Brian Cody
Encyclopedia
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. Cody is regarded as one of the greatest managers of the modern game.
As a player Cody enjoyed a successful career at club level with James Stephens and at inter-county level with Kilkenny. He established himself as a full-back with Kilkenny throughout the 1970s and 1980s and collected three All-Ireland
titles, four Leinster
titles and two National Hurling League
titles.
Cody previously coached in all grades at club level with James Stephens before making the leap to inter-county management in November 1998 when he was appointed manager of Kilkenny. Currently in his twelfth season with Kilkenny, Cody is the second-longest serving coach in their history after Fr. Tommy Maher
, while his tenure is the longest of all the current championship managers. During this time, Cody has guided Kilkenny to eight All-Ireland titles, ten Leinster titles and four National League titles. The team's dominance of the Leinster Championship is unparalleled in the modern era, to such an extent that Kilkenny have only lost one provincial game since Cody's inaugural season in 1999.
natives Bill Cody and the former Annie Hoyne, he was born into a family that was heavily involved in the Gaelic Athletic Association
. Hurling in particular was hugely important for Cody's father. He was a selector with both the Kilkenny
minor and senior teams before later serving as chairman of the James Stephens
club for seventeen years. His tenure coincided with the club’s most successful period ever. In her youth Cody’s mother played camogie
with her local team.
Cody was educated at his local national school where his interest in the game of hurling was first developed. He later boarded at St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny, a virtual nursery for young, talented players. It was at St. Kieran's where Cody first tasted major hurling success. He was a key member of the college team in 1971 when St. Kieran's captured the Leinster colleges’ title. Cody later helped his school to the All-Ireland
title following a win over St. Finbarr's College from Cork. He won a second consecutive Leinster colleges’ medal in 1972, however, St. Finbarr's gained their revenge and were victorious on this occasion. It was from these successes with St. Kieran’s that Cody’s inter-county career with Kilkenny evolved.
Cody later attended St. Patrick's College in Dublin where he studied to be a primary school teacher. Here he played on the college hurling team where one of his contemporaries was Ger Loughnane
, a future hurling star and inter-county manager of Clare
. Cody currently works at St. Patrick's De La Salle national school in Kilkenny, where he has been principal since 2009.
with the famous James Stephens
club in Kilkenny. He enjoyed much success at juvenile and underage levels before moving onto the senior team. He won his first senior county title with ‘the Village’ club in 1975. James Stephens later represented Kilkenny in the provincial club championship. At the start of 1976 Cody added a Leinster
club medal to his collection following a 1-14 to 2-4 defeat of Offaly champions St. Rynagh’s
. Two months later he lined out in the club championship decider. His side fought back from a five-point deficit at half-time to record a 2-10 to 2-4 defeat of Blackrock
. It was his first All-Ireland
club title and the first time that a Kilkenny club had captured the All-Ireland title.
In 1976 Cody added a second consecutive county medal to his collection. His club was later defeated by Camross in the Leinster club final. It was 1981 before Cody won his third and final county title. James Stephens later defeated Faythe Harriers
of Wexford by a single point to give Cody a second Leinster club medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw James Stephens take on Mount Sion from Waterford. At half-time Cody’s side were behind by seven points, however, the team fought back with three second-half goals by John McCormack to record a great 3-13 to 3-8 victory. It was Cody’s second All-Ireland club medal.
title in this grade in 1971 when Kilkenny recorded an enormous 7-18 to 3-5 victory over Wexford. The subsequent All-Ireland championship decider saw Kilkenny take on Cork. An exciting and close game ensued, however, the full-time whistle Cork were victorious by 2-11 to 1-11. In 1972 Cody was in his final year in the minor grade when he was appointed captain of the team. That year Kilkenny recorded another comprehensive win in the Leinster final. The 7-10 to 0-4 victory over Wexford gave Cody a second provincial minor medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final was a repeat of the previous year as Kilkenny lined out against Cork. Cody’s team ran riot over the course of the sixty minutes and recorded another huge victory. The 8-7 to 3-9 score line gave Cody a coveted All-Ireland
minor medal and the honour of collecting the cup.
Cody subsequently joined the Kilkenny under-21 where he enjoyed further successes. After defeat in 1973 he won a Leinster
under-21 medal in 1974 after a 3-8 to 1-4 victory over their great rivals and near-neighbours Wexford. The subsequent All-Ireland final was a novel affair as Waterford
, the surprise winners of the Munster title, provided the opposition. Kilkenny were the favourites going into the game, however, the final was a much closer affair than commentators had previously thought. A narrow 3-8 to 3-7 victory gave Kilkenny the win and gave Cody his first All-Ireland
medal. In 1975 Cody was in his last year with the under-21 team as Kilkenny continued their provincial dominance. Another huge 3-14 to 0-8 win over Wexford gave Cody a second consecutive Leinster under-21 title. Cork provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and another interesting encounter developed. A finals core of 5-13 to 2-19 gave Kilkenny the victory and gave Cody his second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 medal.
led to Cody, a virtual unknown quantity at senior level, being drafted onto the starting fifteen. He lined out in the left half-back position that day, however, it was a bad afternoon at Croke Park
for Kilkenny. A goal by Mossie Dowling
and an attack spear-headed by Richie Bennis
led to Limerick winning the game by 1-21 to 1-14.
The All-Ireland final defeat led to a reshuffle of the Kilkenny team and Cody found it hard to retain his place on the starting fifteen the following year. He was still a member of the panel as Kilkenny went on to claim Leinster and All-Ireland titles that year.
