A round-up of today's other GAA news
Looking at the numbers game
Kilkenny have remained unbeaten in the championship since losing to Galway in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final. They have won 17 games since then.
Tipperary are unbeaten in this year’s championship and lost just two games in the league, both to Kilkenny. Kilkenny won by 5-17 to 1-12 in Nowlan Park in March and by 2-26 to 4-17 (after extra-time) in the final in Thurles in early May. Kilkenny’s only defeat this year came against Waterford (2-17 to 1-16) in the League in Walsh Park in early March.
Brian Cody is managing Kilkenny into an All-Ireland final for the ninth time. Kilkenny won it under his guidance in 2000-2002-2003-2006-2007-2008 and lost in 1999 and 2004.
What odds a draw? The last All-Ireland hurling final to end level was all of 50 years ago in 1959 when Kilkenny and Waterford finished all square (5-5 to 1-17). Waterford won the replay by 3-12 to 1-10.
Answer to the ticket question
Many Tipperary and Kilkenny hurling supporters may well have torn most of their hair out by now trying to track down that elusive All-Ireland ticket.
It is, of course, the annual championship-ending question – If Croke Park can hold 82,300 spectators, how come I’m having such a hard time finding a ticket?
For those of you wondering where all the match tickets do
in fact go, the 2008 GAA annual report provided the following breakdown for last year’s All-Ireland hurling final, which accounts for all 82,300 spaces in the stadium, including those of us watching from the press box.
Croke Park
Capacity(Planning permission) 82,300
County allocations58,735
Term tickets4,155
Provinces385
Overseas499
Ard-Chomhairle and Iar Uachtarán991
Camogie120
Women's football150
Rounders and handball162
Sponsors1,050
Press254
TV and radio74
Schools Educational Bodies2,489
Third Level278
Croke Park residents250
Match officials referees panel108
Health bodies Irish Sports Council70
Minor teams on day of game217
Staff and sub-committees1,402
Jubilee teams137
Mini-sevens246
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Total available for distribution71,772
Premium and corporate10,528
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Grand total82,300
Kilkenny arebidding to become the first county to win the senior four-in-a-row since Cork triumphed in 1941-42-43-44.
Munster champions in 1911, Limerick refused to play Kilkenny in the final due to a dispute over the venue. Kilkenny were awarded the title. Tipperary were nominated to replace Limerick and lost to Kilkenny in a substitute final.
Paths to Final
Kilkenny
Leinster Semi-final
Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 3-13
Leinster final
Kilkenny 2-18 Dublin 0-18
All-Ireland Semi-final
Kilkenny 2-23 Waterford 3-15
2009 Championship Scorers
Henry Shefflin 1-30 (0-19 from frees, 0-2 from 65s)
Martin Comerford 2-4
Eoin Larkin 0-9
Eddie Brennan 2-3
Aidan Fogarty 1-5
Derek Lyng 0-3
Michael Rice 0-2
TJ Reid 0-1
Tommy Walsh 0-1
James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick 0-1
Richie Power 0-1
Richie Hogan 0-1
Tipperary
Munster Quarter-final
Tipperary 1-19 Cork 0-19
Munster Semi-final
Tipperary 3-18 Clare 1-22
Munster Final
Tipperary 4-14 Waterford 2-16
All-Ireland Semi-final
Tipperary 6-19 Limerick 2-7
2009 Championship Scorers
Lar Corbett 6-7
Eoin Kelly 2-17 (0-15 from frees)
Noel McGrath 1-15 (two frees, one line-ball)
Séamus Callinan 3-7
Pat Kerwick 1-7
John O’Brien 1-5
Conor O’Mahony 0-4 (three frees, one 65)
Benny Dunne 0-3
Shane McGrath 0-3 (one line-ball)
James Woodlock 0-1
Declan Fanning 0-1
Managers in the field of play
Liam Sheedy made his senior championship debut for Tipperary against Down in the 1997 All-Ireland quarter-final at Clones. It was the first quarter-final in the new back-door system and Tipperary won by 3-24 to 3-8. Sheedy lined out at right half back and held a place on the team until the end of the 1999 championship campaign.
Brian Cody made his senior championship debut for Kilkenny at left half back in the 1973 All-Ireland final loss to Limerick. Following their Leinster final win over Wexford, Kilkenny lost four players through injury and emigration before they played Limerick.
Cody had captained the All-Ireland winning minor team the previous year.
When Kilkenny met Tipperary in the 1964 All-Ireland hurling final they were also defending the title, won against Waterford in a high-scoring decider (4-17 to 6-8) the previous year.
The Leinster champions were favourites to win the game, but were beaten by double scores, 5-13 to 2-8. Tipperary led by 1-8 to 0-6 at half-time.
The game was refereed by Aubrey Higgins from Galway – the last time a Connacht man refereed the All-Ireland final.
That was the only previous occasion that Tipperary and Kilkenny played on September 6th.
Tipperary had previously dethroned Kilkenny in the 1958 semi-final, again after the Leinster champions had beaten Waterford in the previous decider.
Kilkenny have also dethroned Tipperary on two occasions, the 1909 final and the 2002 All-Ireland semi-final.
That semi-final, seven years ago, saw Kilkenny win out narrowly 1-20 to 1-16, before an attendance of 53,385.
