Martin Kennedy (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Martin Kennedy was an Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Toomevara
and with the Tipperary
senior inter-county team from 1922 until 1936. Kennedy is regarded as one of Tipperary’s greatest-ever players.
club in 1919. It was only when the regular full-forward on that team got injured that Kennedy was used in this position and he went on to enjoy much success. He won his first senior county title
in 1919 and added further county medals in 1923, 1930 and 1931. Kennedy continued to play until well into his forties and joined the Kiladangan club after marrying and settling there. He later played at full-forward with an LDF
selection in Limerick
during the Emergency.
senior inter-county team in the championship of 1922. In his very first game, played against Cork in Cork, he lined out at full-forward against Seán Óg Murphy
and scored four goals. Kennedy’s side won the game; however, it would be 2008 before Tipp defeated Cork at home again. The subsequent Munster final saw Tipperary draw with Limerick
. The replay gave Tipp a comprehensive victory and gave Kennedy his first Munster
title. The All-Ireland final pitted Tipp against Kilkenny
for the first time in almost a decade. With three minutes left in the game Kennedy’s side were leading by three points and looked set for victory, however, Paddy Donoghue and Dick Tobin
scored two quick goals. Kennedy missed a late goal chance in that game when his scooped effort ended up on top of the net. Kilkenny won the game by 4-2 to 2-6.
Two years later in 1924 Kennedy captured a second Munster title as Tipp defeated reigning provincial champions Limerick by 3-1 to 2-2. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Galway
, the reigning All-Ireland champions, defeat Kennedy’s side by just a single point.
Tipp retained their provincial crown in 1925 with an overwhelming defeat of Watreford
by 6-6 to 1-2. It was Kennedy’s third Munster medal. Tipp later trounced Antrim
to qualify for and All-Ireland final with Galway. Kennedy’s side got off to a great start with two quick goals and never looked back. Tipperary won the game by 5-6 to 1-5 giving Kennedy his first All-Ireland
medal.
1926 saw Tipperary surrender their Munster title to Cork after an exciting three-game saga. Prior to this the Tipperary team embarked on a tour of North America
in May, playing and winning six games. Kennedy scored 27 goals on the tour, including seven in one game.
The next few years saw Cork dominate the provincial championship; however, Kennedy captured a National Hurling League
medal with Tipp in 1928. Tipp bounced back two years later in 1930 with Kennedy collecting a fourth Munster medal at the expense of Clare
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Dublin
provide the opposition. The first-half was a close affair; however, goals by Kennedy and captain John Joe Callanan
gave Tipp the edge. The Munster men hung on to win by 2-7 to 1-3, giving Kennedy his second All-Ireland medal.
Tipp went into decline for the next few years as Limerick emerged as the dominant team in Munster. Kennedy continued to play with Tipp until a serious injury forced his retirement from the inter-county scene in 1936.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He first played for his province in the inaugural year of the Railway Cup competition in 1927, however, Leinster
were the victors on that occasion. Kennedy collected his first Railway Cup winners’ medal in 1928. It was the first of four titles in-a-row. He won his fifth and final Railway Cup medal in 1934.
Martin Kennedy died in 1983. He was posthumously honoured in 2000 when he was named in the full-forward position on the Tipperary Hurling Team of the Century.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportsperson. He played 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...
with his local club Toomevara
Toomevara GAA
Toomevara GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Toomevara in County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling.-Honours:*Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 3** 1993, 2004, 2006...
and with the 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...
senior inter-county team from 1922 until 1936. Kennedy is regarded as one of Tipperary’s greatest-ever players.
Club
Kennedy first played club hurling as a goalkeeper with the Borrisoleigh club. He had been born in that portion of the parish and contested two county intermediate finals before transferring his allegiance to the ToomevaraToomevara GAA
Toomevara GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Toomevara in County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling.-Honours:*Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 3** 1993, 2004, 2006...
club in 1919. It was only when the regular full-forward on that team got injured that Kennedy was used in this position and he went on to enjoy much success. He won his first senior county title
Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
The Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...
in 1919 and added further county medals in 1923, 1930 and 1931. Kennedy continued to play until well into his forties and joined the Kiladangan club after marrying and settling there. He later played at full-forward with an LDF
LDF
LDF may mean:* Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin* Left Democratic Front , regional political alliance in Maharashtra, India.* Left Democratic Front , regional political alliance in Kerala, India.* NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund...
selection in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
during the Emergency.
