Pat Henderson
Encyclopedia
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
. He was a centre-back on the latter team from 1964 until 1978, winning five All-Ireland
titles, eight Leinster
titles and two National Hurling League
titles. Henderson has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1974 he was presented with the prestigious Texaco Hurler of the Year
award. He also collected two All-Star
awards.
Immediately after retiring from inter-county hurling Henderson became involved in team management. He served as manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team at various intervals between 1979 and 1987 and guided the county to three All-Ireland titles, five Leinster titles and three National League titles.
, County Kilkenny
, Henderson was the eldest son in a family that would later become synonymous with hurling in Kilkenny. His two younger brothers, Ger
and John
, would form the backbone of the great Kilkenny team of the 1970s.
Henderson was educated at Johnstown national school before later receiving his secondary schooling at Thurles
CBS
. Here he played in the prestigious Dr. Harty Cup
competition, however, Thurles CBS failed to win the provincial title during Henderson's tenure.
Only a year after coming into existence Fenian's qualified for the final of the county senior championship. Henderson was at centre-back that day as James Stephens provided the opposition. An absolute rout took place as the city club took the title by 8-5 to 2-7.
In 1970 both Fenians and James Stephens met in the championship decider once again. The match was a much closer affair on this occasion, with Henderson collecting a coveted county championship title following a 2-11 to 3-5 win.
Fenians were give the opportunity to retain the title when they qualified for the championship decider again in 1971. Bennettsbridge
were the opponents, however, Henderson ended up on the losing side by 3-10 to 1-7.
This defeat was only a temporary set-back as the Fenians club qualified for a fourth successive county final in 1972. It was a rematch of the previous year with Bennettsbridge setting out to defend their title. Henderson's side enjoyed a comfortable 3-10 to 1-6 win and he added a second county title to his collection.
A fifth successive county final appearance followed for the Fenians in 1973. James Stephens provided the opposition and a high-scoring game developed. A huge 7-8 to 5-10 score line resulted in the Fenians retaining the title and Henderson won his third county championship winners' medal.
In 1974 the Fenians club made history by securing a third county title in-a-row. The 0-10 to 0-6 defeat of Bennettsbridge gave Henderson a fourth county championship winners' medal. Fenians subsequently represented Kilkenny in the provincial club series and reached the final. A narrow 2-6 to 1-6 defeat of St. Rynagh's
of Offaly resulted in the Fenians becoming the first Kilkenny club to take the Leinster
club title. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Henderson's side against the mighty St. Finbarr's
of Cork. 'The Barr's' ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 defeat.
A fourth successive county title proved beyond Henderson's side in 1975, however, two years later Fenians were back in the championship decider. An Eddie Keher
-inspired Rower-Inistioge
provided the opposition, however, Henderson won his fifth and final county title that day following a 3-11 to 1-10 victory.
Henderson's side failed to retain the title in 1978 as a new force in hurling emerged in the form of Ballyhale Shamrocks
who defeated Henderson's side in the championship decider.
In 1981 Henderson was in the twilight of his career when he played in his ninth and final county championship decider. James Stephens were the opponents, however, the Fenians were no longer the force they once were. A 2-10 to 0-8 defeat brought the curtain down on Henderson's club hurling career.
minor hurling team in 1961. It was a successful year for the young hurler as he collected a Leinster
title in that grade following a 4-12 to 0-7 trouncing of Dublin
. Henderson later lined out in his first All-Ireland final, with Tipperary
providing the opposition. After an entertaining hour of hurling Kilkenny emerged victorious by 3-13 to 0-15, giving Henderson a coveted All-Ireland
minor medal.
By 1964 Henderson had joined the Kilkenny senior team, winning his first Leinster
title that year following a 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 a bitterly disappointing defeat for Henderson and for Kilkenny.
Kilkenny lost their provincial crown in 1965, however, the team bounced back in 1966 with Henderson collecting his first National Hurling League
winners' medal and a second 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 an Eddie Keher
-inspired Kilkenny. It was Henderson's second All-Ireland loss in three years.
The following year Kilkenny continued their provincial dominance with Henderson picking up a third Leinster title before lining out in a third 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. Henderson had also collected a coveted All-Ireland
winners' medal at last.
Wexford put an end to Kilkenny’s hopes of retaining the title in 1968, however, the Noresiders bounced back the following year with Henderson collecting a fourth 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 Henderson a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
The best was yet to come for Henderson and the Kilkenny team in the 1970s. In 1971 he was named captain of the Kilkenny senior hurlers, however, he missed the Leinster final triumph over Wexford. Henderson, however, subsequently returned to the team as 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 Eddie 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 fifth 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 Eddie Keher quickly provided 2 goals and 9 points to give Kilkenny the win and give Henderson a third All-Ireland medal.