Cody was back on the starting fifteen in 1975 as the great Kilkenny team of the era was beginning to disband. Kilkenny took on Wexford in the Leinster final that year in the first seventy minute provincial decider. The game was an exciting one with Kilkenny winning relatively easily by 2-20 to 2-14. It was Cody’s first senior Leinster
title on the field of play. He later lined out in his second All-Ireland final appearance with Galway
providing the opposition on this occasion. The men from the West got off to a good start and led at half-time. Things got better for Galway when P.J. Qualter scored a quick goal at the start of the second-half. Kilkenny fought back with Eddie Keher
scoring 2-7 and Liam O'Brien
chipping in with five points to give ‘the Cats’ a twelve point victory. It was Cody’s first senior All-Ireland
medal on the field of play. He was one of the team’s star players throughout the championship and was subsequently presented with his first All-Star
award.
1976 began well for Cody when he played a key role in Kilkenny’s National Hurling League
victory. His side later went into decline and surrendered their provincial crown to Wexford in 1976 and 1977.
In 1978 Cody lined out in his fourth consecutive Leinster final against Wexford, the reigning champions. The game developed into a close affair; however, victory went to ‘the Cats’ by 2-16 to 1-16. It was Cody’s second Leinster title. Following a subsequent victory over Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final Kilkenny faced arch-rivals Cork in the All-Ireland championship decider. Much was at stake as Cork were aiming to capture a third All-Ireland victory in-a-row and nothing would give Kilkenny greater pleasure than stopping them. Both sides remained neck and neck for much of the game, however, Cody was having a tough time in the unusual position of full-forward. Cork’s Jimmy Barry-Murphy
scored the winning goal for Cork with thirteen minutes left in the game. For the second time Cody ended up on the losing side on All-Ireland final day.
The All-Ireland defeat saw a reshuffle of the team take place with Cody losing out once again. Kilkenny went on to win both Leinster and All-Ireland titles in 1979; however, Cody had to settle for collecting his winners’ medals as a non-playing substitute in both games. He was back on the starting fifteen in 1980; however, Offaly
emerged as a new force in Leinster in both 1980 and 1981.
In 1982 Cody had the great honour of being appointed captain of the Kilkenny senior team. That year he collected a second National League title before leading his team out in Croke Park for the Leinster final. Offaly, the reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions were the opponents on that occasion and an interesting game developed. After a close seventy minutes of hurling Kilkenny emerged victorious by just two points. Cody later had the honour of collecting the famed Bob O’Keeffe Cup before he was presented with his third Leinster winners’ medal. He subsequently led his men out in Croke Park in the All-Ireland championship decider against Cork. Christy Heffernan
was the hero of the day as he scored two goals in a forty second spell just before half-time. Ger Fennelly
captured a third goal in the second-half as Kilkenny completely trounced ‘the Rebels’ by 3-18 to 1-15. This victory gave Cody his second All-Ireland medal while also allowing him to collect the Liam McCarthy Cup
on behalf of his team. In doing so he joined a select group of players who captained their county to both minor and senior All-Ireland victories. Cody was later presented with a second All-Star award.
In 1983 Cody missed Kilkenny’s second consecutive National League victory, however, he returned in time for the Leinster final against Offaly. It was their second consecutive meeting in the provincial decider, however, on this occasion the victory was more comprehensive on this occasion. A 1-17 to 0-13 win gave Cody his fourth and final Leinster medal. For the second year in-a-row ‘the Cats’ squared up to Cork in the All-Ireland final. Once again Kilkenny dominated the game, assisted by a strong wind in the first-half, and hung on in the face of a great fight-back by Cork. At the full-time whistle Kilkenny emerged victorious by 2-14 to 2-12. It was Cody’s third and final All-Ireland medal.
Kilkenny’s fortunes took a downturn following this victory as Offaly won the next two Leinster titles. He played his last game for his county in 1986 in the Leinster championship against Westmeath
.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He was a non-playing substitute when Leinster defeated arch-rivals Munster
to win the Railway Cup in 1977.
, at the age of 27, made his senior debut as goalkeeper while a young Henry Shefflin
was unearthed and was a new addition in the forward line. With a blend of youth and experience Cody guided his team to a second consecutive Leinster title. The 5-14 to 1-16 defeat of reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly
was flattering to say the least. A four-point victory over Clare
in the All-Ireland semi-final set up a championship decider against Cork. Kilkenny, as the defeated finalists of the previous year, were installed as the red-hot favourites over a Cork team with an average age of 21. In one of the least memorable All-Ireland finals of the decade, ‘the Rebels’ saw off the challenge of Cody’s team by just a single point. After five years of something of a revolution in the hurling world, the old order had been restored.
Cody’s side captured a third successive Leinster title, his second as manager, following another flattering victory over Offaly. It would not be the last time that these two sides would meet in the 2000 championship. Another resounding victory, this time over Galway
in the All-Ireland semi-final, allowed Cody’s side advance to the All-Ireland final once again. It was the team’s third consecutive apperanace in the championship decider and the possibility of losing a third final in-a-row was a huge motivating factor for Kilkenny. Offaly, the defeated Leinster finalists, provided the opposition, however, in one of the most one-sided finals in decades Kilkenny won on a score line of 5-15 to 1-14. Cody had finally captured his first All-Ireland title as a manager.
. Things got off to a good start as Cody’s side retained their Leinster crown following a trouncing of Wexford
in the provincial final. Things looked as if they were going to plan, however, Kilkenny played Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final with one eye on the All-Ireland final. Galway capitalised on this over-confidence and dumped the reigning champions out of the championship on a score line of 2-15 to 1-13.
. With this in mind Cody turned to the National Hurling League
. Kilkenny hadn’t won the competition since 1995, however, Cody’s side set out at the start of the year to win every game possible. Arch-rivals Cork provided the opposition in the National League final, however, it was Kilkenny who emerged victorious by a single point. On the back of this success Kilkenny subsequently captured a fifth successive Leinster title, this time with a smaller margin of victory over near rivals Wexford. Tipperary
fell in the All-Ireland semi-final and Kilkenny went on to face Clare
in the championship decider. It was an historic occasion as Clare, who were defeate din the first-round of the Munster championship, became the first team to reach the final via the newly introduced qualifier system. Goals by D.J. Carey and Henry Shefflin sealed the victory for Kilkenny as Clare were defeated by 2-20 to 0-19. It was Cody’s second All-Ireland as a manager.
