Jack Rochford
Encyclopedia
Jack Rochford was an Irish
hurler
who played as a full-back for the Kilkenny
senior team from 1902 until 1916.
Rochford made his first appearance for the team during the 1902 championship
and became a regular player over the next fourteen years. During that time he won seven All-Ireland
winner's medals and nine Leinster
winner's medals. He is regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of the early years of the championship.
At club level Rochford enjoyed a successful career with Threecastles, winning two county club championship winners' medals.
in 1882. The son of a master tailor, he was educated locally at Clinstown national school before later following in his father's footsteps as a tailor. From an early age Rochford had a huge interest in the game of hurling
. In 1900 the Gaelic Athletic Association
introduced a 'ban' on its players playing 'foreign sports.' Rochford remained opposed to this ban from its inception and continued to enjoy cricket, golf and tennis while also playing hurling.
club in Kilkenny. He later joined his local Threecastles club and, in all, he won two senior county titles. These vioctories came in 1898 and 1903.
senior team at the turn of the 20th century. He made his debut in 1902, however, Kilkenny lost out by a single point to Dublin
in the Leinster final.
In 1903 Rochford picked up his first Leinster winners' medal. The game against Dublin ended in a 1-5 apiece draw, however, Kilkenny were subsequently awarded the title. Rochford's side later trounced Antrim
before lining out against Cork in the All-Ireland 'home' final. Cork's Andy 'Dooric' Buckley scored the majority of Cork's points as Kilkenny were trounced by 8-9 to 0-8.
1904 saw Kilkenny record a 2-8 to 2-6 defeat of Dublin in the provincial decider. It was his second Leinster winners' title and it set up a subsequent All-Ireland final showdown with Cork. It was the beginning of a hugely successful era for ‘the Cats’ as Cork were heading into decline. Rochford's team won the game thanks to Dick Doyle
’s first-half goal, while Pat ‘Fox’ Maher
made a great save at the end to help his team to a 1-9 to 1-8 defeat of Cork. It was Kilkenny's very first All-Ireland
title.
In 1905 Rochford won a third Leinster title with Kilkenny. The 2-8 to 2-2 defeat of Dublin ensured victory for 'the Cats' and paved the way for an All-Ireland final showdown with Cork once again. The game was a high-scoring affair with Cork winning by 5-10 to 3-13. The game, however, had to be replayed as Cork goalkeeper Daniel McCarthy was a British army
reservist and Kilkenny’s Matt Gargan
had played with Waterford
in the Munster championship. The game was another high-scoring one, with Jimmy Kelly
scoring 5-2. A puck-out by Cork's Jamesy Kelleher
is said to have hopped over the Kilkenny crossbar. Kilkenny won the game by 7-7 to 2-9, with all seven of their goals coming in a thirty-minute spell. The victory gave Rochford a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
Kilkenny lost their provincial crown to Dublin in 1906, however, the team returned in 1907 with Rochford capturing a fourth Leinster title. For the third time from three appearances Cork later provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final. A high-scoring, but close, game developed between these two great rivals once again. As the game entered the final stage there was little to separate the two sides. Jimmy Kelly scored three first-half goals while Jack Anthony
scored Kilkenny’s winning point at the death. Cork went on two late goal hunts; however, the final score of 3-12 to 4-8 gave Kilkenny the win. It was Rochford's third All-Ireland final victory. The game became the benchmark by which all subsequent All-Ireland performances were judged.
Kilkenny surrendered their provincial and All-Ireland titles in 1908 by refusing to take part in the competition, however, the team returned in 1909. A 5-16 to 2-7 trouncing of Laois
gave Rochford a fifth provincial title and the hunt for the All-Ireland title began in earnest. The championship decider pitted Kilkenny against Tipperary
, a team that had never lost an All-Ireland final. Before the game itself there was internal fighting within the Kilkenny camp and a selection row left the team short of substitutes. In spite of this the team still went on to win the game, courtesy of three goals by Bill Hennerby and a fourth by Jimmy Kelly. The 4-6 to 0-12 victory gave Rochford a fourth All-Ireland winners' medal.
It would be another two years before Rochford won his sixth Leinster title. The 4-6 to 3-1 defeat of Dublin allowed 'the Cats' to advance to the All-Ireland series once again. Limerick
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final, however, the pitch in Cork
was water-logged and the game was refixed for Thurles
. Limerick were unable to attend the replay and Rochford’s fifth All-Ireland title was awarded to him rather than being won on the field of play. Kilkenny later defeated Tipperary in an alternative to the final, however, Limerick later defeated Kilkenny in a challenge game.
