LONG READ: See a history of Tipperary teams in All-Ireland club hurling finals ahead of Saturday

Liam Hogan went back to the previous All-Ireland final appearances of Tipperary clubs ahead of Upperchurch Drombane’s date with destiny this Saturday evening

Tipperary hoping to improve poor club record at All-Ireland final stage

Next Saturday’s All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Final between Upperchurch Drombane and Tooreen of Mayo in Croke Park at 5.30pm will hopefully see some club success return to the Premier County.

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It is almost twenty-one years since Kiladangan were the last Tipp club to succeed when they defeated Carrickshock in the final at Semple Stadium.

It was the inaugural final, held on March 28th, or Easter Monday to be more precise. Kiladangan were county champions after a victory over Moyne Templetuohy the previous October. Their Munster championship opener produced a comfortable win over Cork champions St Catherine’s at Nenagh. 

Cork corner-back Denis Walsh was on board for the Cork club. Clare champions Smith O’Briens were teak tough in the semi-final at Nenagh, but Kiladangan survived and would meet an even tougher side in Dromin Athlacca in the Munster final, when the Limerick champions put them to the test at the Gaelic Grounds.

Galway champions St Thomas’ were on the verge of a great era, but that would have to wait another year because they were denied by a never-say-die Kiladangan team when they met in the All-Ireland semi-final in Birr.

And so it was, March 28th at Semple Stadium against Kilkenny champions Carrickshock. John Tennyson, John Dalton and Richie Power formed the backbone of a strong Kilkenny side, with Richie Power their goalscorer, which gave them a 1-6 to 0-8 lead at half-time.

The tempo increased in the second half and, after the lead changed hands, Carrickshock appeared to have victory in their grasp as they led 1-12 to 0-12 minutes from full-time. 

But, similar to every game they played throughout the campaign, this Kiladangan side refused to die. Moving Dan Hackett from centre-back to forward was their final throw of the dice. Seconds later, Hackett was out of the game with a broken ankle. Kiladangan appeared to be in trouble.

Kiladangan’s Conor Hayes, who was substituted earlier in the game, was brought back into the action and, as the game continued deep into added time, he set up a first goal for Darragh Egan to score.

Seconds later, Egan turned provider for Hayes to score a second and turn the game on its head. Both sides added a point each, but Kiladangan had prevailed to win by 2-13 to 1-13 and become the grade’s new champions.

Kiladangan team: Dermot Hogan; Michael Ryan, Liam Kelly, Brian Lawlor; Karl Hogan, Dan Hackett, Ger Slattery (capt); Brian Kelly, Tommy Connors (0-2); Paddy Lynch (0-3), Hugh Flannery (0-1), John Maher; Darragh Egan (1-6, 0-4f), Enda Nolan, Conor Hayes (1-0).

Subs: Liam Karl Flannery (0-1) for Maher (25); Brian McLoughlin for Nolan (30); John Slattery for C Hayes (42); Sean Gleeson for McLoughlin (56); Conor Hayes for Hackett (62, inj).

Since that historical first, no Tipperary club has brought back the title, nor has any Tipp club reached the final. Carrickshock made up for the loss with their sole win in 2017. In fact, Kilkenny clubs have dominated this competition, with the silverware reaching the Marble County eight times, with Thomastown the latest winners in 2024. Cork clubs have won the grade four times, with Watergrasshill winners in January 2025.

Senior Club Fare - Roscrea (1970/71)

Long before Kiladangan were champions, the All-Ireland Senior Club competition began in 1971 in St Brendan’s Park, Birr, another first, as Birr staged the first ever All-Ireland senior hurling final when Tipperary defeated Galway, as Roscrea took on St Rynagh’s of Offaly in the decider on Sunday, December 9th.

Seven years before the first senior final, the Munster Club Championship had begun. The championship had teething problems in the first few years, with finals sometimes delayed by up to eighteen months. Cork and Clare clubs dominated the first five years. 

Roscrea won the 1969 final, defeating Glen Rovers on April 11th, 1971. Four months later, they were 1970 champions thanks to a victory over Clarecastle.

As Munster champions, Roscrea received the right to play in the delayed All-Ireland decider. It was the ideal pairing for two clubs that had dominated the club scene in their respective counties throughout the previous decade.

It was ironic, however, that both teams happened to reach the final while earlier suffering defeat in their respective county finals the previous autumn. Moyne Templetuohy had dethroned the Reds to deny them four in a row, while Birr upset the scene in Offaly.

When the big day arrived, Roscrea entered the game as slight favourites, but they felt they were entering the lion’s den, travelling to play in St Brendan’s Park.

They need not have worried because, with a team of talented hurlers in Tadhg O’Connor, All-Ireland winning captain with Tipperary in 1971, Patsy Roland, Jimmy Crampton, Mick Minogue, Donie Maloney, Joe Tynan, Alan’s grandfather, Joe Cunningham and the Spooner brothers, not to mention Francis Loughnane, who would have three All-Star awards in his pocket by 1973.