Inter-county
Kennedy made his debut with the 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...
senior inter-county team in the championship of 1922. In his very first game, played against Cork in Cork, he lined out at full-forward against Seán Óg Murphy
Seán Óg Murphy
Jackie 'Seán Óg' Murphy was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1915 until 1929. Murphy captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1926 and 1928...
and scored four goals. Kennedy’s side won the game; however, it would be 2008 before Tipp defeated Cork at home again. The subsequent Munster final saw Tipperary draw with Limerick
Limerick 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...
. The replay gave Tipp a comprehensive victory and gave Kennedy his first Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster 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 Munster in Ireland....
title. The All-Ireland final pitted Tipp against 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...
for the first time in almost a decade. With three minutes left in the game Kennedy’s side were leading by three points and looked set for victory, however, Paddy Donoghue and Dick Tobin
Dick Tobin
Richard "Dick" Tobin was an Irish hurler who played as a right corner-forward for the Kilkenny senior team from 1916 until 1925.Tobin made his first appearance for the team during the 1916 championship and became a regular player over the next decade. During that time he won one All-Ireland...
scored two quick goals. Kennedy missed a late goal chance in that game when his scooped effort ended up on top of the net. Kilkenny won the game by 4-2 to 2-6.
Two years later in 1924 Kennedy captured a second Munster title as Tipp defeated reigning provincial champions Limerick by 3-1 to 2-2. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw 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,...
, the reigning All-Ireland champions, defeat Kennedy’s side by just a single point.
Tipp retained their provincial crown in 1925 with an overwhelming defeat of Watreford
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...
by 6-6 to 1-2. It was Kennedy’s third Munster medal. Tipp later trounced Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
to qualify for and All-Ireland final with Galway. Kennedy’s side got off to a great start with two quick goals and never looked back. Tipperary won the game by 5-6 to 1-5 giving Kennedy his first 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.
1926 saw Tipperary surrender their Munster title to Cork after an exciting three-game saga. Prior to this the Tipperary team embarked on a tour of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in May, playing and winning six games. Kennedy scored 27 goals on the tour, including seven in one game.
The next few years saw Cork dominate the provincial championship; however, Kennedy captured a 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...
medal with Tipp in 1928. Tipp bounced back two years later in 1930 with Kennedy collecting a fourth Munster medal at the expense 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....
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
provide the opposition. The first-half was a close affair; however, goals by Kennedy and captain John Joe Callanan
John Joe Callanan
John Joe Callanan was an Irish sportsman. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Thurles Sarsfields in Tipperary and Collegians in Dublin. He also played hurling at inter-county level with both Tipperary and Dublin in the 1920s and 1930s...
gave Tipp the edge. The Munster men hung on to win by 2-7 to 1-3, giving Kennedy his second All-Ireland medal.
Tipp went into decline for the next few years as Limerick emerged as the dominant team in Munster. Kennedy continued to play with Tipp until a serious injury forced his retirement from the inter-county scene in 1936.
Provincial
Kennedy also lined out with MunsterMunster 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:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He first played for his province in the inaugural year of the Railway Cup competition in 1927, however, Leinster
Leinster 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...
were the victors on that occasion. Kennedy collected his first Railway Cup winners’ medal in 1928. It was the first of four titles in-a-row. He won his fifth and final Railway Cup medal in 1934.
Post-playing career
In retirement from playing Murphy maintained a keen interest in Tipperary’s hurling and football affairs. He served as a selector on various Tipperary hurling teams during the golden period in the 1950s and 1960s.Martin Kennedy died in 1983. He was posthumously honoured in 2000 when he was named in the full-forward position on the Tipperary Hurling Team of the Century.