A 6-6 to 2-4 defeat of Laois gave Rochford a seventh provincial winners' medal. Yet another All-Ireland final appearance beckoned, with Cork providing the opposition once again. The game was an extremely close affair with Sim Walton
proving himself to be the goal-scoring hero. A speculative Matt Gargan shot also hopped past the goalkeeper to give Kilkenny a narrow 2-1 to 1-3 victory. It was Rochford's sixth All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1913 Rochford won his eighth Leinster title in ten years following victory in a replay against Dublin. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny square up to Tipperary for the second time in five years in the first 15-a-side championship decider. Kilkenny led by 1-4 to 1-1 at half-time and eventually hung on to win on a score line of 2-4 to 1-2. This win gave Rochford a record-breaking seventh All-Ireland medal, a record that he shared with fellow Kilkenny players Sim Walton, Dick 'Drug' Walsh and Dick Doyle
. Their remarkable record stood for forty years until it was surpassed in 1954 by Christy Ring
of Cork and later in 1965 by John Doyle
of Tipperary. Kilkenny’s Frank Cummins
later equalled Rochford’s record in 1983.
Three years later in 1916 Rochford won his ninth Leinster title after defeating Wexford
in the provincial decider. An All-Ireland final date with Tipperary beckoned, however, he refused to play in the subsequent All-Ireland final, which Kilkenny lost to Tipperary, due to the selection of the team. This brought an end to Rochford’s inter-county career.
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...
hurler
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...
who played as a full-back for 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 team from 1902 until 1916.
Rochford made his first appearance for the team during the 1902 championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1902
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1902 was the sixteenth series of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating London 3-13 to 0-00 in the final.-Format:...
and became a regular player over the next fourteen years. During that time he won seven 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....
winner's medals and nine 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....
winner's medals. He is regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of the early years of the championship.
At club level Rochford enjoyed a successful career with Threecastles, winning two county club championship winners' medals.
Biography
Jack Rochford was born in Three Castles, County KilkennyCounty 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 1882. The son of a master tailor, he was educated locally at Clinstown national school before later following in his father's footsteps as a tailor. From an early age Rochford had a huge interest in the game 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...
. In 1900 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...
introduced a 'ban' on its players playing 'foreign sports.' Rochford remained opposed to this ban from its inception and continued to enjoy cricket, golf and tennis while also playing hurling.
Club
Rochford began his hurling career with the famous TullaroanTullaroan GAA
Tullaroan is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the village of Tullaroan in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1884 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. Tullaroan is the most successful club in the history of the Kilkenny Senior Hurling...
club in Kilkenny. He later joined his local Threecastles club and, in all, he won two senior county titles. These vioctories came in 1898 and 1903.
Inter-county
Rochford first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member 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...
senior team at the turn of the 20th century. He made his debut in 1902, however, Kilkenny lost out by a single point to 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...
in the Leinster final.
In 1903 Rochford picked up his first Leinster winners' medal. The game against Dublin ended in a 1-5 apiece draw, however, Kilkenny were subsequently awarded the title. Rochford's side later trounced 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...
before lining out against Cork in the All-Ireland 'home' final. Cork's Andy 'Dooric' Buckley scored the majority of Cork's points as Kilkenny were trounced by 8-9 to 0-8.
1904 saw Kilkenny record a 2-8 to 2-6 defeat of Dublin in the provincial decider. It was his second Leinster winners' title and it set up a subsequent All-Ireland final showdown with Cork. It was the beginning of a hugely successful era for ‘the Cats’ as Cork were heading into decline. Rochford's team won the game thanks to Dick Doyle
Dick Doyle
Richard ‘Dick’ Doyle was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Castlebridge and with the Wexford senior inter-county team in the early 1900s. Doyle captained Wexford to their first All-Ireland title in 1910.-Biography:...
’s first-half goal, while Pat ‘Fox’ Maher
Pat Maher
Patrick 'Fox' Maher was an Irish hurler who played as a goalkeeper for the Kilkenny senior team.Maher made his first appearance for the team during the 1893 championship and became a regular player over the next decade. During that time he won one All-Ireland winner's medal and eight Leinster...
made a great save at the end to help his team to a 1-9 to 1-8 defeat of Cork. It was Kilkenny's very 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....
title.
