50 years of Limerick and Kilkenny hurling championship clashes

AHEAD of the 2022 All-Ireland senior hurling championship final, Limerick and Kilkenny have 14 times in the championship.

Kilkenny have won nine times to Limerick’s five.

The counties have met in eight All-Ireland SHC finals, with each winning four times.

Jerome O'Connell looks back on the nine championship clashes spanning across the last 50 years. 

2019 All-Ireland semi-final

Kilkenny 1-21 Limerick 2-17

All-Ireland champions Limerick were dethroned in a pulsating semi final in Croke Park

Brian Cody's side led from start to finish, albeit just a point between the teams at the final whistle.

Indeed Limerick could have had a late late chance to equalise but a deflection on a Darragh O'Donovan lineball out for a '65 was missed by the officials.

Ultimately Limerick paid the price for a slow start.

Kilkenny were 1-12 to 1-9 ahead at half time. It was an opening 35-minutes dominated by the men in black and amber - winning puckouts, forcing turnovers and bringing huge intensity.

SCORERS: Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-8 (7frees, 1lineball), C Fennelly 1-3, A Mullen 0-4, W Walsh 0-2, P Walsh, R Hogan, J Donnelly and J Maher 0-1 each. Limerick: A Gillane 1-9 (1-0pen, 6frees), S Dowling 1-0, G Mulcahy and D Byrnes (1free, 1 '65) 0-2 each, P Casey, T Morrissey,  B Nash and  D Reidy 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Huw Lawlor, Joey Holden; Conor Fogarty, Padraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan; Conor Browne, Richie Leahy; John Donnelly, TJ Reid, Walter Walsh; Adrian Mullen, Colin Fennelly, Richie Hogan. Subs: Cillian Buckley for Richie Leahy (33mins), Bill Sheehan for Richie Hogan (45mins), Billy Ryan for John Donnelly (51mins), Liam Blanchfield for Colin Fennelly (63mins), James Maher for Conor Fogarty (66mins).

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Mike Casey, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Cian Lynch, William O'Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Graeme Mulcahy, Peter Casey. Subs: Barry Nash for Hannon (h-t), Shane Dowling for Hegarty (55mins), Darragh O'Donovan for O'Donoghue (57mins), David Reidy for Morrissey (63mins), Pat Ryan for Casey (66mins).

2018 All-Ireland quarter-final

Limerick 0-27 Kilkenny 1-22

Limerick’s first championship win over The Cats in 45-years and it wasn’t to be the last time such a gap was bridged in 2018.

Limerick were 0-15 to 0-12 ahead at half time with nine different scores. Brian Cody’s Kilkenny made the early running but then Limerick powered into the contest after a few jittery early moments. The sides were level on four occasions and it was the 27th minute when Limerick hit the front for the first time, 0-10 to 0-9.

Kilkenny scored the only goal – six minutes from the end when Richie Hogan goaled to put his side 1-21 to 0-22 ahead.

But what a response from Limerick with Morrissey and subs Peter Casey and Shane Dowling pointing to edge Limerick back ahead 0-25 to 1-21 with four minutes to play.

Alas Kilkenny levelled the game for the sixth time with a fourth point for sub Riche Leahy.

Then up stepped Tom Morrissey and a late Gillane free to confirm an incredible win.

SCORERS: Limerick: A Gillane 0-5 (2frees), T Morrissey 0-4, K Hayes, G Mulcahy, D O’Donovan (1lineball) and G Hegarty 0-3 each, P Casey 0-2, S Flanagan, D Byrnes, D Hannon and S Dowling 0-1 each. Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-7 (5frees, 1 ’65), R Hogan 1-3, R Leahy 0-4, J Maher 0-3, C Fennelly 0-2, C Fogarty, L Blanchfield and J Donnelly 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Mike Casey, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Darragh O’Donovan, Cian Lynch; Gearoid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Graeme Mulcahy. Subs: Peter Casey for Flanagan (58mins), Shane Dowling for Hegarty (58mins), William O’Donoghue for O’Donovan (62mins).

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Padraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan; Joey Holden, Cillian Buckley, Rob Lennon; Conor Fogarty, James Maher; Martin Keoghan, Richie Hogan, Pat Lyng; Billy Ryan, Colin Fennelly, TJ Reid. Subs: Liam Blanchfield for Lyng (34mins), Richie Leahy for Keoghan (44mins), John Donnelly for Fennelly (61mins), Ger Alyward for  Ryan (71mins).

