1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final
Encyclopedia
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final was the 91st All-Ireland Final and the culmination of the 1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1978
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1978 was the 92nd series of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition...

, an inter-county 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...

 tournament for the top teams in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. The match was held 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...

, Dublin, on 3 September 1978, between Cork and 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...

. The Leinster champions lost to their Munster opponents on a score line of 1-15 to 2-8.

Overview

In the early days of 1978 Cork's hurling followers wondered if the county senior team would complete the holy grail of capturing three consecutive All-Ireland wins in-a-row. A poor showing in the 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...

 discouraged the followers; however, the side comfortably won the Munster Championship and qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final appearance. Cork had defeated 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...

 in the two previous championship deciders, however, to defeat their old rivals 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 capture the third in-a-row would prove the worth of this team. It was the first championship meeting of these two teams since Kilkenny defeated Cork in the All-Ireland final of 1972.

Match report

Sunday 3 September was the date of the All-Ireland final and conditions were almost excellent with sunshine in the early stages of the game. Roy Jenkins
Roy Jenkins
Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM, PC was a British politician.The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II. Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, he served in several major posts in...

, the President of the European Commission, was a special guest at the game and he sat beside Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....

, a former Cork player and one of the all-time greats of the game who was now Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...

.

The game began at a lightning pace with Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...

 grabbing the sliothar on the wing after the throw-in. His shot went straight over the bar to put Cork on the scoreboard after just twenty-five seconds of play. Immediately after the puck-out the play switched to the Cork goalmouth, however, a Frank Cummins
Frank Cummins
Frank Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Knocktopher in Kilkenny and Blackrock in Cork. Cummins was also a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from the 1968 until 1984...

 shot went wide. Back at the other end of the field after the puck-out team captain Charlie McCarthy
Charlie McCarthy (hurler)
Charlie McCarthy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1980. McCarthy captained Cork to a third consecutive All-Ireland title in 1978.-Biography:Charlie McCarthy was born in Cork in 1946...

 did likewise for Cork when his first shot of the day went wide. Soon after this the ball broke to Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...

 down on the wing on the Hogan Stand side and he was completely unmarked. His shot was not a good one and was pulled down by Kilkenny goalkeeper Noel Skehan
Noel Skehan
Noel Skehan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local Bennettsbridge club and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1963 and 1985. Skehan is regarded as one of the greatest hurling goalkeepers of all-time.Skehan's status as one of the all-time greats...

 and was promptly cleared. What could have been another Cork score quickly turned into a Kilkenny attack. As the sliothar was sent into the Cork goalmouth two of the team’s defenders collided as it dropped to Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien
Liam O'Brien (hurler)
-Teams:...

. O’Brien flicked it onto Kevin Fennelly
Kevin Fennelly
Kevin Fennelly is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from the late 1970s until the late 1980s. Fennelly later served as Kilkenny Senior hurling manager for the 1998 season, and...

 who had an easy tap into the net to capture Kilkenny’s first score of the afternoon. Almost immediately Brian Cody
Brian Cody
Brian Cody is an Irish hurling manager and former player, currently managing the Kilkenny senior inter-county team, where he has been in charge since 1998...

 had the opportunity to his side three points up, however, his shot went wide. Cork’s ultra accurate free-taker, John Horgan, did likewise for his team soon afterwards when his long-range free tailed wide. After another intensive tussle around midfield the ball broke to Ray Cummins once again and he took off on a solo run in the direction of Kilkenny’s goal. As he edged nearer he was pulled down and a penalty was awarded. Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Newcestown and Cork in the 1970s and 1980s.-Playing career:...

 stepped up to take the penalty and had every intention of going for a goal. His shot was a good one, however, it was stopped by Noel Skehan who cleared his lines and gave his defenders some respite. The next score of the day came for Cork when 21-year-old Tom Cashman
Tom Cashman
Tom Cashman is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1988. Cashman later served as manager of the Cork senior inter-county team from 2000 until 2001.-Biography:Tom...

 pointed for his team.

Shortly after the puck-out Cork were awarded a free in their own half. John Horgan stepped up to take the free and, while his effort was a good one, the sliothar hit Kilkenny’s upright and came back into play to an unsuspecting Charlie McCarthy. The sliothar eventually broke to Gerald McCarthy who slotted over Cork’s third point to level the sides for the first time. Kilkenny’s response was not an effective one as Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club the Fenians and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1986. Fitzpatrick captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1975.-Biography:Billy Fitzpatrick was born in Johnstown,...

 and Mick Brennan
Mick Brennan
Mick 'Cloney' Brennan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Railyard club and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. He was named an All Star in 1975, 1976, and 1979....

 sent over two wides in close succession. At the other end of the field Tim Crowley was more accurate for Cork when he pointed to give his side the narrowest of leads. Both sides exchanged wides soon afterwards while John Horgan’s nightmare continued as another one of his frees went wide. A Mick Brennan
Mick Brennan
Mick 'Cloney' Brennan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Railyard club and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. He was named an All Star in 1975, 1976, and 1979....

