Compiled by GAVIN CUMMISKEY
Final stats:Coaches play part
Sunday is the sixth meeting of Kilkenny and Galway in an All-Ireland hurling final – including the drawn match earlier this month.
Both managers were involved as players with Anthony Cunningham playing in Galway’s 1987 victory while Brian Cody was part of the 1975.
1975 Kilkenny 2-22 Galway 2-10
1979 Kilkenny 2-12 Galway 1-8
1987 Galway 1-12 Kilkenny 0-9
1993 Kilkenny 2-17 Galway 1-15
2012 Kilkenny 0-19Galway 2-13
Head to head: Kilkenny lead
This will be the fifth meeting between Galway and Kilkenny this year.
Kilkenny currently lead the way, two wins to one, but, of course, Galway destroyed them in the Leinster final, leading 2-11 to 0-1 after 30 minutes before goals by Richie Hogan and Henry Shefflin brought some respectability to the final score (2-21 to 2-11).
During the league encounter at Nowlan Park in April,
Kilkenny lauded it over Anthony Cunningham’s side to win 3-26 to 0-10. Goals from Eoin Larkin, TJ Reid and Matthew Ruth decided matters by half-time.
Going further back, to February’s Walsh Cup final at Galway’s Pearse Stadium, Richie Power racked up 0-11 as Kilkenny dominated their maroon opponents 2-20 to 1-14.
High praise: ‘awesome’ Henry
It’s time for all of us on the Kilkenny team, myself included, to step up and take responsibility on Sunday and not to be depending on Henry Shefflin.
“On different days, different players give big displays, but, for us, Henry Shefflin is always there. In the drawn All-Ireland final he was amazing again. He really stepped it up in the second half and his performance was awesome. It was no surprise he did it, but to see him coming out from corner forward to centre forward and taking over was inspirational. – Kilkenny midfielder Michael Fennelly.
Minor recall: Old foes from 2004 final still stamping their class on national stage
The last All-Ireland minor hurling final replay was 2004. It was between Galway and Kilkenny, but, eight years on, only a handful of those teenagers have survived the rigours of the senior ranks.
Joe Canning is one of them. Still only 15 years old, he contributed a point from full forward in the 3-12 to 1-18 draw at Croke Park, but it was his impact seven days later that brought this once-in-a-lifetime hurler on to the national stage.
Kerril Wade was Galway’s chief marksman, but come the replay in Tullamore it was Canning’s breathtaking sideline cuts that had a huge impact, not only on the game’s outcome but those moments of genius sparked a wonderful hurling story.
It was Richie Hogan’s point that forced matters to a second outing, but the Danesfort sharp-shooter only registered 0-1 in the replay. Elder brother Paddy landed three placed balls.
Others involved then and this weekend are Kevin Hynes for Galway and Matthew Ruth for Kilkenny.
Galway won the replay 0-16 to 1-12 with their manager Mattie Murphy making a prediction afterwards: “And I tell you this much. Wait four or five years and we’ll be heard of in the senior ranks too.” It actually took three more years then Mattie predicted.
In the meantime, some quality hurlers, such as John Lee and Wade, are no longer on the scene.
GALWAY: M Herlihy; P Loughnane, G Mahon, C ODonovan; M Ryan, J Lee, J Hughes; A Keary, D Kennedy; K Kilkenny (0-1), K Hynes (0-2), F Coone (0-2); K Wade (0-7, six frees), J Canning (0-4, two sidelines, one free), B Hanley. Subs: D White for Ryan (22 mins).
KILKENNY: L Tierney; J Maher, K Joyce, P Cahill; N Prendergast (0-1), R Maher, S Prendergast; P Hartley, P Hogan (0-3, two frees, one 65); G Nolan, M Nolan (0-4, three frees), N Kenny; R Hogan (0-1), E Guinan (1-1), M Ruth (0-1). Subs: E ODonoghue (0-1) for Kenny (48 mins).
Replay stats: Cats’ record
Sunday will also be the first hurling final replay for 53 years.
Kilkenny have been involved in three of them, losing to Waterford in 1959 and Cork in 1931 but overcoming Cork in the 1905 decider.
Previous All-Ireland hurling final replays:
1905 Kilkenny 7-7 Cork 2-9
1908 Tipperary 3-15 Dublin 1-5
1931 Cork 5-8 Kilkenny 3-4
1934 Limerick 5-2 Dublin 2-6
1959 Waterford 3-12 Kilkenny 1-10
Duel roles: Shefflin v Canning
We expected the Henry versus Joe duel to have a significant bearing on the All-Ireland hurling final, but nobody could have envisaged the shootout that transpired on September 9th.
They finished on level pegging – Canning hitting 1-9 to Shefflin’s 0-12.
That leaves them as they were in the scoring charts with Shefflin nine points clear although Canning has the better average.
Shefflin’s 3-47 in five outings leaves him on an average of 11.2 points per game while Canning has 2-41 from four games for an 11.7 points average.
But the last day will always belong to both men and the moments they gifted the GAA world. No one present will ever forget Canning’s goal or Shefflin’s brilliant point from play or, of course, Canning’s last ditch equaliser.
