" I'd say a greater reason for the "demise" has been the retirement of Shefflin, Walsh, Delaney, Tyrell, Larkin, Power, Brennan etc" If they hadn't retired ballydalane they would have been beaten anyway, new management and structures in Galway, Limerick and Tipp were going to change results and bring All-Irelands to those counties. Age and the ferocity of all their battles over the years were bound to take their toll on a lot of those KK players, it's a wonder some of them lasted so long - that type of drive, commitment and tenacity are rare in any sport. I shouldn't have used the term 'demise'. KK are still very much at the top and will be for the foreseeable future.
Replying To Oldtourman: "Baire, Just a friendly comment and not attempting to be smart, but Kilkenny did not win 13 Leinsters in a row. Wexford won Leinster in 2004"
You're right Oldtourman, Wexford did win that one. My mistake.
Replying To Oldtourman: "Baire, Just a friendly comment and not attempting to be smart, but Kilkenny did not win 13 Leinsters in a row. Wexford won Leinster in 2004"
Let's look at this statistic, Oldtourman.
The 11 year period before Galway entered the Leinster championship, 1998-2008: KK = 10 Leinsters WX = 1
The 11 years since Galway entered, 2009-2019: Kilkenny = 6 Leinsters (almost halved) Galway = 3 Dublin=1 Wexford=1
Replying To Trump2020: "Big difference between the two periods."
Think ourselves and Dublin improved in the second period you talk about. Kilkenny didnt have as a good a team the same time. Galway have a good team currently also. If Galway had been in Leinster in the 1st period Im not sure they would've won many if any Leinster titles. We were lucky to win the 1 we won being honest.....
Replying To Viking66: "Think ourselves and Dublin improved in the second period you talk about. Kilkenny didnt have as a good a team the same time. Galway have a good team currently also. If Galway had been in Leinster in the 1st period Im not sure they would've won many if any Leinster titles. We were lucky to win the 1 we won being honest....."
I agree. It would have been fierce tough to beat that KK team in that period.
While many might not think it a 'golden age' of hurling, the Tipp v Galway rivalry in the late 1980's was one that grabbed Ireland's attention for a long period. Tipp won the Munster Final in 1987 for the first time in 16 years but Galway beat them 3-20 to 2-17 in the Semi Final before winning the final. Then they met in the All-Ireland Final in 1988 and Noel Lane's goal won it for Galway 1-15 to 0-14. They then met in the 1989 NHL final which Galway again won by 2-16 to 4-8.
The Tipp Galway rivalry was pretty fever pitched when they met in the 1989 All-Ireland semi final. This is what happened:
https://youtu.be/NTcW5IK_7eg
59.40 to 1.01.50 Sylvie Linnane (Galway) sent off 1.16.00 to 1.18.00 Michael McGrath (Galway) sent off 1.22.00 to 1.23.00 Tipp player not sent off (just citing an example of why Galway's fans were incensed)
Their rivalry continued up to the 1994 NHL final & shortly after Babs Keating stepped down as Tipp Manager. That 1989 semi final is one that many of us older hoganstand contributors might remember for all sorts of reasons.
Replying To slayer: "While many might not think it a 'golden age' of hurling, the Tipp v Galway rivalry in the late 1980's was one that grabbed Ireland's attention for a long period. Tipp won the Munster Final in 1987 for the first time in 16 years but Galway beat them 3-20 to 2-17 in the Semi Final before winning the final. Then they met in the All-Ireland Final in 1988 and Noel Lane's goal won it for Galway 1-15 to 0-14. They then met in the 1989 NHL final which Galway again won by 2-16 to 4-8.
The Tipp Galway rivalry was pretty fever pitched when they met in the 1989 All-Ireland semi final. This is what happened:
https://youtu.be/NTcW5IK_7eg
59.40 to 1.01.50 Sylvie Linnane (Galway) sent off 1.16.00 to 1.18.00 Michael McGrath (Galway) sent off 1.22.00 to 1.23.00 Tipp player not sent off (just citing an example of why Galway's fans were incensed)
Their rivalry continued up to the 1994 NHL final & shortly after Babs Keating stepped down as Tipp Manager. That 1989 semi final is one that many of us older hoganstand contributors might remember for all sorts of reasons."
Good memories but the Clare-Offaly fiasco in the mid 90s was no slouch either.