In the game itself, Roscrea put four goals past new All-Star goalkeeper Damien Martin as they won 4-5 to 2-5 in a thrilling game. Goals by Mickie Nolan and Joe Tynan had Roscrea 2-3 to nil in front after twenty-two minutes. By half-time, it was 2-4 to 0-1.

Rynagh’s went some way to rescue the situation, with a Paudie Mulhare goal helping them come within five of the Tipp side. However, Roscrea were the more creative and goals by Joe Tynan and Jimmy Cunningham had them out of sight with ten minutes on the clock. Game over. Roscrea were the first club champions.

Roscrea team: Tadhg Murphy; Mick Hogan, Kieran Carey, Brendan Maher; Patsy Roland (0-2f), Tadhg O’Connor, Jimmy Crampton; Mick Minogue, Donie Maloney (capt); Francis Loughnane (0-3, 0-2f), Jackie Hannon, Joe Cunningham (1-0); Joe Tynan (2-0), Mickie Nolan (1-0), Billy Stapleton.

Kilruane MacDonaghs (1985/86)

Hard-earned victories over Tallow of Waterford and Cork champions Blackrock in the Munster final led the way for a quarter-final win over London representatives Desmonds. 

There followed a three-goal win over Galway champions Turloughmore in the penultimate round, which meant a tilt at the All-Ireland decider when Wexford champions Buffers Alley would stand in the way in Croke Park on March 16th, 1986. 

The Tipperary champions, who defeated Roscrea in the county final at Semple Stadium the previous October, were well primed. In a game that was on a knife-edge all through the hour, Wexford, under the influence of full-forward Tony Doran, led 2-4 to 0-6 at half-time. 

Once the teams changed ends, Kilruane began to reclaim lost ground. Jim Williams scored five points from play in a man-of-the-match performance. Pat Quinlan scored the vital goal as part of a full-forward line that scored 1-6 from play, as Len Gaynor’s men held their nerve. 

Entering the final stages, it was the winning points by Jim Williams and Gilbert Williams that gave a much-needed All-Ireland victory to a county that was at a low ebb.

Kilruane MacDonaghs team: Tony Sheppard (capt); John Cahill, Denis O’Meara, Seamus Gibson; Joe Banaghan, Jim O’Meara, Gilbert Williams 0-3 (two by 65, 0-1f); Denis Cahill, Enda Hogan; Gerry Williams 0-1, Jim Williams 0-5, Eamon O’Shea; Pat Quinlan 1-2, Paddy Williams 0-2, Philip Quinlan 0-2.

Subs: Seamus Hennessey for Hogan.

Borris-Ileigh (1986/87)

What Kilruane could do in 1986, Borris-Ileigh matched twelve months later. As it happened, Borris-Ileigh defeated Kilruane in the 1986 county final and travelled the windy path of Munster fare to defeat Claughaun of Limerick and Clarecastle before accounting for Ballycastle of Antrim in the All-Ireland semi-final.

With a share of Wexford hurlers in the guise of John Conran, Jimmy Houlihan and John Quigley, Rathnure were strong opposition for the final on St Patrick’s Day. Borris-Ileigh had plenty of talented players on view, too. 

Timmy Stapleton, Richard Stakelum, Gerry Stapleton, Conor Stakelum, Noel O’Dwyer, Mick Coen, Philip Kenny, John McGrath, Aidan Ryan and All-Ireland winning captain Bobby Ryan had worn the blue and gold, and two goals by Aidan Ryan and Philip Kenny paved the way for a 2-9 to 0-9 win.

Borris-Ileigh team: Noel Maher; Francis Spillane, Timmy Stapleton, Mick Ryan (capt); Richard Stakelum, Gerry Stapleton, Bobby Ryan; Timmy Ryan, Francis Collins; Conor Stakelum (0-1), Noel O’Dwyer (0-4), John McGrath (0-1); Mick Coen, Philip Kenny (1-1), Aidan Ryan (1-2).

Subs: Brian Kenny for T Ryan.

No Success Since

Since the win by Borris-Ileigh, only five clubs have won Munster Senior Club titles: Cashel King Cormacs 1992, Toomevara 1993, 2004 and 2006, Loughmore Castleiney 2007, Thurles Sarsfields 2012 and Borris-Ileigh 2019. Of the five, just two reached the All-Ireland final. 

Toomevara did so in the 1993/94 decider, losing to Galway champions Sarsfields by 1-14 to 3-6 at Croke Park, while Borris-Ileigh suffered a 0-18 to 0-15 defeat to Ballyhale Shamrocks, also in Croke Park, in the 2019/2020 final.

It should be noted that Galway and Kilkenny clubs have dominated the senior grade, with both counties scoring 14 wins each. Cork are next with nine, while Offaly have four.

Let’s hope Upperchurch Drombane can complete the day with victory.

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