Tom Kenny (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Tom Kenny is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
and Gaelic football
with his local club Grenagh
and has been a dual player
with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times since 2003.
in 1981, just a couple of months before his more prolific cousin John Russell. He was educated locally at Rathduff national school before later attending St. Finbarr's College, Farranferris, a famed Gaelic games nursery in Cork city. It was here that his hurling talents first came to prominence as Kenny became a key member of the college hurling teams at various levels. He first tasted success in 1996 when he captured a Dean Ryan Cup winners' medal. Kenny later joined the St. Finbarr's senior hurling team and make a Harty Cup
final appearance in his final year in the school. St. Flannan's College
from Ennis
emerged victorious on that occasion. As a skilled soccer player he also had trials for the Irish under-age team.
Kenny subsequently attended University College Cork where he studied commerce. Once again he was heavily involved in Gaelic games when he was a UCC alumnus. In 2001 he won a freshers All-Ireland medal with the college. Three years later in 2004 Kenny captained the university to the final of the inter-varsities Fitzgibbon Cup
. The opponents on that occasion were Waterford Institute of Technology
, however, Kenny ended up on the losing side as WIT won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. While at UCC he was also a regular on the university Gaelic football team in the Sigerson Cup
.
Kenny currently works for Ernst and Young.
and has enjoyed much success. He was regarded as a great dual player
at under-age levels and he quickly joined the top team with the club. In 1999 Kenny enjoyed his first major success with Grenagh when he captured a divisional junior hurling championship winners' medal following a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over Ballinora. This was the beginning of a great decade of success for Grenagh in the Muskerry junior hurling championship.
In 2000 Kenny added a second consecutive Mid Cork junior title to his collection as Aghabullogue
were defeated by 2-12 to 1-6. Grenagh completed a divisional 'double' that year as the club's football team beat Donoughmore by 0-13 to 0-4. In spite of these victories Kenny's side enjoyed little success in the wider county championship.
2001 proved to be another hugely successful year for Kenny and for Grenagh. Defeats of Donoughmore and Ballingeary gave Grenagh a second consecutive 'double' in the divisional junior championship.
After surrendering both their football and hurling titles in 2002 Grenagh bounced back in 2003. A narrow 1-14 to 2-9 win over Ballincollig
gave Kenny a fourth divisional junior championship winners' medal in five years.
A fifth divisional junior hurling championship title quickly followed for Kenny in 2004 as Grenagh recorded a thrilling 0-19 to 3-9 victory over Cloughduv
. The club later reached the final of the county junior championship
, with Ballygarvan
providing the opposition. A close game ensued, however, at the full-time whistle Kenny's side were narrowly defeated by 3-7 to 1-12.
In 2005 Kenny captured his second three-in-a-row of divisional junior hurling titles. The 2-11 to 1-7 defeat of Blarney
gave him a sixth winners' medal in the championship in seven seasons.
2006 saw Grenagh surrender their divisonal hurling title, however, while the club's hurlers failed the footballers enjoyed some success. A 1-10 to 1-6 defeat of Iveleary gave Kenny a second divisional junior hurling winners' medal.
In 2007 the opposite of what happened in 2006 occurred. The Grenagh footballers surrendered their title, however, the club's hurlers recahed the divisional final once again. That game against Dripsey
ended in a 1-15 to 2-12 draw. The replay was much more conclusive as Grenagh romped to a 2-14 to 2-7 win. It was Kenny's seventh divisional junior hurling winners' medal.
Kenny has also played in the county senior hurling championship
as a member of his local Muskerry
division.
at minor level with Cork in the late 1990s. In 1999 he won a Munster
winners' medal with the Cork minor football team following a 2-16 to 1-9 defeat of old rivals Kerry
. Cork, however, were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Two years later in 2001 Kenny was a key member of the Cork under-21 football team. That year he captured a Munster
title in that grade following a 1-12 to 0-8 defeat of Limerick
. Unfortunately, Kenny's side were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
2001 also saw Kenny enjoy success with the Cork junior football team. He lined out in the provincial final that year, with Tipperary
providing the opposition. Cork made no mistake and won the game by 0-17 to 0-11, giving Kenny a Munster
winners' medal in the junior grade. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final. Mayo
were the opponents on this occasion and an exciting game developed. At the full-time whistle'the Rebels' emerged victorious by 1-15 to 3-7, giving Kenny a coveted All-Ireland
medal in the junior grade.
2003 saw Cork's players emerge drom a bitter stand-off with the county board and reach the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford
provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was Kenny's first Munster
winners' medal in the senior grade and it gave a signal that Cork were back. Cork were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11.
2004 saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Unfortunately for Kenny, Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was Kenny's first All-Ireland
winners' medal.