2017 All-Ireland qualifier

Kilkenny 0-20 Limerick 0-17 

In John Kiely’s first season in charge Limerick found four of the last six scores but couldn’t find the necessary goal in what was a tense hurling tie in the Marble City.

At half time it was 0-10 to 0-8 to Kilkenny but Limerick had played with the aid of the strong but swirling breeze.

It was an opening 35-minutes that saw Limerick register 13 wides and Kilkenny 10!

In the second half, 15-minutes without a score for Limerick ended with a Shane Dowling free to leave it 0-18 to 0-14 with 65-minutes on the stopwatch.

Limerick needed goals – Pat Ryan and Kyle Hayes almost created a chance but it went abegging and then Tom Morrissey saw his shot crash into the body of Paul Murphy.

SCORERS: Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-8 (6frees), W Walsh 0-4, P Deegan 0-3, K Kelly and L Ryan 0-2 each, C Bolger 0-1. Limerick: S Dowling 0-8 (6frees), P Casey 0-3, G Hegarty and K Hayes 0-2 each, B Nash 0-1 and P Ryan 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Padraig Walsh, Joey Holden; Conor Fogarty, Cillian Buckley, James Lyng; Michael Fennelly, Paddy Deegan; Chris Bolger, Walter Walsh, TJ Reid; Richie Hogan, Colin Fennelly, Ger Aylward. Subs: Kevin Kelly for Aylward (44mins), Liam Blanchfield for Hogan (52mins), Lester Ryan for Deegan (55mins), Mark Bergin for Bolger (64mins).

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Richie McCarthy, Mike Casey; Dan Morrissey, Declan Hannon, Seamus Hickey; Paul Browne, Darragh O'Donovan; David Dempsey, Cian Lynch, Gearoid Hegarty; Peter Casey, Shane Dowling, Kyle Hayes. Subs: Barry Nash for Hegarty (46mins), James Ryan for O'Donovan (50mins), Tom Morrissey for Dempsey (54mins), Pat Ryan for Browne (59mins), Graeme Mulcahy for Lynch (68mins), Gavin O'Mahony for Hannon (74mins).

2014 All-Ireland semi-final

Kilkenny 2-13 Limerick 0-17

Just twelve months ago Limerick were beaten by Clare in an All-Ireland SHC semi final after failing to perform.

But this time round, Limerick left everything out on the field but just came up short in rain never to be forgotten in Croke Park.

The goals in either half proved the difference at the end.

The decisive score came in the 55th minute when sub Richie Power appeared to get the final touch ahead of Eoin Larkin to divert a free to the Limerick net.

After a fine opening half it was Kilkenny that took a 1-9 to 0-10 lead into the half time break.

That was after a 35-minutes that Limerick had led until injury-time when Richie Hogan struck for goal.

In the eighth minute Limerick set off on a spree of five successive points.

Hannon, Seanie Tobin and Dowling frees had Limerick 0-16 to 1-11 clear.

But then came the Kilkenny second goal.

SCORERS: Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-5 (5frees), C Fennelly 0-4, R Hogan, R Power 1-0 each, P Walsh and M Fennelly 0-2 each. Limerick: S Dowling 0-7 (4frees, 1 ‘65), D Hannon 0-5, G Mulcahy 0-2, D O’Grady, D Breen, S Tobin 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: David Herity; Paul Murphy, JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrrell; Joey Holden, Brian Hogan, Cillian Buckley; Richie Hogan, Conor Fogarty; Padraig Walsh, Colin Fennelly, Michael Fennelly; TJ Reid, Mark Kelly, Eoin Larkin. Subs: Henry Shefflin for Kelly (51mins), Richie Power for Walsh (52mins).

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Tom Condon, Richie McCarthy, Seamus Hickey; Paudie O’Brien, Wayne McNamara, Gavin O’Mahony; James Ryan, David Breen, Declan Hannon, Donal O’Grady; Graeme Mulcahy, Shane Dowling, Shane Dowling, Kevin Downes. Subs: Seanie Tobin for Downes (40mins), Thomas Ryan for Breen (61mins), Niall Moran for O’Grady (69mins).

2012 All-Ireland Quarter-final

Kilkenny 4-16 Limerick 1-16

Two first-half goals from Henry Shefflin helped Kilkenny secure the three goal victory against a dogged Limerick side.

A David Breen goal had Limerick ahead to two points after 13 minutes.

However, Shefflin netted twice in the next seven minutes to give Kilkenny the lead. Despite these goals the Cats only led by the minimum at the break, leading 2-7 to 1-9. David Breen and Seanie Tobin opened the second half account for their side as Limerick tied the game after 42 minutes.