In 1973 the Leinster Championship posed little difficulty for Kilkenny and Henderson collected a sixth provincial medal. He later lined out in yet another All-Ireland final, however, Kilkenny were severely hampered by the absence of some of their greatest players. Limerick
went on to win that game by 1-21 to 1-14. It was their first All-Ireland title since 1940.
Wexford were once again narrowly defeated by Kilkenny in the 1974 Leinster final, giving Henderson a seventh provincial title. In a repeat of the previous year's championship decider 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 Eddie Keher, supplemented by two further Kilkenny goals gave Kilkenny a twelve-point win and gave Henderson a fourth All-Ireland medal. The All-Ireland final win over Limerick was followed by the presentation of a second All-Star award, as well as the coveted Texaco Hurler of the Year
award.
In 1975 Kilkenny defeated Wexford for the fifth consecutive year in the provincial final, giving Henderson an eighth Leinster title overall. He 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, Eddie 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 victory, allowing Henderson to pick up a fifth All-Ireland winners' medal.
A second National League title in 1976 was Henderson’s last major success. He continued on the inter-county scene for another few years, however, by the mid-1970s Wexford
were the dominant team in Leinster. Henderson retired from inter-county hurling following the All-Ireland final defeat by Cork in 1978.
team in the inter-provincial hurling championship. He captured Railway Cup titles with his province in 1967, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1977.
he guided Kilkenny
to an All-Ireland
victory over Galway
in 1979. Three years later in 1982 Henderson was the sole manager of his native-county. That year he coached ‘the Cats’ to a National Hurling League
victory, as well as an All-Ireland final victory over Cork. In 1983 these feats were repeated with another brace of National league and All-Ireland victories.
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...
retired 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.
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
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...
. He was a centre-back on the latter team from 1964 until 1978, winning five 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, eight 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 two 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. Henderson has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1974 he was presented with the prestigious 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....
award. He also collected two 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.
Immediately after retiring from inter-county hurling Henderson became involved in team management. He served as manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team at various intervals between 1979 and 1987 and guided the county to three All-Ireland titles, five Leinster titles and three National League titles.
Biography
Born in JohnstownJohnstown, County Kilkenny
Johnstown , historically known as Coorthafooka , is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Bypassed in December 2008 by the M8, the town lies at the junction of the R639, the R502 and the R435 regional roads. It is the home of the Fenians GAA hurling club...
, 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...
, Henderson was the eldest son in a family that would later become synonymous with hurling in Kilkenny. His two younger brothers, Ger
Ger Henderson
Ger Henderson is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s.-Early life:...
and John
John Henderson (hurler)
John Henderson is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1991.-Early life:...
, would form the backbone of the great Kilkenny team of the 1970s.
Henderson was educated at Johnstown national school before later receiving his secondary schooling at 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...
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...
. Here he played in the prestigious Dr. Harty Cup
Dr. Harty Cup
The Dr. Harty Cup is a hurling competition for schools in the province of Munster in Ireland. The cup is presented to the winners of the Munster Colleges Senior "A" Hurling Championship. Players have to be under the age of 19 to compete. The winning team represents Munster in the Dr. Croke Cup...
competition, however, Thurles CBS failed to win the provincial title during Henderson's tenure.
Club
Henderson began his playing career with Johnstown in the late 1950s, however, it was with the newly-formed Fenians hurling club that he enjoyed much success.Only a year after coming into existence Fenian's qualified for the final of the county senior championship. Henderson was at centre-back that day as James Stephens provided the opposition. An absolute rout took place as the city club took the title by 8-5 to 2-7.
In 1970 both Fenians and James Stephens met in the championship decider once again. The match was a much closer affair on this occasion, with Henderson collecting a coveted county championship title following a 2-11 to 3-5 win.
Fenians were give the opportunity to retain the title when they qualified for the championship decider again in 1971. Bennettsbridge
Bennettsbridge GAA
Bennettsbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The Bridge last won the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship in 1971, although they are no longer a senior championship side.-Achievements:...
were the opponents, however, Henderson ended up on the losing side by 3-10 to 1-7.
This defeat was only a temporary set-back as the Fenians club qualified for a fourth successive county final in 1972. It was a rematch of the previous year with Bennettsbridge setting out to defend their title. Henderson's side enjoyed a comfortable 3-10 to 1-6 win and he added a second county title to his collection.
A fifth successive county final appearance followed for the Fenians in 1973. James Stephens provided the opposition and a high-scoring game developed. A huge 7-8 to 5-10 score line resulted in the Fenians retaining the title and Henderson won his third county championship winners' medal.