. A thrilling National League final saw ‘the Cats’ defeat Tipperary by 5-15 to 5-14 at Croke Park
. Once again this league victory launched as a spring board for Kilkenny’s assault on the All-Ireland championship, however, all was not well in the Kilkenny camp. At the start of the championship Cody had a much publicised disagreement with team captain Charlie Carter
. Carter was later dropped from the starting fifteen and was replaced as captain by D.J. Carey. In spite of internal troubles another facile eleven point victory over Wexford gave Cody’s team a fifth successive title under his management. Kilkenny later trounced Tipperary, the defeated league finalists, in a one-sided All-Ireland semi-final. An up-and-coming Cork team provided the opposition in Cody’s fourth All-Ireland final as manager. The result hung in the balance until the last five minutes when Martin Comerford
scored the winning goal. A 1-14 to 1-11 score line gave Cody his third All-Ireland title as manager.
Cody had one of his lowest seasons as manager. Kilkenny surrendered their league title as the possibility of capturing a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. Cody’s team later stumbled through the Leinster championship. They failed to retain their provincial crown for a seventh successive season as Wexford defeated Kilkenny by a single point in a thrilling semi-final. This was Cody’s first, and since then his only defeat in the Leinster championship since he took over as manager. Kilkenny’s three-in-a-row hopes were not dashed completely as the qualifier route was open to them. They narrowly defeated Clare after a replay before having another close shave in the All-Ireland semi-final with Waterford
. For the second year in-a-row Kilkenny faced Cork in the All-Ireland final. At half-time the sides were evenly matched, however, the final 23 minutes saw Cork score nine points without reply from Kilkenny. The 0-17 to 0-9 score line ended Cody’s hopes of a third successive All-Ireland and meant that he ended the season without any silverware.
by capturing a third National League title in four years. The side also regained their provincial crown after a narrow win over Wexford setting up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Galway. Once again Cody’s team seemed to have one eye on the All-Ireland final as all the pundits had predicted a third consecutive meeting of Cork and Kilkenny in the championship decider. Cody’s side got off to a great start in the game against Galway, however, a young Galway team fought back and exposed a poor defence. The final score of 5-18 to 4-18 in favour of Galway saw Kilkenny leave the championship following one of the games of the decade. This game also brought the curtain down on the careers of Peter Barry
and D.J. Carey, two of the stalwarts of Cody’s team over the years.
Brian Cody introduced some fresh blood and described his team as ‘being in transition’. Criticism of his team selection and tactics hurt him personally and he answered his critics with success on the hurling field. Kilkenny stormed to a fourth National League title before capturing another Leinster title following a victory over Wexford. Cody’s side later trounced Galway and Clare in the All-Ireland series of games before lining out against Cork in the championship decider. ‘The Rebels’ were aiming for a third successive All-Ireland title. Stopping Cork, although denied by Cody, proved to be a huge motivating factor. Kilkenny suffocated Cork’s style of play in the game and sealed the victory by three points. After the game a delighted Cody danced on the sideline and described the win as his greatest victory.
, a team written off at the start of the year, provided the opposition in the game. Cody’s side got off to the best possible start and led by 2-3 to no score after ten minutes. It was a lead that the team would never surrender and Cody captured his fifth All-Ireland title as a manager.
The county's first outing in the Leinster championship saw Offaly providing the opposition. While Kilkenny came under some pressure in the first-half they powered on to win by 2-24 to 0-12. The subsequent Leinster final saw Kilkenny take on Wexford
once again. In a repeat of the semi-final Kilkenny were put under pressure in the first-half and only led by two points at the interval. The second-half saw a complete transformation as Cody's side piled on the pressure and won by 5-21 to 0-17. It was Cody's ninth Leinster title as manager. Due to a restructuring of the championship format this victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland semi-final. That game saw Cody's side take on fierce rivals Cork. It was the first time that the two sides had met in the championship outside an All-Ireland final. Once again Klkenny showed their class and went on to win by 1-23 to 0-17. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny take on Waterford
. It was their first meeting in the championship decider since 1963. A classic game of hurling was expected by many, but Kilkenny started stronger and two goals by Eddie Brennan in the first 20 minutes effectively killed the game. The Cats ploughed on to record an enormous 3-30 to 1-13 victory over their near neighbours. It was one of the most one-sided finals in decades. The victory gave Kilkenny their third All-Ireland title in a row and set them apart as possibly the greatest Kilkenny team of all-time. After the game Cody was surprisingly chosen as the RTÉ
Man of the Match
.
2-22 to 0-23. Comparing this achievement with Cork's 1941-44 is difficult: while some critics suggest that Kilkenny had the luxury of winning at a time when hurling standards are low throughout the country, others point out that many teams were unable to compete in 1941 (when Cork won the first of their four in a row) due to a foot and mouth outbreak. (In fact, when the deferred Munster Championship was played after the All Ireland final, Cork were beaten.) Another factor to consider is that the Kilkenny team won the 4 All Irelands in a row in the "back-door" era where all teams can be beaten once in their province and remain in the championship.
for the first time in a provincial final, Kilkenny ran out winners 1-19 to 1-12. They were drawn to play old rivals Cork in the All-Ireland Semi-final which they won easily (3-22 to 0-19) to reach their tenth All-Ireland Final under Cody. Providing the opposition were the previous year's opponents Tipperary
and many expected Kilkenny to run out winners. However, Tipperary
gained revenge for their defeat the year before by winning 4-17 to 1-18.