In 2005 Cork were on form again and the team won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was Kenny's second Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare
their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and Cork went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and Kenny collected his second winners’ medal.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year. Star forward Joe Deane
was to the fore, scoring an impressive eight points and contributing greatly to Cork’s 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their old rivals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor
goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork were out foe redemption, however, their championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
, Donal Óg Cusack
and Diarmuid O'Sullivan
being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
The activities of the Cork footballers and their reaction to the appointment of Teddy Holland
as their new manager impacted greatly on the preparations of the Cork hurling team. The entire panel went on a sympathy strike and missed the opening games of the National League. In the end the Cork hurlers returned to duty, however, their first championship game resulted in a defeat by Tipperary and 'the Rebels' had to take their chances in the win-or-bust qualifiers. A goal by Joe Deane in their next outing helped Cork to limp over the finish line against Dublin
. The team’s overall performance was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provide the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. In the second-half Cork took charge and secured a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17.
Following the defeat by Kilkenny in 2008 manager Gerald McCarthy's two-year contract came to an end. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel, with Kenny as one of the more vocal leaders of the strike, refused to play or train under McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 National League campaign with a new squad, none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel. After months of pressure McCarthy eventually stepped down as manager.
Following the resolution to these difficulties Cork were defeated by Tipperary on a score line of 1-19 to 0-19 in the opening round of the Munster campaign. After a convincing win over Offaly the next assignment for Kenny's Cork team was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with Galway. Cork faltered in the final ten minutes as 'the Tribesmen' knocked 'the Rebels' out of the championship by 1-19 to 0-15.
in the Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He played with the province for the only time in 2008, however, Munster were defeated by Leinster
on a 1-15 to 1-12 score line.
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...
sportsperson. He plays hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local club Grenagh
Grenagh GAA
Grenagh GAA is a Gaelic Football and hurling club based in the village of Grenagh in Cork, Ireland. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Muskerry board competitions...
and has been a dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times since 2003.
Biography
Tom Kenny was born in Grenagh, County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1981, just a couple of months before his more prolific cousin John Russell. He was educated locally at Rathduff national school before later attending St. Finbarr's College, Farranferris, a famed Gaelic games nursery in Cork city. It was here that his hurling talents first came to prominence as Kenny became a key member of the college hurling teams at various levels. He first tasted success in 1996 when he captured a Dean Ryan Cup winners' medal. Kenny later joined the St. Finbarr's senior hurling team and make a 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...
final appearance in his final year in the school. St. Flannan's College
St. Flannan's College
Saint Flannan's College is an Irish secondary school located in Ennis, County Clare. Formerly an all-boys boarding school, the first girls class was entered in 2002 and in 2005 the boarding school was closed. In 2003 an extension which added over 20 new rooms to the college was completed...
from 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 ....
emerged victorious on that occasion. As a skilled soccer player he also had trials for the Irish under-age team.
Kenny subsequently attended University College Cork where he studied commerce. Once again he was heavily involved in Gaelic games when he was a UCC alumnus. In 2001 he won a freshers All-Ireland medal with the college. Three years later in 2004 Kenny captained the university to the final of the inter-varsities Fitzgibbon Cup
Fitzgibbon Cup
The Fitzgibbon Cup the championship for top division of university hurling in Ireland. It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
. The opponents on that occasion were Waterford Institute of Technology
Waterford Institute of Technology
Waterford Institute of Technology is a state funded third-level educational institution situated in the city of Waterford, Ireland. The Institute has six Schools and 16 Departments....
, however, Kenny ended up on the losing side as WIT won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. While at UCC he was also a regular on the university Gaelic football team in the Sigerson Cup
Sigerson Cup
The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
.
Kenny currently works for Ernst and Young.
Club
Kenny plays his local club hurling and Gaelic football with his local club in GrenaghGrenagh GAA
Grenagh GAA is a Gaelic Football and hurling club based in the village of Grenagh in Cork, Ireland. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Muskerry board competitions...
and has enjoyed much success. He was regarded as a great dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
at under-age levels and he quickly joined the top team with the club. In 1999 Kenny enjoyed his first major success with Grenagh when he captured a divisional junior hurling championship winners' medal following a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over Ballinora. This was the beginning of a great decade of success for Grenagh in the Muskerry junior hurling championship.
In 2000 Kenny added a second consecutive Mid Cork junior title to his collection as Aghabullogue
Aghabullogue GAA
Aghabullogue GAA are a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Cork, Ireland. They are affiliated to the Cork County Board and play in the Mid Cork division of Cork GAA. Aghabullogue cater for both Gaelic football and hurling.-History:...
were defeated by 2-12 to 1-6. Grenagh completed a divisional 'double' that year as the club's football team beat Donoughmore by 0-13 to 0-4. In spite of these victories Kenny's side enjoyed little success in the wider county championship.