In 1905 Rochford won a third Leinster title with Kilkenny. The 2-8 to 2-2 defeat of Dublin ensured victory for 'the Cats' and paved the way for an All-Ireland final showdown with Cork once again. The game was a high-scoring affair with Cork winning by 5-10 to 3-13. The game, however, had to be replayed as Cork goalkeeper Daniel McCarthy was a British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
reservist and Kilkenny’s Matt Gargan
Matt Gargan
Matt Gargan was a famous Irish sportsperson who played hurling with the Kilkenny. In a senior inter-county career that lasted from 1905 until 1917 he won six All-Ireland titles and five Leinster titles.-Teams:...
had played with 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...
in the Munster championship. The game was another high-scoring one, with Jimmy Kelly
Jimmy Kelly (hurler)
Jimmy Kelly was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Mooncoin and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1904 until 1913....
scoring 5-2. A puck-out by Cork's Jamesy Kelleher
Jamesy Kelleher
Jamesy Kelleher was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Dungourney and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1900s and 1910s. Kelleher's inclusion on Cork's Hurling Team of the Century marks him out as one of his county's greatest-ever players.-Biography:Jamesy...
is said to have hopped over the Kilkenny crossbar. Kilkenny won the game by 7-7 to 2-9, with all seven of their goals coming in a thirty-minute spell. The victory gave Rochford a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
Kilkenny lost their provincial crown to Dublin in 1906, however, the team returned in 1907 with Rochford capturing a fourth Leinster title. For the third time from three appearances Cork later provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final. A high-scoring, but close, game developed between these two great rivals once again. As the game entered the final stage there was little to separate the two sides. Jimmy Kelly scored three first-half goals while Jack Anthony
Jack Anthony (hurler)
Jack Anthony was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Piltown and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1904 until 1907....
scored Kilkenny’s winning point at the death. Cork went on two late goal hunts; however, the final score of 3-12 to 4-8 gave Kilkenny the win. It was Rochford's third All-Ireland final victory. The game became the benchmark by which all subsequent All-Ireland performances were judged.
Kilkenny surrendered their provincial and All-Ireland titles in 1908 by refusing to take part in the competition, however, the team returned in 1909. A 5-16 to 2-7 trouncing of 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:...
gave Rochford a fifth provincial title and the hunt for the All-Ireland title began in earnest. The championship decider pitted Kilkenny against 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...
, a team that had never lost an All-Ireland final. Before the game itself there was internal fighting within the Kilkenny camp and a selection row left the team short of substitutes. In spite of this the team still went on to win the game, courtesy of three goals by Bill Hennerby and a fourth by Jimmy Kelly. The 4-6 to 0-12 victory gave Rochford a fourth All-Ireland winners' medal.
It would be another two years before Rochford won his sixth Leinster title. The 4-6 to 3-1 defeat of Dublin allowed 'the Cats' to advance to the All-Ireland series once again. 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...
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final, however, the pitch in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
was water-logged and the game was refixed for 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...
. Limerick were unable to attend the replay and Rochford’s fifth All-Ireland title was awarded to him rather than being won on the field of play. Kilkenny later defeated Tipperary in an alternative to the final, however, Limerick later defeated Kilkenny in a challenge game.
A 6-6 to 2-4 defeat of Laois gave Rochford a seventh provincial winners' medal. Yet another All-Ireland final appearance beckoned, with Cork providing the opposition once again. The game was an extremely close affair with Sim Walton
Sim Walton
Simon 'Sim' Walton was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Tullaroan and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the first two decades of the 20th century. Walton captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1912.Waltons’s status as one of Kilkenny’s...
proving himself to be the goal-scoring hero. A speculative Matt Gargan shot also hopped past the goalkeeper to give Kilkenny a narrow 2-1 to 1-3 victory. It was Rochford's sixth All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1913 Rochford won his eighth Leinster title in ten years following victory in a replay against Dublin. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny square up to Tipperary for the second time in five years in the first 15-a-side championship decider. Kilkenny led by 1-4 to 1-1 at half-time and eventually hung on to win on a score line of 2-4 to 1-2. This win gave Rochford a record-breaking seventh All-Ireland medal, a record that he shared with fellow Kilkenny players Sim Walton, Dick 'Drug' Walsh and Dick Doyle
Dick Doyle (Kilkenny hurler)
Dick Doyle was a famous Irish sportsperson who played hurling for Mooncoin and Kilkenny in the 1900s. He is regarded as one of Kilkenny's greatest ever players.- Club :...
. Their remarkable record stood for forty years until it was surpassed in 1954 by 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...
of Cork and later in 1965 by John Doyle
John Doyle (hurler)
John Doyle was an Irish sportsperson and politician, hailed as one of the best defenders in hurling and his county's most iconic player upon his death. He played hurling with his local Holycross-Ballycahill club from the 1940s until the 1970s and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county...
of Tipperary. Kilkenny’s Frank Cummins
Frank Cummins
Frank Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Knocktopher in Kilkenny and Blackrock in Cork. Cummins was also a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from the 1968 until 1984...
later equalled Rochford’s record in 1983.
Three years later in 1916 Rochford won his ninth Leinster title after defeating 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...
in the provincial decider. An All-Ireland final date with Tipperary beckoned, however, he refused to play in the subsequent All-Ireland final, which Kilkenny lost to Tipperary, due to the selection of the team. This brought an end to Rochford’s inter-county career.