, since the 1980s. She was a camogie star in her own right and enjoyed much success with the famous Buffer's Alley club and at inter-county level with Wexford
. Together they have two sons: Donnacha
(born 1985) and Diarmuid (born 1994). Donnacha has followed in his father's footsteps as a player with James Stephens and as a member of the Kilkenny senior hurlers between 2006 and 2008. Diarmuid featured on the county's minor side in 2011.
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...
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...
manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
and former player, currently managing the 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...
senior inter-county team, where he has been in charge since 1998. Cody is regarded as one of the greatest managers of the modern game.
As a player Cody enjoyed a successful career at club level with James Stephens and at inter-county level with Kilkenny. He established himself as a full-back with Kilkenny throughout the 1970s and 1980s and collected three 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....
titles, four Leinster
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
titles and two 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...
titles.
Cody previously coached in all grades at club level with James Stephens before making the leap to inter-county management in November 1998 when he was appointed manager of Kilkenny. Currently in his twelfth season with Kilkenny, Cody is the second-longest serving coach in their history after Fr. Tommy Maher
Tommy Maher
Monsignor Tommy Maher is a retired Irish hurling coach and former player. He played hurling with his local club Thomastown and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1940s...
, while his tenure is the longest of all the current championship managers. During this time, Cody has guided Kilkenny to eight All-Ireland titles, ten Leinster titles and four National League titles. The team's dominance of the Leinster Championship is unparalleled in the modern era, to such an extent that Kilkenny have only lost one provincial game since Cody's inaugural season in 1999.
Early life
Brian Cody was born in Sheestown, four miles outside Kilkenny city in 1954. The son of ThomastownThomastown
-Landmarks:Kilfane Glen is a restored historic 1790s garden of romantic era with waterfall, woodland walks and cottage orne. The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union Cultural Commission...
natives Bill Cody and the former Annie Hoyne, he was born into a family that was heavily involved in 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...
. Hurling in particular was hugely important for Cody's father. He was a selector with both the 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...
minor and senior teams before later serving as chairman of the James Stephens
James Stephens (GAA Club)
James Stephens is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1887 and has enjoyed equal success in both hurling and Gaelic football.-History:...
club for seventeen years. His tenure coincided with the club’s most successful period ever. In her youth Cody’s mother played camogie
Camogie
Camogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....
with her local team.
Cody was educated at his local national school where his interest in the game of hurling was first developed. He later boarded at St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny, a virtual nursery for young, talented players. It was at St. Kieran's where Cody first tasted major hurling success. He was a key member of the college team in 1971 when St. Kieran's captured the Leinster colleges’ title. Cody later helped his school to the All-Ireland
Dr. Croke Cup
The Dr. Croke Cup is an inter-county GAA competition in hurling. The first Croke Cups took place between 1896 and 1915. Clare was the first winner of the Dr Croke Cup for Hurling in 1896. In 1909 Ulster were expelled from the Dr...
title following a win over St. Finbarr's College from Cork. He won a second consecutive Leinster colleges’ medal in 1972, however, St. Finbarr's gained their revenge and were victorious on this occasion. It was from these successes with St. Kieran’s that Cody’s inter-county career with Kilkenny evolved.
Cody later attended St. Patrick's College in Dublin where he studied to be a primary school teacher. Here he played on the college hurling team where one of his contemporaries was Ger Loughnane
Ger Loughnane
Ger Loughnane is a Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Feakle and with the Clare senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s...
, a future hurling star and inter-county manager of 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....
. Cody currently works at St. Patrick's De La Salle national school in Kilkenny, where he has been principal since 2009.
Club
Cody played his club hurlingHurling
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...
with the famous James Stephens
James Stephens (GAA Club)
James Stephens is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1887 and has enjoyed equal success in both hurling and Gaelic football.-History:...
club in Kilkenny. He enjoyed much success at juvenile and underage levels before moving onto the senior team. He won his first senior county title with ‘the Village’ club in 1975. James Stephens later represented Kilkenny in the provincial club championship. At the start of 1976 Cody added a Leinster
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...
club medal to his collection following a 1-14 to 2-4 defeat of Offaly champions St. Rynagh’s
St. Rynagh's GAA
St. Rynagh's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club that encompasses the towns of Cloghan and Banagher in County Offaly, in Ireland. Formed in 1961, the club gained almost immediate success - winning the senior championship in 1965. St. Rynagh's went on to appear in three All-Ireland club finals...
. Two months later he lined out in the club championship decider. His side fought back from a five-point deficit at half-time to record a 2-10 to 2-4 defeat of Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
. It was his first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
club title and the first time that a Kilkenny club had captured the All-Ireland title.
In 1976 Cody added a second consecutive county medal to his collection. His club was later defeated by Camross in the Leinster club final. It was 1981 before Cody won his third and final county title. James Stephens later defeated Faythe Harriers
Faythe Harriers
Faythe Harriers is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Wexford town, Ireland.-History:The history of the Faythe Harriers stretches back to the early 1940s, although the hurling club wasn't formed until 1949. In the late 1930s, the Mulgannon Harriers were the G.A.A...
of Wexford by a single point to give Cody a second Leinster club medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw James Stephens take on Mount Sion from Waterford. At half-time Cody’s side were behind by seven points, however, the team fought back with three second-half goals by John McCormack to record a great 3-13 to 3-8 victory. It was Cody’s second All-Ireland club medal.
Minor & under-21
Cody first came to prominence on the inter-county scene in the early 1970s as a member of the Kilkenny minor hurling team. He won his first LeinsterLeinster Minor Hurling Championship
The ESB Leinster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council...
title in this grade in 1971 when Kilkenny recorded an enormous 7-18 to 3-5 victory over Wexford. The subsequent All-Ireland championship decider saw Kilkenny take on Cork. An exciting and close game ensued, however, the full-time whistle Cork were victorious by 2-11 to 1-11. In 1972 Cody was in his final year in the minor grade when he was appointed captain of the team. That year Kilkenny recorded another comprehensive win in the Leinster final. The 7-10 to 0-4 victory over Wexford gave Cody a second provincial minor medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final was a repeat of the previous year as Kilkenny lined out against Cork. Cody’s team ran riot over the course of the sixty minutes and recorded another huge victory. The 8-7 to 3-9 score line gave Cody a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
minor medal and the honour of collecting the cup.
