1997 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1997 (known for sponsorship reasons as the Guinness Hurling Championship 1997) was the 111th staging of Ireland's premier hurling competition. Clare won the championship, beating Tipperary 0-20 to 2-13 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.

1997 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Championship details
Dates18 May - 14 September 1997
Teams18
All-Ireland champions
Winning teamClare (3rd win)
CaptainAnthony Daly
ManagerGer Loughnane
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing teamTipperary
CaptainConor Gleeson
ManagerLen Gaynor
Provincial champions
MunsterClare
LeinsterWexford
UlsterDown
ConnachtGalway
Championship statistics
No. matches played19
Top Scorer D. J. Carey (4-22)
Player of the Year Jamesie O'Connor
All-Star TeamSee here
1996
1998

Pre-championship

The 'back-door' system

Since its inception in 1887 the championship had been played on a straight knock-out basis. If any team was defeated at any stage of the provincial or All-Ireland competitions it meant automatic elimination. This system was deemed the fairest as the All-Ireland champions would always be the team who won all of their games. There were some problems with this system. Over the years Galway had become the only credible hurling team in Connacht, thus giving them an automatic pass into the All-Ireland semi-finals every year. Similarly in Ulster there were many problems as hurling was much weaker and confined to a small few counties in the north-east of the province.

In 1995 the Hurling Development Committee began investigating a way of improving hurling in general and revamping the championship. Their proposals involved allowing the defeated Munster and Leinster finalists to re-enter the All-Ireland championship. Although the two provincial final winners would automatically qualify for the All-Ireland semi-finals the two defeated provincial teams would join Galway and the Ulster champions in two play-off games or 'quarter-finals'. The two winners from these two games would then qualify for the semi-finals where they would be drawn against the Leinster and Munster champions. Repeat games would be avoided in the All-Ireland semi-final stage.

At the start of 1996 these proposals looked unlikely of being introduced, however, a whistle-stop tour undertaken by the committee's secretary Frank Murphy and Pat Daly, the GAA's Games Development Officer, had changed the position. In April 1996 the committee's proposals were accepted at the GAA's annual congress. Most counties supported the new proposals and motion 15 (a) was passed with more than a two-thirds majority.

Betting

Prior to the opening of the championship former All-Ireland-winning manager Éamonn Cregan gave his predictions for the upcoming championship in the Irish Times. As with the previous three championships the field was wide open. Although they were the reigning champions, Wexford were given little chance of making it two-in-a-row. The departure of manager Liam Griffin and the sheer exertion of winning the previous years' title meant that Wexford's hurlers, it seemed, had reached their peak. Wexford's greatest rivals, Kilkenny, were tipped for success. Having failed to land the provincial title since 1993, former player and current manager Nickey Brennan seemed to have reignited the hunger. Offaly, a team that had reached two out of the last three championship deciders, were regarded as being up there with Kilkenny. One problem was the age profile of some of the team's players, while a lack of strength in depth on the bench also militated against Offaly's chances. The return of Cyril Farrell as manager of the Galway team seemed to give the team a boost. Farrell guided his native county to three All-Ireland titles in the 1980s and seemed to be blessed with a very strong panel at the start of his third stint as manager. Limerick, the All-Ireland runners-up of the previous year, were again touted as a team that could make the big breakthrough. Two All-Ireland final defeats in three years, however, lead some commentators to question the mental toughness of the team. Clare, the surprise champions of two years earlier, seemed to be in decline and were seen as having reached their zenith in 1995. Tipperary, however, were viewed as the dark horses of the championship. Although the 'big three' were in decline for a number of years, a resurgent John Leahy seemed to give Tipp a half-chance of landing the championship title.

The championship

Participating counties

Province County Manager(s) Most recent success
All-Ireland Provincial
Leinster Dublin Michael O'Grady 1938 1961
Kilkenny Nickey Brennan 1993 1993
Laois Michael 'Babs' Keating 1915 1949
Meath Tom Ryan
Offaly John McIntyre 1994 1995
Westmeath John Davis
Wexford Rory Kinsella 1996 1996
Munster Clare Ger Loughnane 1995 1995
Cork Jimmy Barry-Murphy 1990 1992
Kerry John Meyler 1891 1891
Limerick Tom Ryan 1973 1994
Tipperary Len Gaynor 1991 1993
Waterford Gerald McCarthy 1959 1963
Connacht Galway Cyril Farrell 1988 1996
Roscommon Michael Kelly 1913
Ulster Antrim Dominic McKinley 1996
Derry Hugo Mac Oscair
Down P. Braniff
B. Gilmore
G. Lennon
1995

Connacht Championship

Final: (1 match) This is a lone match between the two competing Connacht teams. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final where the play the Leinster runners-up.