 point for Kilkenny leveled the sides once again; however, this was quickly cancelled out by a Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...

 effort at the canal end of the pitch. On the stroke of twenty minutes ‘Chunky’ O’Brien sent over a free to restore parity on the scoreboard once again. This period of level scores was soon over when Charlie McCarthy sent over another free to give Cork the narrowest of leads once again. The puck-out broke around the midfield area to Jimmy Barry-Murphy who failed to raise the sliothar onto his hurley but passed it along the ground to Seánie O’Leary. He too was unable to control the sliothar and went crashing out over the sideline into a photographer and ended up under a Coca Cola advertisement in front of the canal end terrace. Not long after this incident John Horgan failed to increase the lead when he sent his third free of the day wide before Billy Fitzpatrick restored level scores again with another point for ‘the Cats’. After play resumed Jimmy Barry-Murphy failed to capture his second point of the day when his shot also failed to hit the target while a Ray Cummins shot was also batted out as he was yet to make an impact on the game. Kilkenny took the lead for the second time shortly after these two misses when ‘Chunky’ O’Brien captured his second point of the day. Mick Brennan failed to extend this lead when his effort went wide. With three minutes left before the interval Charlie McCarthy scored his second point of the day to level the scores once again. This was the last score of the half and both sides were level at half-time - Cork 0-7, Kilkenny 1-4.
Mick Brennan gave Kilkenny the lead again immediately after the restart when he captured another point for Kilkenny. Cork, however, fought back and quickly restored their lead courtesy of two converted frees by Charlie McCarthy. Ray Cummins continued to have a dismal afternoon when his shot on goal was saved again by Noel Skehan and cleared immediately. Kevin Fennelly was equally unlucky when his attempt at a point hit the upright and was cleared. Richie Reid
Richie Reid
Richie Reid is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s...

 subsequently failed to draw the teams level when his effort also went wide. Joe Hennessy
Joe Hennessy
Joe Hennessy is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1988.-Early life:...

 got his name on the score sheet soon afterwards when his ‘65’ went straight over the bar. ‘Chunky’ O’Brien gave Kilkenny a one-point lead once again, however, Cork quickly embarked on their most impressive passage of play since the game began. A Charlie McCarthy free from an awkward angle gave Cork a lift and sent the players on a scoring spree. Tim Crowley, who was enjoying a great battle with Frank Cummins at midfield, gradually wore down the dominance of his opponent. He grabbed the sliothar straight after the puck-out, broke away down the Cusack Stand side wing on a strong solo run and shot over a spectacular point to lift his team even more. Kilkenny’s response came in the form of a shot from Brian Cody, however, this went wide. Charlie McCarthy stretched Cork’s lead to two points after fifty-five minutes of play after he converted a free. Gerald McCarthy chipped in with another point to give Cork more confidence and a solid lead for the first time in the game.

‘Chunky’ O’Brien converted another free to claw one back for ‘the Cats’ before he was taken off and replaced by Pat Henderson
Pat Henderson
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...

. The game tightened up once again and the scores were slower in coming. With about thirteen minutes left to play in the game the ball broke to Jimmy Barry-Murphy just to the left of the Kilkenny goalpost. He sent in a low shot that bobbled along the ground and somehow found its way into the Kilkenny net. The significance of this goal was summed up 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...

 commentator Michael O'Hehir
Michael O'Hehir
Michael James Hehir was an Irish hurling, football and horse racing commentator and journalist. Between 1938 and 1985 his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many...

 who declared ‘…and Jimmy Barry-Murphy, the scorer of the goal that could win an All-Ireland.’ This gave Cork a five-point lead; however, this was eaten into immediately when Billy Fitzpatrick responded with a goal of his own. With Cork leading by 1-13 to 2-8 the destination of the Liam McCarthy Cup still hung in the balance. Charlie McCarthy failed to extend Cork’s lead after the puck-out as his effort went wide. With time running out Kilkenny were awarded a line ball in the corner of the Hogan and Nally Stands. Ray Cummins, who was having an off day by his standards, blocked the sliothar and nonchalantly sent it over the bar to restore Cork’s three-point lead. The dying minutes of the game saw both sides shoot over wides, two for Cork and one for Kilkenny. The final score of the day, and indeed the final score of the championship, went to Cork’s captain Charlie McCarthy who slotted over a neat point. The referee blew the full-time whistle immediately after the puck-out and Cork had won the game by 1-15 to 2-8.

As Charlie McCarthy climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand to receive the Liam McCarthy Cup there was a large Cork contingent there to meet him. The Secretary-General of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...

, Seán Ó Síocháin
Seán Ó Síocháin
Seán Ó Síocháin was an Irish footballer, hurler and ballad-singer who became General-Secretary of the GAA.-Life:...

, hailed from Cork and was the first to greet McCarthy on the rostrum. Jack Lynch, one of the all-time greats of hurling and the current Taoiseach, was the next person to extend his congratulations to the winning captain. Finally, Con Murphy
Con Murphy
Con Murphy is a former Irish sportsperson who played hurling with Cork in the 1940s, winning four All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships with the county. He later served as President of the Gaelic Athletic Association...