In 1974 the Fenians club made history by securing a third county title in-a-row. The 0-10 to 0-6 defeat of Bennettsbridge gave Henderson a fourth county championship winners' medal. Fenians subsequently represented Kilkenny in the provincial club series and reached the final. A narrow 2-6 to 1-6 defeat of St. Rynagh's
St. Rynagh's GAA
St. Rynagh's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club that encompasses the towns of Cloghan and Banagher in County Offaly, in Ireland. Formed in 1961, the club gained almost immediate success - winning the senior championship in 1965. St. Rynagh's went on to appear in three All-Ireland club finals...
of Offaly resulted in the Fenians becoming the first Kilkenny club to take the Leinster
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...
club title. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Henderson's side against the mighty St. Finbarr's
St. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
of Cork. 'The Barr's' ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 defeat.
A fourth successive county title proved beyond Henderson's side in 1975, however, two years later Fenians were back in the championship decider. An 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....
-inspired 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:...
provided the opposition, however, Henderson won his fifth and final county title that day following a 3-11 to 1-10 victory.
Henderson's side failed to retain the title in 1978 as a new force in hurling emerged in the form of Ballyhale Shamrocks
Ballyhale Shamrocks GAA
Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling...
who defeated Henderson's side in the championship decider.
In 1981 Henderson was in the twilight of his career when he played in his ninth and final county championship decider. James Stephens were the opponents, however, the Fenians were no longer the force they once were. A 2-10 to 0-8 defeat brought the curtain down on Henderson's club hurling career.
Inter-county
Henderson 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...
minor hurling team in 1961. It was a successful year for the young hurler as he collected a 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 following a 4-12 to 0-7 trouncing of 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...
. Henderson later lined out in his first All-Ireland 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. After an entertaining hour of hurling Kilkenny emerged victorious by 3-13 to 0-15, giving Henderson a coveted 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...
minor medal.
By 1964 Henderson had joined the Kilkenny senior team, winning his first 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 that year following a 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 a bitterly disappointing defeat for Henderson and for Kilkenny.
Kilkenny lost their provincial crown in 1965, however, the team bounced back in 1966 with Henderson collecting his first 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...
winners' medal and a second 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 an 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....
-inspired Kilkenny. It was Henderson's second All-Ireland loss in three years.
The following year Kilkenny continued their provincial dominance with Henderson picking up a third Leinster title before lining out in a third 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. Henderson had also collected a coveted 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....
winners' medal at last.
Wexford put an end to Kilkenny’s hopes of retaining the title in 1968, however, the Noresiders bounced back the following year with Henderson collecting a fourth 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 Henderson a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
The best was yet to come for Henderson and the Kilkenny team in the 1970s. In 1971 he was named captain of the Kilkenny senior hurlers, however, he missed the Leinster final triumph over Wexford. Henderson, however, subsequently returned to the team as 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 Eddie 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 fifth 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 Eddie Keher quickly provided 2 goals and 9 points to give Kilkenny the win and give Henderson a third All-Ireland medal.
In 1973 the Leinster Championship posed little difficulty for Kilkenny and Henderson collected a sixth provincial medal. He later lined out in yet another All-Ireland final, however, Kilkenny were severely hampered by the absence of some of their greatest players. 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...
went on to win that game by 1-21 to 1-14. It was their first All-Ireland title since 1940.
Wexford were once again narrowly defeated by Kilkenny in the 1974 Leinster final, giving Henderson a seventh provincial title. In a repeat of the previous year's championship decider 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 Eddie Keher, supplemented by two further Kilkenny goals gave Kilkenny a twelve-point win and gave Henderson a fourth All-Ireland medal. The All-Ireland final win over Limerick was followed by the presentation of a second All-Star award, as well as the coveted 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....
award.
In 1975 Kilkenny defeated Wexford for the fifth consecutive year in the provincial final, giving Henderson an eighth Leinster title overall. He later lined out in yet another All-Ireland final with surprise semi-final winners 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,...
providing the opposition on this occasion. The men from the West led by three points at half-time, however, Eddie 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 victory, allowing Henderson to pick up a fifth All-Ireland winners' medal.
A second National League title in 1976 was Henderson’s last major success. He continued on the inter-county scene for another few years, however, by the mid-1970s 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...
were the dominant team in Leinster. Henderson retired from inter-county hurling following the All-Ireland final defeat by Cork in 1978.
Provincial
Henderson also lined out with the great 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...
team in the inter-provincial hurling championship. He captured Railway Cup titles with his province in 1967, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1977.
Kilkenny
In retirement from playing, Henderson turned his hand to inter-county management. Together with Eddie KeherEddie 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....
he guided 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...
to an 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....
victory over 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,...
in 1979. Three years later in 1982 Henderson was the sole manager of his native-county. That year he coached ‘the Cats’ to 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...
victory, as well as an All-Ireland final victory over Cork. In 1983 these feats were repeated with another brace of National league and All-Ireland victories.