limerick provided the opposition, however, revenge was foremost in the minds of Kilkenny supporters. The Munster champions stormed to a five point lead in the first 11 minutes, however, a converted penalty by Keher, supplemented by two further Kilkenny goals gave Kilkenny a twelve-point win and gave Keher a fifth All-Ireland medal.
In 1975 Kilkenny defeated Wexford for the fifth consecutive year in the provincial final, giving Keher a fifth Leinster medal in-a-row. It was his tenth Leinster title overall. Keher later lined out in yet another All-Ireland final with surprise semi-final winners Galway providing the opposition on this occasion. The men from the West led by three points at half-time, however, Keher’s huge tally of 2 goals and 7 points kept Galway at bay giving Kilkenny a 2-22 to 2-10 victory. Keher had once again powered his team to an All-Ireland victory, his sixth overall.
Sadly, it was to be Keher’s last appearance in an All-Ireland final. In spite of winning a third National League title in 1976, Wexford finally triumphed over their Leinster rivals in the provincial finals of 1976 and 1977, bringing the curtain down on Keher’s inter-county career.
Province
Keher was also a regular player with the LeinsterLeinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...
hurling team in the Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He first lined out with his province in 1961 as Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
provided the opposition in the final on St. Patricks Day. Spectators that day saw two of the all-time greats of the game battle against each other as Keher lined out in the forwards for Leinster and Christy Ring
Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring , better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1963. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in...
lined out in the forwards for Munster. As Ring was ending his long career Keher was just beginning his. It would be 1964, however, before the young Keher won his first Railway Cup title. Further honous would come Keher’s way in 1965, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1977. His tally of nine winners' medals in this competition is a record for a Leinster player.
Post-playing career
In retirement from playing Keher continued working as a bank official, however, he also became involved in coaching. In 1979 he teamed up with Pat HendersonPat Henderson
Pat Henderson is an Irish retired hurling manager and former player.Regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Henderson enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Fenians and at inter-county level with Kilkenny...
to take charge of the Kilkenny senior hurling team. It was a successful year for the duo as Kilkenny qualified for the provincial decider with Wexford providing the opposition. The game developed into a close affair; however, victory went to ‘the Cats’ by 2-21 to 2-17. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland final. Galway provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game turned out to be one of the least exciting finals of the decade. A goal by Noel Lane
Noel Lane
Noel Lane is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ballinderreen and with the Galway senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1990. Lane served as manager of the Galway senior inter-county team from 2000 until 2002...
after forty-seven minutes gave Galway a two-point lead; however, Galway failed to score for the rest of the game. Kilkenny, on the other hand, scored two long-range goals to secure a 2-12 to 1-8 victory. This victory gave Keher and Henderson All-Ireland victories as both players and as coaches. In 1987 Keher took charge of the Kilkenny team on his own for one season. It was an unsuccessful period as Kilkenny exited the provincial championship at an early stage.
After his playing days had ended Keher also came to be regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time. His huge scoring records, coupled with his deadly accuracy meant that he was an automatic choice for a special 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...
, picked in 1984 to mark 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...
. In 2000 he was picked on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
The GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium was announced by GAA President Seán McCague at a special dinner at Croke Park on 24 July 2000. The initiative was sponsored by An Post who issued special commemorative stamps of the Millennium team members. The team was chosen to comprise, as a...
, thus cementing his reputation as one of the greatest players of all-time.
Kilkenny
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
:- Winner (6): 1963All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1963-Miscellaneous:* Waterford's Munster final victory was their last until 2002.* The All-Ireland final was Waterford's ninth time playing at Croke Park. It would be 1998 before the team returned to the stadium for an All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny...
, 1967All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1967-Season:-References:* Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists .* Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games ....
, 1969All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1969-Scoring:*Hat-trick heroes:**First hat-trick of the championship: Charlie McCarthy for Cork against Clare **Second hat-trick of the championship: Paddy Molloy for Offaly against Laois...
, 1972All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1972The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1972 was the 85th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Kilkenny won the championship, beating Cork 3-24 to 5-11 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.- Calendar :-Overview:...
, 1974All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1974-Miscellaneous:* In the Munster final Clare's Seán Stack scores a remarkable own goal for Limerick.* The All-Ireland 'B' champions were allowed to participate in the All-Ireland series for the first time...
, 1975All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1975-Miscellaneous:* All championship games were reduced from eighty to seventy minutes.* The All-Ireland semi-final sees Galway's defeat Cork for the very first time in the history of the championship... - Runner-up (2): 1959All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1959-Miscellaneous:* Galway, facing no opposition in their own province, enter the Munster championship for the first time.* In the Munster semi-final Waterford lead All-Ireland champions Tipperary by 8-2 to 0-0 at half-time...
, 1964All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1964-Season:-Single game:-Debutantes:The following players made their début in the 1969 championship:-References:* Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists ....
, 1966All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1966-Miscellaneous:* Tipperary's defeat by Limerick in the first round of the Munster championship was the team's first defeat since the provincial decider of 1963. It also put an end to Tipperary's hopes of capturing a third All-Ireland title in-a-row....
, 1971All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1971The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1971 was the 85th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Tipperary won the championship, beating Kilkenny 5-17 to 5-14 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:-Format:...
, 1973All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1973-Sources:* Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists .* Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games .* Sweeney, Éamonn, Munster Hurling Legends ....
(sub)
- Winner (6): 1963
- Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe 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....
:- Winner (10): 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975
- Runner-up (7): 1960, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1977
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe 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...
:- Winner (3): 1961-1962, 1965–1966, 1975–1976
- Runner-up (2): 1966-1967, 1976–1977
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (2): 1957, 1959
- Leinster Minor Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe ESB Leinster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council...
:- Winner (3): 1957, 1958, 1959