Cody subsequently joined the Kilkenny under-21 where he enjoyed further successes. After defeat in 1973 he won a Leinster
Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster U-21 Hurling Championship or for sponsorship reasons the Erin Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship is an U-21 hurling tournament. The first tournament took place in 1964 when Wexford were crowned champions. Wexford...
under-21 medal in 1974 after a 3-8 to 1-4 victory over their great rivals and near-neighbours Wexford. The subsequent All-Ireland final was a novel affair as 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...
, the surprise winners of the Munster title, provided the opposition. Kilkenny were the favourites going into the game, however, the final was a much closer affair than commentators had previously thought. A narrow 3-8 to 3-7 victory gave Kilkenny the win and gave Cody his first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
medal. In 1975 Cody was in his last year with the under-21 team as Kilkenny continued their provincial dominance. Another huge 3-14 to 0-8 win over Wexford gave Cody a second consecutive Leinster under-21 title. Cork provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and another interesting encounter developed. A finals core of 5-13 to 2-19 gave Kilkenny the victory and gave Cody his second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 medal.
Senior
While still a member of the Kilkenny under-21 team Cody joined the county senior panel. A series of injuries and misfortune leading up to Kilkenny’s All-Ireland final showdown with LimerickLimerick 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...
led to Cody, a virtual unknown quantity at senior level, being drafted onto the starting fifteen. He lined out in the left half-back position that day, however, it was a bad afternoon 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...
for Kilkenny. A goal by Mossie Dowling
Mossie Dowling
Mossie Dowling is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Kilmallock and with the Limerick senior inter-county team in the 1970s.-References:...
and an attack spear-headed by Richie Bennis
Richie Bennis
Richie Bennis is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Patrickswell and with the Limerick senior inter-county in the 1960s and 1970s. Bennis later served as manager of the Limerick senior team from 2006 until 2008.As a player Bennis was involved...
led to Limerick winning the game by 1-21 to 1-14.
The All-Ireland final defeat led to a reshuffle of the Kilkenny team and Cody found it hard to retain his place on the starting fifteen the following year. He was still a member of the panel as Kilkenny went on to claim Leinster and All-Ireland titles that year.
Cody was back on the starting fifteen in 1975 as the great Kilkenny team of the era was beginning to disband. Kilkenny took on Wexford in the Leinster final that year in the first seventy minute provincial decider. The game was an exciting one with Kilkenny winning relatively easily by 2-20 to 2-14. It was Cody’s first senior Leinster
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
title on the field of play. He later lined out in his second All-Ireland final appearance with Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
providing the opposition on this occasion. The men from the West got off to a good start and led at half-time. Things got better for Galway when P.J. Qualter scored a quick goal at the start of the second-half. Kilkenny fought back with Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher
Edward Peter Keher , better known as Eddie Keher, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game....
scoring 2-7 and Liam O'Brien
Liam O'Brien (hurler)
-Teams:...
chipping in with five points to give ‘the Cats’ a twelve point victory. It was Cody’s first senior 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....
medal on the field of play. He was one of the team’s star players throughout the championship and was subsequently presented with his first All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award.
1976 began well for Cody when he played a key role in Kilkenny’s 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...
victory. His side later went into decline and surrendered their provincial crown to Wexford in 1976 and 1977.
In 1978 Cody lined out in his fourth consecutive Leinster final against Wexford, the reigning champions. The game developed into a close affair; however, victory went to ‘the Cats’ by 2-16 to 1-16. It was Cody’s second Leinster title. Following a subsequent victory over Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final Kilkenny faced arch-rivals Cork in the All-Ireland championship decider. Much was at stake as Cork were aiming to capture a third All-Ireland victory in-a-row and nothing would give Kilkenny greater pleasure than stopping them. Both sides remained neck and neck for much of the game, however, Cody was having a tough time in the unusual position of full-forward. Cork’s 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...
scored the winning goal for Cork with thirteen minutes left in the game. For the second time Cody ended up on the losing side on All-Ireland final day.
The All-Ireland defeat saw a reshuffle of the team take place with Cody losing out once again. Kilkenny went on to win both Leinster and All-Ireland titles in 1979; however, Cody had to settle for collecting his winners’ medals as a non-playing substitute in both games. He was back on the starting fifteen in 1980; however, Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
emerged as a new force in Leinster in both 1980 and 1981.
In 1982 Cody had the great honour of being appointed captain of the Kilkenny senior team. That year he collected a second National League title before leading his team out in Croke Park for the Leinster final. Offaly, the reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions were the opponents on that occasion and an interesting game developed. After a close seventy minutes of hurling Kilkenny emerged victorious by just two points. Cody later had the honour of collecting the famed Bob O’Keeffe Cup before he was presented with his third Leinster winners’ medal. He subsequently led his men out in Croke Park in the All-Ireland championship decider against Cork. Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glenmore and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s. Heffernan is regarded as one of Kilkenny's greatest-ever players.-Club:...
was the hero of the day as he scored two goals in a forty second spell just before half-time. Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1989. Fennelly captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1979.-Biography:Ger Fennelly was born in Piltown, County...
captured a third goal in the second-half as Kilkenny completely trounced ‘the Rebels’ by 3-18 to 1-15. This victory gave Cody his second All-Ireland medal while also allowing him to collect the Liam McCarthy Cup
Liam McCarthy Cup
The MacCarthy Perpetual Challenge Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the hurling team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-The trophy:...
on behalf of his team. In doing so he joined a select group of players who captained their county to both minor and senior All-Ireland victories. Cody was later presented with a second All-Star award.