2001 proved to be another hugely successful year for Kenny and for Grenagh. Defeats of Donoughmore and Ballingeary gave Grenagh a second consecutive 'double' in the divisional junior championship.
After surrendering both their football and hurling titles in 2002 Grenagh bounced back in 2003. A narrow 1-14 to 2-9 win over Ballincollig
Ballincollig GAA
Ballincollig GAA is a Gaelic football and hurling club based in the town of Ballincollig, County Cork, Ireland. The club is affiliated with the Cork GAA board and plays in the Muskerry divisional competitions...
gave Kenny a fourth divisional junior championship winners' medal in five years.
A fifth divisional junior hurling championship title quickly followed for Kenny in 2004 as Grenagh recorded a thrilling 0-19 to 3-9 victory over Cloughduv
Cloughduv GAA
Cloughduv GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association based in the village of Cloughduv in County Cork, Ireland. The club is a member of the Muskerry division of Cork GAA. The club fields hurling team only...
. The club later reached the final of the county junior championship
Cork Junior Hurling Championship
The Cork Junior Hurling Championship is the third tier championship for hurling clubs in Cork. The winners of this championship compete in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in the following year. This championship is often considered the most difficult championship to win, since more teams...
, with Ballygarvan
Ballygarvan GAA
Ballygarvan GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Ballygarvan in south County Cork, Ireland. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Carrigdhoun divisional competitions.-History:...
providing the opposition. A close game ensued, however, at the full-time whistle Kenny's side were narrowly defeated by 3-7 to 1-12.
In 2005 Kenny captured his second three-in-a-row of divisional junior hurling titles. The 2-11 to 1-7 defeat of Blarney
Blarney GAA
Blarney GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Blarney, County Cork, Ireland. The club fields Gaelic football, hurling and camogie teams in competitions organized by Cork GAA county board and the Muskerry divsional board...
gave him a sixth winners' medal in the championship in seven seasons.
2006 saw Grenagh surrender their divisonal hurling title, however, while the club's hurlers failed the footballers enjoyed some success. A 1-10 to 1-6 defeat of Iveleary gave Kenny a second divisional junior hurling winners' medal.
In 2007 the opposite of what happened in 2006 occurred. The Grenagh footballers surrendered their title, however, the club's hurlers recahed the divisional final once again. That game against Dripsey
Dripsey GAA
Dripsey GAA is a Gaelic Football and hurling club based in the village of Dripsey in Cork, Ireland. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Muskerry board competitions.-History:...
ended in a 1-15 to 2-12 draw. The replay was much more conclusive as Grenagh romped to a 2-14 to 2-7 win. It was Kenny's seventh divisional junior hurling winners' medal.
Kenny has also played in the county senior hurling championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
as a member of his local Muskerry
Muskerry GAA
Muskerry GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division located in the in the middle region of County Cork, Ireland. It is one of eight divisions of Cork GAA County Board. The division includes clubs from the western parts of Cork city to the county bounds with Kerry...
division.
Minor, under-21 and junior
Kenny first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a dual playerDual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
at minor level with Cork in the late 1990s. In 1999 he won a Munster
Munster Minor Football Championship
The Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
winners' medal with the Cork minor football team following a 2-16 to 1-9 defeat of old rivals Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
. Cork, however, were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Two years later in 2001 Kenny was a key member of the Cork under-21 football team. That year he captured a Munster
Munster Under-21 Football Championship
The Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
title in that grade following a 1-12 to 0-8 defeat of 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...
. Unfortunately, Kenny's side were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
2001 also saw Kenny enjoy success with the Cork junior football team. He lined out in the provincial final that year, 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. Cork made no mistake and won the game by 0-17 to 0-11, giving Kenny a Munster
Munster Junior Football Championship
The Munster Junior football championship is an annual Gaelic football competition between the Munster GAA counties. The rules with respect to who is eligible vary between the counties. In Cork and Kerry, the players can not play with a senior club. In the other four counties, any player who is not...
winners' medal in the junior grade. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final. Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
were the opponents on this occasion and an exciting game developed. At the full-time whistle'the Rebels' emerged victorious by 1-15 to 3-7, giving Kenny a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship was a hurling competition organized by the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland. The competition was originally contested by the second teams of the strong counties, and the first teams of the weaker counties...
medal in the junior grade.
Senior
Kenny's performances at under-age and junior levels brought him to the attentions of the Cork selectors at senior level in both codes. In 2003 he was a dual player, making his debuts for Cork's footballer and hurlers. Undoubtedly, it was with the senior hurling team that Kenny enjoyed the greater success.2003 saw Cork's players emerge drom a bitter stand-off with the county board and reach the Munster final for the first time in three years. 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...
provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was Kenny's first Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
winners' medal in the senior grade and it gave a signal that Cork were back. Cork were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín is an Australian-Irish sportsman. He was a hurler with the Cork senior team before becoming a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background...