, the President of the GAA, was also a native of Cork and a former player. He presented the cup to a Cork captain for the third year in-a-row.

Statistics

|
style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center> CORK:
GK 1 Martin Coleman
Martin Coleman
Martin Coleman is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballinhassig and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1979.-Club:...

RCB 2 Brian Murphy
Brian Murphy (dual player)
Brian Murphy is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling and Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county teams in both codes between 1972 and 1982.Born in Cork in 1952, Brian Murphy is regarded as...

FB 3 Martin O'Doherty
Martin O'Doherty
Martin O'Doherty is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1982...

LCB 4 John Horgan
RWB 5 Dermot Mac Curtain
Dermot Mac Curtain
Dermot Mac Curtain is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1987.-Club:...

CB 6 Johnny Crowley
Johnny Crowley
Johnny Crowley is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Bishopstown and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1987.-Club:...

LWB 7 Denis Coughlan
Denis Coughlan
Denis Coughlan is a notable Irish sportsperson. He played hurling and football with his local clubs Glen Rovers and St. Nicholas' respectively. Coughlan also played hurling and football with the Cork senior inter-county teams...

M 8 Tom Cashman
Tom Cashman
Tom Cashman is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1988. Cashman later served as manager of the Cork senior inter-county team from 2000 until 2001.-Biography:Tom...

M 9 Pat Moylan
Pat Moylan
Pat Moylan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann.Born in Banagher, County Offaly, where he still lives, he is married with three sons and one daughter....

RWF 10 Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...

CF 11 Gerald McCarthy
LWF 12 Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Newcestown and Cork in the 1970s and 1980s.-Playing career:...

RCF 13 Charlie McCarthy
Charlie McCarthy (hurler)
Charlie McCarthy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1980. McCarthy captained Cork to a third consecutive All-Ireland title in 1978.-Biography:Charlie McCarthy was born in Cork in 1946...

 (c)
FF 14 Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...

LCF 15 Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...

Substitutes:
M John Allen
John Allen (hurler)
John Allen is an Irish retired hurler and Gaelic footballer and is the current manager of the Limerick senior hurling team.A dual player at the highest level, Allen spent three season with the Cork senior hurling team. During that time he won one All-Ireland winners' medal and one Munster winners'...

LCF Éamonn O'Donoghue
Éamonn O'Donoghue
Éamonn O'Donoghue is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1983.-Club:...

style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> KILKENNY: | GK 1 Noel Skehan
Noel Skehan
Noel Skehan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local Bennettsbridge club and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1963 and 1985. Skehan is regarded as one of the greatest hurling goalkeepers of all-time.Skehan's status as one of the all-time greats...

RCB 2 Paddy Prendergast
Paddy Prendergast
Paddy Prendergast is former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Clara and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s.-Club:...

FB 3 Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin
Phil Larkin
Phil 'Fan' Larkin is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling his local club James Stephens and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1963 until 1979...

LCB 4 Dick O'Hara
Dick O'Hara
Dick O’Hara is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Thomastown and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. He is regarded as one of Kilkenny’s greatest-ever players.-Club:O’Hara played his club hurling and Gaelic football with...

RWB 5 Joe Hennessy
Joe Hennessy
Joe Hennessy is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1988.-Early life:...

CB 6 Ger Henderson
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:...

 (c) LWB 7 Richie Reid
Richie Reid
Richie Reid is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s...

M 8 Frank Cummins
Frank Cummins
Frank Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Knocktopher in Kilkenny and Blackrock in Cork. Cummins was also a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from the 1968 until 1984...

M 9 Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien
Liam O'Brien (hurler)
-Teams:...

RWF 10 Kevin Fennelly
Kevin Fennelly
Kevin Fennelly is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from the late 1970s until the late 1980s. Fennelly later served as Kilkenny Senior hurling manager for the 1998 season, and...

CF 11 Mick Crotty
Mick Crotty
Mick Crotty is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club James Stephens and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s.-Club:...

LWF 12 Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club the Fenians and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1986. Fitzpatrick captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1975.-Biography:Billy Fitzpatrick was born in Johnstown,...

RCF 13 Mick 'Cloney' Brennan
Mick Brennan
Mick 'Cloney' Brennan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Railyard club and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. He was named an All Star in 1975, 1976, and 1979....

FF 14 Brian Cody
Brian Cody
Brian Cody is an Irish hurling manager and former player, currently managing the Kilkenny senior inter-county team, where he has been in charge since 1998...

LCF 15 Matt Ruth
Matt Ruth
Matt Ruth is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling and Gaelic football at various times with his local club Old Christians, Commercials and St. Patrick's and was a member of the Limerick and Kilkenny senior inter-county teams from 1973 until 1983...

Substitutes: RWF Tommy Malone CB Pat Henderson
Pat Henderson
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...

MATCH RULES
  • 70 minutes.
  • Replay if scores level.
  • Three named substitutes>
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