Three classic All-Ireland SHC final replays
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Three classic All-Ireland SHC final replays
On Saturday, Kilkenny and Tipperary contest just the seventh final replay in the long history of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
After just three draws between 1908 and 2011, Saturday's game is the third year in a row a replay has been required to see who claims the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
While the 1934 final was remarkable in that it went to a second replay, the three most recent All-Ireland final replays have been memorable for a variety of reasons. We recall them here.
2013 All-Ireland SHC Final Replay Clare 5-16 Cork 3-16
After Domhnall O'Donovan rescued a draw for Clare in the drawn game, Cork and Clare played out one of the best All-Ireland finals ever in the replay 20 days later. Played on a stunning early autumn day, the atmosphere crackled as the sun went down on the 2013 championship in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable.
Just like in the replay between Galway and Kilkenny 12 months earlier, the game produced an unlikely hero. Then 19-year-old Shane O'Donnell was only told by Davy Fitzgerald at 3pm that he was starting and it proved to be a masterstoke from the Clare manager. O'Donnell hit all three of his goals in the first 18 minutes, and while Cork came back to draw level in the second half with a Séamus Harnedy goal 18 minutes from the end, there was more to come from the Banner men.
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Fitzgerald's charges closed in on their first All-Ireland win since 1997 when Conor McGrath cracked home a 62nd minute goal before moving six clear with three more points. But even them Cork refused to die and a Stephen Moylan goal left things on a knife-edge again before Darach Honan killed them off with a fifth goal in added time.
Scorers for Clare: S O'Donnell (3-3); Colin Ryan (0-7, six frees, one 65); C McGrath (1-1); D Honan (1-0); T Kelly (0-3); J Conlon (0-2).
Scorers for Cork: P Horgan (0-9, seven frees); S Harnedy (1-2); S Moylan (1-1); A Nash (1-0, free); C Lehane (0-2); P Cronin, L McLoughlin (0-1).
2012 All-Ireland SHC Final Replay Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 3-11
Joe Canning may have secured a replay for Galway with a late equaliser from a free just under the Hogan Stand, but it was Kilkenny who must have felt most relieved to get a second chance after struggling the first time round.
The build-up to the replay, the first since 1959, was overshadowed by rumours of injuries to Joe Canning and James Skehill, while Brian Cody caused a sensation by naming newcomer Walter Walsh in his side for what would be his championship debut. In the end, Canning and Skehill played for Galway but neither looked fit and ultimately Galway were not the force they were in the drawn game. Kilkenny looked stronger for the introduction of man-of-the-match Walsh and Cillian Buckley.
Kilkenny led by just three points in the 47th minute when Canning cracked a shot off a post for Galway. Kilkenny immediately went four clear through Cillian Buckley and then Galway had Cyril Donnellan sent off for a straight red card offence. Walter Walsh completed a magical debut when he flicked to the back of the net in the 59th minute and Shefflin and Cody had their ninth All-Ireland medals, and Kilkenny their 34th title overall.
Scorers for Kilkenny: H Shefflin 0-9 (5f, 2 65), W Walsh 1-3, R Power 1-2, C Fennelly 1-0, R Hogan 0-3, TJ Reid 0-1, E Larkin 0-1, C Buckley 0-1, M Fennelly 0-1, K Joyce 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: J Canning 0-9 (5f, 1 65, 1 sl), D Burke 2-0, J Glynn 1-0, A Smith 0-1, T Óg Regan 0-1.
1959 All-Ireland SHC Final ReplayWaterford 3-12 Kilkenny 1-10
BBC soccer commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme - he of the immortal "some people are on the pitch, they think its all over, it is now" line from the 1996 World Cup final - was in attendance at the drawn game and described it in a subsequent article, published in the Sunday Press on September 13, 1959, as follows: "My main lasting impression will always be of the excitement I felt at Croke Park. I've seen sporting events in many parts of Europe and America (both North and South) but I have yet to see a game which keeps the excitement at such a constant fever pitch as hurling."
Tommy O'Connell scored three goals for the Cats in the drawn game and they led by three points in the final minute before Waterford forced a replay when Larry Guinan hit the back of Ollie Walsh's net with the last puck of the game.The replay was played on October 4 before an attendance of 77,285. Having made a poor start, Waterford recovered to lead by 3-6 to 1-8 at the break. Kilkenny added just two more points in the second half, both scored by Eddie Keher, while Tom Cheasty netted his second for Na Déise and they took the Liam MacCarthy cup back to Suirside. That victory remains Waterford's last All-Ireland success.
Waterford Scorers: T. Cheasty (2-2), F. Walsh (0-8), M. Flannelly (1-1), L. Guinan (0-1).
Kilkenny Scorers: W. Dwyer (0-5), D. Heaslip (1-1), E. Keher (0-2), S. Clohessy (0-1), M. Walsh (0-1).