In 1983 Cody missed Kilkenny’s second consecutive National League victory, however, he returned in time for the Leinster final against Offaly. It was their second consecutive meeting in the provincial decider, however, on this occasion the victory was more comprehensive on this occasion. A 1-17 to 0-13 win gave Cody his fourth and final Leinster medal. For the second year in-a-row ‘the Cats’ squared up to Cork in the All-Ireland final. Once again Kilkenny dominated the game, assisted by a strong wind in the first-half, and hung on in the face of a great fight-back by Cork. At the full-time whistle Kilkenny emerged victorious by 2-14 to 2-12. It was Cody’s third and final All-Ireland medal.
Kilkenny’s fortunes took a downturn following this victory as Offaly won the next two Leinster titles. He played his last game for his county in 1986 in the Leinster championship against Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
.
Provincial
Cody also lined out with LeinsterLeinster 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...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He was a non-playing substitute when Leinster defeated arch-rivals Munster
Munster 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:...
to win the Railway Cup in 1977.
1999: First season
Cody was appointed manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team on 16 November 1998. He was the only candidate nominated for the position and was initially appointed for a two-year term. In the lead-up to the start of the championship Cody was very contemplative about his team's chances. He believed that 1999 was going to be one of the most open championships in years with any team capable of winning either the Munster or Leinster provincial deciders. In his first full season in charge Cody brought some new players onto the team. James McGarryJames McGarry
James McGarry is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Bennettsbridge and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1999 to 2008.-Club:...
, at the age of 27, made his senior debut as goalkeeper while a young Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
was unearthed and was a new addition in the forward line. With a blend of youth and experience Cody guided his team to a second consecutive Leinster title. The 5-14 to 1-16 defeat of reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
was flattering to say the least. A four-point victory over 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....
in the All-Ireland semi-final set up a championship decider against Cork. Kilkenny, as the defeated finalists of the previous year, were installed as the red-hot favourites over a Cork team with an average age of 21. In one of the least memorable All-Ireland finals of the decade, ‘the Rebels’ saw off the challenge of Cody’s team by just a single point. After five years of something of a revolution in the hurling world, the old order had been restored.
2000: First All-Ireland
In 2000All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2000
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2000 was the 114th edition of Ireland’s premier hurling knockout competition. The championship ran from May to September of that year, culminating with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin on 10 September...
Cody’s side captured a third successive Leinster title, his second as manager, following another flattering victory over Offaly. It would not be the last time that these two sides would meet in the 2000 championship. Another resounding victory, this time over Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the All-Ireland semi-final, allowed Cody’s side advance to the All-Ireland final once again. It was the team’s third consecutive apperanace in the championship decider and the possibility of losing a third final in-a-row was a huge motivating factor for Kilkenny. Offaly, the defeated Leinster finalists, provided the opposition, however, in one of the most one-sided finals in decades Kilkenny won on a score line of 5-15 to 1-14. Cody had finally captured his first All-Ireland title as a manager.
2001: A shock defeat
Kilkenny were the favourites to retain the All-Ireland title in 2001All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2001
-Ulster Senior Hurling Championship:-----------------All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship:Note: * = Provincial Champion, = Replay-------------------------Season:-Single game:-References:...
. Things got off to a good start as Cody’s side retained their Leinster crown following a trouncing of 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 provincial final. Things looked as if they were going to plan, however, Kilkenny played Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final with one eye on the All-Ireland final. Galway capitalised on this over-confidence and dumped the reigning champions out of the championship on a score line of 2-15 to 1-13.
2002: League and All-Ireland success
Following Kilkenny’s shock defeat by Galway in 2001 ‘the Cats’ had a point to prove in 2002All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2002
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2002 was the 116th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition...
. With this in mind Cody turned to 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...
. Kilkenny hadn’t won the competition since 1995, however, Cody’s side set out at the start of the year to win every game possible. Arch-rivals Cork provided the opposition in the National League final, however, it was Kilkenny who emerged victorious by a single point. On the back of this success Kilkenny subsequently captured a fifth successive Leinster title, this time with a smaller margin of victory over near rivals Wexford. 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...
fell in the All-Ireland semi-final and Kilkenny went on to face 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....
in the championship decider. It was an historic occasion as Clare, who were defeate din the first-round of the Munster championship, became the first team to reach the final via the newly introduced qualifier system. Goals by D.J. Carey and Henry Shefflin sealed the victory for Kilkenny as Clare were defeated by 2-20 to 0-19. It was Cody’s second All-Ireland as a manager.
2003: League and All-Ireland double
Cody’s Kilkenny continued their dominance in all competitions in 2003All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003
The 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...
. A thrilling National League final saw ‘the Cats’ defeat Tipperary by 5-15 to 5-14 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...
. Once again this league victory launched as a spring board for Kilkenny’s assault on the All-Ireland championship, however, all was not well in the Kilkenny camp. At the start of the championship Cody had a much publicised disagreement with team captain Charlie Carter
Charlie Carter
Charles "Charlie" Carter born 1970) is a former Irish sportsperson. He still plays his club hurling with his local Young Irelands GAA Club and played with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1990s and 2000s.-Club:...
. Carter was later dropped from the starting fifteen and was replaced as captain by D.J. Carey. In spite of internal troubles another facile eleven point victory over Wexford gave Cody’s team a fifth successive title under his management. Kilkenny later trounced Tipperary, the defeated league finalists, in a one-sided All-Ireland semi-final. An up-and-coming Cork team provided the opposition in Cody’s fourth All-Ireland final as manager. The result hung in the balance until the last five minutes when 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:...
scored the winning goal. A 1-14 to 1-11 score line gave Cody his third All-Ireland title as manager.
2004: Trophyless season
In 2004All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2004
The 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:...