Leinster Championship

Preliminary Round: (1 match) This is a single match between the first two teams drawn from the province of Leinster. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the quarter-finals.

Quarter-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the preliminary round game joins three other Leinster teams to make up the two quarter-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the Leinster semi-finals.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two quarter-finals join two other Leinster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the Leinster final.

Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. The winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final while the runners-up advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final.

Munster Championship

Quarter-final: (2 matches) These are two lone matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Munster. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the semi-finals.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two quarter-finals join the other two Munster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the final.

Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. The winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final while the runners-up advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final.

Ulster Championship

Semi-final: (1 match) This is a single match between the first two teams drawn from the province of Ulster. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the final.

Final: (1 match) The winner of the semi-final joins another Ulster team to contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final where that play the Munster runners-up.

All-Ireland Championship

Quarter-finals: (2 matches) These are two lone matches between the Connacht champions and the Leinster runners-up, and the Ulster champions and the Munster runners-up. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The Munster and Leinster champions play the winners of the two quarter-finals. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while the two winners advance to the All-Ireland final.

Final: (1 match) The two semi-final winners contest the final.

Results

Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

Down1-15 1-10Derry
M. Coulter (1-2), T. Coulter (0-3), J. McGrattan (0-3), M. Baillie (0-2), N. Sands (0-2), G. Savage (0-1), B. Coulter (0-1), G. McGrattan (0-1). D. Kelly (0-6), M. Collins (1-2), J. Dwyer (0-2).
Attendance: T. McIntyre
Referee: 1,500

Antrim0-19 3-14Down
J. Carson (0-13), G. O'Kane (0-2), C. McCambridge (0-1), A. Mort (0-1), A. Elliott (0-1), A. Delargy (0-1). N. Sands (1-9), G. McGrattan (1-3), M. Coulter (1-0), M. Mallon (0-1), G. Savage (0-1).
Referee: P. Horan (Offaly)

Connacht Senior Hurling Championship

Roscommon0-5 6-24Galway
C. Kelly (0-2), B. Boyle (0-2), R. Mulry (0-1). A. Kerins (3-2), E. Cloonan (1-7), F. Forde (1-2), J. Rabbitte (1-1), J. Campbell (0-4), J. McGrath (0-4), V. Maher (0-2), K. Broderick (0-1), D. Coen (0-1).
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: P. O'Connor (Limerick)

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Offaly3-20 0-8Meath
Johnny Dooley (1-9), Joe Dooley (1-2), K. Farrell (0-4), G. Cahill (1-0), B. Dooley (0-2), J. Pilkington (0-2), P. Mulhaire (0-1). P. Potterton (0-4), M. Cole (0-2), M. Massey (0-1), B. Murray (0-1).
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: P. Neary (Kilkenny)

Westmeath2-8 5-15Dublin
S. McLoughlin (1-3), P. Clarke (1-0), R. Galvin (0-2), D. Gallagher (0-1), B. Kennedy (0-1), P. Connaughton (0-1). G. Ennis (3-2), E. Morrissey (1-3), J. Brennan (0-6), B. McMahon (1-0), L. Walsh (0-1), C. McCann (0-1), S. Perkins (0-1), S. Dalton (0-1).
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: P. Dunphy (Kilkenny)

Offaly1-11 2-7Laois
Johnny Dooley (0-5), J. Errity (1-0), M. Duignan (0-2), Joe Dooley (0-2), J. Pilkington (0-1), G. Cahill (0-1). P. J. Peacock (1-2), O. Coss (1-0), J. Dollard (0-2), B. Maher (0-1), S. Cuddy (0-1), T. Dunne (0-1).
Attendance: 25,211
Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)