However, Kilkenny turned on the style at this point shooting 2-5 without reply, Aidan Fogarty and Colin Fennelly raising the green flags. Kilkenny now led by 11 with a quarter of an hour to go and it was game over with Kilkenny progressing to the last four.

SCORERS: Kilkenny: H Shefflin 2-6 (0-4frees), C Fennelly and A Fogarty 1-2 each, R Power 0-2 (2frees), R Hogan, E Larkin, M Fennelly, T Walsh 0-1 each. Limerick: D Breen 1-3, S Dowling 0-4 (3frees), D Hannon 0-3 (2frees), G Mulcahy 0-2, S Tobin, N Moran, K Downes, T Quaid 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: David Herity, Paul Murphy, JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrrell; Tommy Walsh, Kieran Joyce,Richie Doyle; Michael Fennelly, Michael Rice; Eoin Larkin, Richie Power, Henry Shefflin; Colin Fennelly, Richie Hogan, Aidan Fogarty. Subs: TJ Reid for Power, Cillian Buckley for Fogarty, Matthew Ruth for Larkin.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Stephen Walsh, Richie McCarthy, Tom Condon; Wayne McNamara, Donal O’Grady, Gavin O’Mahony; James Ryan, Paudie O’Brien; Shane Dowling, Declan Hannon, David Breen; Graeme Mulcahy, Niall Moran, Sean Tobin. Subs: Seamus Hickey for Condon, Kevin Downes for Breen, Paul Browne for Dowling, Tommy Quaid for Tobin.

2007 All Ireland Final

Kilkenny 2-19 Limerick 1-15

Kilkenny blitzed Limerick in the first 10 minutes, sprinting into a 2-2 to no score lead.

Goals from man of the match Eddie Brennan (who scored 1-5) and Henry Shefflin got the Cats off to the dream start. Limerick struggled to get a foothold until a 12th minute Andrew O’Shaughnessy free which was followed by scores from Donal O’Grady and Seanie O’Connor.

O’Shaughnessy scored 0-7 for Limerick to ensure he ended the 2007 Championship as top-scorer. Kilkenny led by eight at the change of ends but a determined Limerick kept fighting and got their reward in the 47th minute when Ollie Moran blasted home past PJ Ryan in the Kilkenny goal.

Unfortunately this was as good as it got for Limerick as they lost by seven points in front of a full house in Croke Park.

SCORERS: Kilkenny: E Brennan 1-5, H Shefflin 1-2, E Larkin and R Power 0-4 each, T Walsh 0-2, J Fitzpatrick and A Fogarty 0-1 each. Limerick: A O'Shaughnessy 0-7, O Moran 1-3, D O'Grady 0-2, S O'Connor, M Fitzgerald and N Moran 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: PJ Ryan; Michael Kavanagh, Noel Hickey, Jackie Tyrell; Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, JJ Delaney; Derek Lyng, James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick; Willie O’Dwyer, Martin Comerford, Eoin Larkin; Eddie Brennan, Henry Shefflin, Aidan Fogarty. Subs: John Tennyson for Hickey (23mins), Richie Power for O’Dwyer (27mins), Micheal Fennelly for Sheflin (h-t).

LIMERICK: Brian Murray; Damien Reale, Stephen Lucey, Seamus Hickey; Peter Lawlor, Brian Geary, Mark Foley; Donal O’Grady, Mike O’Brien; Mike FitzGerald, Ollie Moran, Seanie O’Connor; Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Brian Begley, Donie Ryan. Subs: Niall Moran for O’Brien (h-t), James O’Brien for O’Connor (44mins), Pat Tobin for Fitzgerald (49mins), Kevin Tobin for Ryan (58mins), Peter Lawlor for O’Riordan (68mins).

2005 All-Ireland Quarter-final

Kilkenny 0-18 Limerick 0-13

Kilkenny edged out Limerick by five points in this Croke Park encounter. This was the sides first Championship meeting in 31 years and the first time the sides had met in the Championship outside of the All-Ireland final.

Kilkenny got off to the better start going into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes. Henry Shefflin scored half of Kilkenny’s 18 points, including a fine score over his shoulder after 25 minutes to put the Cats 0-9 to 0-3 up and well in control. A late Andrew O’Shaughnessy point reduced the deficit back to six points at the break. Limerick reduced the gap to just a solitary point with 20 minutes to go. However, Kilkenny held onto to secure the win before being beaten by Galway in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final on a scoreline of 5-18 to 4-18.