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club O'Loughlin Gaels and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2002 until 2010.-References:-Teams:...
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11.
2004 saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Unfortunately for Kenny, Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was Kenny's 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....
winners' medal.
In 2005 Cork were on form again and the team won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was Kenny's second Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and Cork went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and Kenny collected his second winners’ medal.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year. Star forward Joe Deane
Joe Deane
Joe Deane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009...
was to the fore, scoring an impressive eight points and contributing greatly to Cork’s 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their old rivals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Emeralds and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team.-Club:...
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Biography:Ben O’Connor was born in the village of...
goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork were out foe redemption, however, their championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is an iconic Irish-Fijian sportsperson. A former dual player, he currently plays hurling with his local club Na Piarsaigh and is a member of the Cork senior inter-county team. Ó hAilpín captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 2005...
, Donal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
and Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Cloyne and was a dual player with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times from 1997 until 2008. O'Sullivan is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Biography:Diarmuid O'Sullivan was born in...
being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
The activities of the Cork footballers and their reaction to the appointment of Teddy Holland
Teddy Holland
Teddy Holland is an Irish retired Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local clubs Ballinascarthy and St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1970...
as their new manager impacted greatly on the preparations of the Cork hurling team. The entire panel went on a sympathy strike and missed the opening games of the National League. In the end the Cork hurlers returned to duty, however, their first championship game resulted in a defeat by Tipperary and 'the Rebels' had to take their chances in the win-or-bust qualifiers. A goal by Joe Deane in their next outing helped Cork to limp over the finish line 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...
. The team’s overall performance was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provide the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. In the second-half Cork took charge and secured a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17.
Following the defeat by Kilkenny in 2008 manager Gerald McCarthy's two-year contract came to an end. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel, with Kenny as one of the more vocal leaders of the strike, refused to play or train under McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 National League campaign with a new squad, none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel. After months of pressure McCarthy eventually stepped down as manager.
Following the resolution to these difficulties Cork were defeated by Tipperary on a score line of 1-19 to 0-19 in the opening round of the Munster campaign. After a convincing win over Offaly the next assignment for Kenny's Cork team was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with Galway. Cork faltered in the final ten minutes as 'the Tribesmen' knocked 'the Rebels' out of the championship by 1-19 to 0-15.
Inter-provincial
Kenny has also lined out with MunsterMunster 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:...
in the Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He played with the province for the only time in 2008, however, Munster were defeated by Leinster
Leinster 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...
on a 1-15 to 1-12 score line.
Grenagh
- Cork Junior Football ChampionshipCork Junior Football ChampionshipThe Cork Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic football competition in Cork. The competition was originally established in 1895 as a competition for second teams of clubs playing in the Cork Senior Football Championship. This is the fourth level of football clubs, under Senior, Premier...
:- Winner (1):
- Runner-up (1): 2006
- Cork Junior Hurling ChampionshipCork Junior Hurling ChampionshipThe Cork Junior Hurling Championship is the third tier championship for hurling clubs in Cork. The winners of this championship compete in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in the following year. This championship is often considered the most difficult championship to win, since more teams...
:- Winner (1):
- Runner-up (1): 2004
- Mid-Cork Junior Hurling Championship:
- Winner (7): 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
- Runner-up (1): 2002
- Mid-Cork Junior Football Championship:
- Winner (2): 2000, 2001
- Runner-up (3): 2002, 2004, 2005
Cork
- 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 (2): 2004All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2004The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2004 was the 118th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Kilkenny 0-17 to 0-9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:-Calendar:...
, 2005All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2005The Guinness Hurling Championship 2005 began on Sunday, May 15, 2005. The 2005 championship saw some change with the introduction of a new format whereby after the provincial championships and the two new qualifying groups were completed, eight teams were left to face off in four quarter finals.... - Runner-up (2): 2003All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003 was the 117th since its establishment in 1887. The first matches of the season were played in May 2003, and the championship ended on 14 September 2003...
, 2006All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2006The Guinness Hurling Championship 2006 was won by Kilkenny, who defeated holders Cork in the All-Ireland final.-Format:The format of the 2006 championship remained the same as in 2005:...
- Winner (2): 2004
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
:- Winner (3): 2003, 2005, 2006
- Runner-up (1): 2004
- All-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
:- Winner (1): 2001
- Munster Junior Football ChampionshipMunster Junior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Junior football championship is an annual Gaelic football competition between the Munster GAA counties. The rules with respect to who is eligible vary between the counties. In Cork and Kerry, the players can not play with a senior club. In the other four counties, any player who is not...
:- Winner (1): 2001
- Munster Under-21 Football ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
:- Winner (1): 2001
- Munster Minor Football ChampionshipMunster Minor Football ChampionshipThe Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
:- Winner (1): 1999