Cody had one of his lowest seasons as manager. Kilkenny surrendered their league title as the possibility of capturing a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. Cody’s team later stumbled through the Leinster championship. They failed to retain their provincial crown for a seventh successive season as Wexford defeated Kilkenny by a single point in a thrilling semi-final. This was Cody’s first, and since then his only defeat in the Leinster championship since he took over as manager. Kilkenny’s three-in-a-row hopes were not dashed completely as the qualifier route was open to them. They narrowly defeated Clare after a replay before having another close shave in the All-Ireland semi-final with 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...
. For the second year in-a-row Kilkenny faced Cork in the All-Ireland final. At half-time the sides were evenly matched, however, the final 23 minutes saw Cork score nine points without reply from Kilkenny. The 0-17 to 0-9 score line ended Cody’s hopes of a third successive All-Ireland and meant that he ended the season without any silverware.
2005: Another mixed season
Cody’s Kilkenny fought back in 2005All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2005
The 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....
by capturing a third National League title in four years. The side also regained their provincial crown after a narrow win over Wexford setting up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Galway. Once again Cody’s team seemed to have one eye on the All-Ireland final as all the pundits had predicted a third consecutive meeting of Cork and Kilkenny in the championship decider. Cody’s side got off to a great start in the game against Galway, however, a young Galway team fought back and exposed a poor defence. The final score of 5-18 to 4-18 in favour of Galway saw Kilkenny leave the championship following one of the games of the decade. This game also brought the curtain down on the careers of Peter Barry
Peter Barry (hurler)
Peter Barry is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club James Stephens and is a former member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team.-Club:...
and D.J. Carey, two of the stalwarts of Cody’s team over the years.
2006: Cody’s greatest success
In 2006All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2006
The 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:...
Brian Cody introduced some fresh blood and described his team as ‘being in transition’. Criticism of his team selection and tactics hurt him personally and he answered his critics with success on the hurling field. Kilkenny stormed to a fourth National League title before capturing another Leinster title following a victory over Wexford. Cody’s side later trounced Galway and Clare in the All-Ireland series of games before lining out against Cork in the championship decider. ‘The Rebels’ were aiming for a third successive All-Ireland title. Stopping Cork, although denied by Cody, proved to be a huge motivating factor. Kilkenny suffocated Cork’s style of play in the game and sealed the victory by three points. After the game a delighted Cody danced on the sideline and described the win as his greatest victory.
2007: A fifth All-Ireland title
In 2007 Cody’s side were back on top of the hurling world and were installed as early favourites to retain the All-Ireland title. Kilkenny’s National League campaign got off to a shaky start, but they still reached the final. Waterford were the opponents on that occasion and went on to capture their first national title since 1963. Even at this early stage pundits predicted that these two sides were likely to meet again in the All-Ireland final. A 2-24 to 1-12 victory over Wexford saw Cody’s side capture a ninth Leinster title in ten seasons. Victories over Galway and Wexford again saw Kilkenny cruise to yet another All-Ireland final appearanace. Surprisingly, LimerickLimerick 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...
, a team written off at the start of the year, provided the opposition in the game. Cody’s side got off to the best possible start and led by 2-3 to no score after ten minutes. It was a lead that the team would never surrender and Cody captured his fifth All-Ireland title as a manager.
2008: Three-in-a-row
In 2008 Kilkenny were offered their second opportunity of the decade to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. 1913 was the last time that Kilkenny won three consecutive championships, however, the merit of this treble has been questioned because Kilkenny were awarded the 1911 championship title after Limerick refused the play the final. To win in 2008 would show that Kilkenny were capable of doing three in-a-row after several near misses. Furthermore, an All-Ireland final win would allow Kilkenny to top the All-Ireland roll of honour with thirty-one titles.The county's first outing in the Leinster championship saw Offaly providing the opposition. While Kilkenny came under some pressure in the first-half they powered on to win by 2-24 to 0-12. The subsequent Leinster final saw Kilkenny take on 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...
once again. In a repeat of the semi-final Kilkenny were put under pressure in the first-half and only led by two points at the interval. The second-half saw a complete transformation as Cody's side piled on the pressure and won by 5-21 to 0-17. It was Cody's ninth Leinster title as manager. Due to a restructuring of the championship format this victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland semi-final. That game saw Cody's side take on fierce rivals Cork. It was the first time that the two sides had met in the championship outside an All-Ireland final. Once again Klkenny showed their class and went on to win by 1-23 to 0-17. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny take on 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...
. It was their first meeting in the championship decider since 1963. A classic game of hurling was expected by many, but Kilkenny started stronger and two goals by Eddie Brennan in the first 20 minutes effectively killed the game. The Cats ploughed on to record an enormous 3-30 to 1-13 victory over their near neighbours. It was one of the most one-sided finals in decades. The victory gave Kilkenny their third All-Ireland title in a row and set them apart as possibly the greatest Kilkenny team of all-time. After the game Cody was surprisingly chosen as the 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...
Man of the Match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
.
2009: Four-in-a row
Cody was unsurprisingly reappointed manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team for an eleventh season at the end of 2008. On 6 September they matched Cork's seemingly unbeatable record by winning their four consecutive All-Ireland titles by beating TipperaryTipperary 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...
2-22 to 0-23. Comparing this achievement with Cork's 1941-44 is difficult: while some critics suggest that Kilkenny had the luxury of winning at a time when hurling standards are low throughout the country, others point out that many teams were unable to compete in 1941 (when Cork won the first of their four in a row) due to a foot and mouth outbreak. (In fact, when the deferred Munster Championship was played after the All Ireland final, Cork were beaten.) Another factor to consider is that the Kilkenny team won the 4 All Irelands in a row in the "back-door" era where all teams can be beaten once in their province and remain in the championship.