SCORERS: Kilkenny: H Shefflin 0-9 (7frees), DJ Carey 0-3 (1penalty), T Walsh and M Comerford 0-2 each, P Barry (free) and D Lyng 0-1 each. Limerick: TJ Ryan 0-6 (5frees), P Lawlor 0-3 (1free, 1 ‘65), N Moran, J O'Brien, P O'Grady and A O'Shaughnessy 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: James McGarry; Michael Kavanagh, John Tennyson, James Ryall; Richie Mullaly, Peter Barry, JJ Delaney; Bryan Barry, Derek Lyng; Martin Comerford, Eoin Larkin, Tommy Walsh; Richie Power, DJ Carey, Henry Shefflin. Subs: Eddie Brennan for Power (47mins), Eoin McCormack for Barry (56mins ), James Hoyne for Larkin (61mins).

LIMERICK: Timmy Houlihan; Damien Reale, Stephen Lucey, Mark Foley; Ollie Moran, Brian Geary, Peter Lawlor; Paul O’Grady, Niall Moran; Donie Ryan, James O’Brien, Mickey Cahill; Patrick Kirby, TJ Ryan, Andrew O’Shaughnessy. Subs: Alan O'Connor for Cahill (27mins), Pat Tobin for O'Brien (57mins).

1974 All Ireland Final

Kilkenny 3-19 Limerick 1-13

The Cats gained revenge for the defeat of the previous year with a nine point victory in Croke Park. Eddie Keher scored 1-11 for the Cats who their 19th All-Ireland Senior Hurling title. Richie Bennis scored 0-5 for Limerick in a losing effort. Kilkenny were too good on the day for Limerick who failed to retain their All-Ireland title. The Cats were captained by Nickey Orr, winning his first of three All-Ireland medals on this encounter.

SCORERS: Kilkenny: E Keher 1-11, M Brennan 1-2, P Delaney 1-0, K Purcell 0-2, B Fitzpatrick, P Henderson, L O'Brien and M Crotty 0-1 each. Limerick: R Bennis 0-5, L O'Donoghue 1-0, N Rea 0-3, J McKenna 0-2, F Nolan, M Ruth and E Grimes 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: Noel Skehan; Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin, Nickey Orr, Jim Tracey; Pat Lawlor, Pat Henderson, Tom McCormack; Liam O’Brien, Frank Cummins; Mick Crotty, Pat Delaney, Billy Fitzpatrick; Mick Brennan, Kieran Purcell, Eddie Keher.

LIMERICK: Seamus Hourigan; Willie Moore, Pat Hartigan, Jim O’Brien; Tom Ryan, Éamonn Cregan, Séan Foley; Bernie Hartigan, Éamonn Grimes; Joe McKenna, Richie Bennis, Matt Ruth; Liam O’Donoghue, Ned Rea, Frankie Nolan.

1973 All Ireland Final

Limerick 1-21 Kilkenny 1-14

This was the sixth meeting between the sides (all in All-Ireland finals) with Limerick leading the early head-to-head 3-2. Ten points from Richie Bennis helped Limerick bridge a 33-year gap and regain the Liam McCarthy Cup.

Mossie Dowling got the goal in one of Limerick’s most famous days. Who would have believed that 41 years later Limerick would still be searching for their eighth All-Ireland title and haven’t beaten Kilkenny since that day in September 1973?

Six members of the 1973 would go onto manage the Limerick senior hurlers at one point or another. The side were captained by Éamonn Grimes who scored four points from midfield.

SCORERS: Limerick: R Bennis 0-10, M Dowling 1-1, E Grimes 0-4, F Nolan 0-2 and N Rea 0-2 each, B Hartigan and J McKenna 0-1 each. Kilkenny: C Dunne 0-7, P Delaney 1-1, M Crotty 0-3, L O'Brien 0-2, M Brennan 0-1.

LIMERICK: Seamus Hourigan; Willie Moore, Pat Hartigan, Jim O’Brien; Phil Bennis, Éamonn Cregan, Séan Foley; Richie Bennis, Éamonn Grimes; Bernie Hartigan, Mossie Dowling, Liam O’Donoghue; Frankie Nolan, Ned Rea, Joe McKenna.

KILKENNY: Noel Skehan; Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin, Nickey Orr, Phil Cullen; Pat Lawlor, Pat Henderson, Brian Cody; Frank Cummins, Liam O’Brien; Claus Dunne, Pat Delaney, Paddy Broderick; Mick Crotty, Mick Brennan, Jim Lynch.