2010: The 'Drive for Five'
Cody managed Kilkenny for his 12th season, guiding them to their tenth Leinster Final. Facing GalwayGalway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
for the first time in a provincial final, Kilkenny ran out winners 1-19 to 1-12. They were drawn to play old rivals Cork in the All-Ireland Semi-final which they won easily (3-22 to 0-19) to reach their tenth All-Ireland Final under Cody. Providing the opposition were the previous year's opponents 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...
and many expected Kilkenny to run out winners. However, 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...
gained revenge for their defeat the year before by winning 4-17 to 1-18.
Personal life
Cody has been married to Elsie Walsh, a native of WexfordWexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
, since the 1980s. She was a camogie star in her own right and enjoyed much success with the famous Buffer's Alley club and at inter-county level with 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...
. Together they have two sons: Donnacha
Donnacha Cody
Donnacha Cody is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club James Stephens and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2006 until 2008....
(born 1985) and Diarmuid (born 1994). Donnacha has followed in his father's footsteps as a player with James Stephens and as a member of the Kilkenny senior hurlers between 2006 and 2008. Diarmuid featured on the county's minor side in 2011.
James Stephens
- Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship:
- Winner (3): 1975, 1976, 1981
- Runner-up (3): 1973, 1982, 1983
- Leinster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...
:- Winner (2): 1975-1976, 1981–1982
- Runner-up (1): 1976-1977
- All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
:- Winner (2): 1975-1976, 1981–1982
Kilkenny
- 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 (5): 1974All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1974-Miscellaneous:* In the Munster final Clare's Seán Stack scores a remarkable own goal for Limerick.* The All-Ireland 'B' champions were allowed to participate in the All-Ireland series for the first time...
(sub), 1975All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1975-Miscellaneous:* All championship games were reduced from eighty to seventy minutes.* The All-Ireland semi-final sees Galway's defeat Cork for the very first time in the history of the championship...
, 1979All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1979-Miscellaneous:* Cork capture a record-equalling fifth successive Munster title following a victory over Limerick. It is the second time that Cork have achieved the five-in-a-row, the first since 1905....
(sub), 1982All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1982The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1982 was the 96th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Kilkenny won the championship, beating Cork 3-18 to 1-13 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:...
, 1983All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1983-Miscellaneous:* Tipperary's victory over Clare in the Munster quarter-final is the team's first in the provincial championship since 1973.* The attendance of 20,816 at the Munster final is the lowest at the provincial decider since 1972.... - Runner-up (2): 1973, 1978
- Winner (5): 1974
- Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
:- Winner (8): 1973 (sub), 1974 (sub), 1975, 1978, 1979 (sub), 1982, 1983, 1986 (sub)
- Runner-up (2): 1976, 1977, 1980
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe 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...
:- Winner (3): 1976, 1982, 1983 (sub)
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
:- Winner (2): 1974, 1975
- Leinster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipFor the Senior equivalent see: Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster U-21 Hurling Championship or for sponsorship reasons the Erin Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship is an U-21 hurling tournament. The first tournament took place in 1964 when Wexford were crowned champions. Wexford...
:- Winner (2): 1974, 1975
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
:- Winner (1): 1972
- Runner-up (1): 1971
- Leinster Minor Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe ESB Leinster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council...
:- Winner (2): 1971, 1972
Kilkenny
- 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 (8): 2000All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2000The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2000 was the 114th edition of Ireland’s premier hurling knockout competition. The championship ran from May to September of that year, culminating with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin on 10 September...
, 2002All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2002The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2002 was the 116th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition...
, 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:...
, 2007All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2007The 121st All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship commenced in May 2007 and was retained by holders Kilkenny after overwhelming Limerick in the final on Sunday 2 September.-Format:The format of the 2007 championship remains the same as in 2006:...
, 2008All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2008The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship 2008 was the 122nd since its establishment in 1887. The first matches of the season were played on 25 May 2008, and the championship ended on 7 September 2008...
, 2009All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2009-Munster Senior Hurling Championship:---------------------Qualifiers:-------------------------Relegation play-offs:----...
, 2011All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2011The 2011 GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship was the 123rd staging of the All-Ireland championship since its establishment in 1887. The draw for the 2011 fixtures took place on 7 October 2010. The championship began on 14 May and ended on 4 September 2011... - Runner-up (3): 1999, 2004, 2010
- Winner (8): 2000
- Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
:- Winner (12): 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe 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...
:- Winner (5): 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006National Hurling League 2006-Division 1:Brian Cody won his fourth league title with Kilkenny, and the second in succession, as 'the Cats' remained the only undefeated team throughout the entire league...
, 2009National Hurling League 2009The 2009 National Hurling League was held between February and May, 2009. 35 GAA county hurling teams, 34 from Ireland , and London contested it. Kilkenny were the Division 1 champions.-Format:... - Runner-up (2): 2007National Hurling League 2007The 2007 National Hurling League was a national hurling league competition between 32 GAA county teams from Ireland and London from England. The following information was submitted to Wikipedia without any sources, and is provided in good faith without any testament as to its accuracy.-Division One...
, 2011National Hurling League 2011The 2011 National Hurling League was a Hurling competition run by the Gaelic Athletic Association between February and May 2011. It was contested by 35 county hurling teams—34 from Ireland , and London. Dublin won the Division 1 title after a 0-22 to 1-7 win against Kilkenny in the final at Croke...
,
- Winner (5): 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
- Walsh CupWalsh Cup (hurling)The Walsh Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1954 for the top inter-county and third-level hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The cup was named after Tom Walsh , Chairman of the Leinster Council...
:- Winner (4): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Sources
- Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
- Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).
- Fullam, Brendan, Captains of the Ash (Wolfhound Press, Dublin, 2004)
As a manager
| Team | From | To | SHC Record | NHL Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| 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... |
November 16, 1998 | Present | 48 | 42 | 1 | 5 | 87.50 | 87 | 65 | 4 | 18 | 74.71 |