Kilkenny2-20 2-13Dublin
D. J. Carey (1-7), P. J. Delaney (1-0), C. Carter (0-3), J. Costelloe (0-3), P. Larkin (0-2), A. Comerford (0-2), P. Barry (0-1), M. Phelan (0-1), N. Maloney (0-1). J. Brennan (1-8), G. Ennis (1-0), E. Morrissey (0-3), C. McCann (0-2).
Attendance: 52,079
Referee: P. Aherne (Carlow)

Wexford3-12 2-12Offaly
G. Laffan (2-0), M. Storey (0-4), T. Dempsey (0-4), L. Dunne (1-0), L. Murphy (0-2), P. Codd (0-1), R. McCarthy (0-1). Johnny Dooley (0-7), J. Pilkington (1-1), B. Dooley (1-0), M. Duignan (0-2), G. Oakley (0-1), C. Cassidy (0-1).
Attendance: 52,079
Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)

Wexford2-14 1-11Kilkenny
B. Byrne (1-2), T. Dempsey (1-1), R. McCarthy (0-4), P. Codd (0-3), G. Laffan (0-2), M. Storey (0-1), L. Murphy (0-1). P. J. Delaney (1-1), C. Carter (0-3), P. Barry (0-3), D. J. Carey (0-1), P. Larkin (0-1), N. Maloney (0-1), A. Comerford (0-1).
Attendance: 55,492
Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Clare3-24 1-6Kerry
P. J. O'Connell (2-2), J. O'Connor (0-6), N. Gilligan (0-5), C. Clancy (1-2), S. McMahon (0-3), F. Tuohy (0-2), G. O'Loughlin (0-2), B. Murphy (0-1), D. Forde (0-1). J. O'Sullivan (1-0), M. Slattery (0-2), I. Maunsell (0-1), B. O'Mahony (0-1), T. J. Curran (0-1), C. Walsh (0-1).
Attendance: 8,500
Referee: V. Wadding (Laois)

Limerick2-20 1-17Waterford
B. Foley (2-1), G. Kirby (0-6), M. Galligan (0-4), S. O'Neill (0-4), J. Moran (0-3), T. J. Ryan (0-2). P. Flynn (1-7), B. O'Sullivan (0-4), T. Browne (0-3), K. McGrath (0-2), D. Bennett (0-1).
Attendance: 22,105
Referee: S. McMahon (Clare)

Clare1-19 0-18Cork
J. O'Connor (0-6), S. McNamara (1-0), G. O'Loughlin (0-3), S. McMahon (0-3), F. Tuohy (0-2), C. Lynch (0-2), A. Daly (0-1), C. Clancy (0-1), D. Forde (0-1). G. Manley (0-6), S. McGrath (0-5), B. Egan (0-2), A. Browne (0-2), J. Deane (0-2), A. Cummins (0-1).
Attendance: 23,105
Referee: P. O'Connor (Limerick)

Tipperary1-20 0-13Limerick
M. Cleary (1-3), T. Dunne (0-5), K. Tucker (0-3), D. Ryan (0-3), J. Leahy (0-3), L. Cahill (0-2), P. O'Dwyer (0-1). G. Kirby (0-4), M. Houlihan (0-2), M. Galligan (0-2), D. Clerkin (0-1), M. Foley (0-1), J. Moran (0-1), B. Foley (0-1), T. J. Ryan (0-1).
Attendance: 49,165
Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)

Clare1-18 0-18Tipperary
J. O'Connor (0-5), D. Forde (1-1), G. O'Loughlin (0-3), S. McMahon (0-3), P. J. O'Connell (0-2), C. Lynch (0-1), F. Tuohy (0-1), S. McNamara (0-1), B. Murphy (0-1). T. Dunne (0-7), D. Ryan (0-4), K. Tucker (0-3), J. Leahy (0-3), M. Cleary (0-1).
Attendance: 43,560
Referee: P. O'Connor (Limerick)

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Tipperary3-24 3-8Down
J. Leahy (0-8), A. Ryan (1-2), T. Dunne (0-5), A. Flanagan (1-1), E. O'Neill (1-0), L. McGrath (0-3), B. O'Meara (0-3), L. Cahill (0-1), K. Tucker (0-1). N. Sands (1-4), G. McGrattan (1-1), B. Coulter (1-0), G. Savage (0-2), M. Braniff (0-1).
Attendance: 5,726
Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)

Kilkenny4-15 3-16Galway
D. J. Carey (2-8), M. Phelan (1-1), K. O'Shea (1-0), A. Comerford (0-3), C. Brennan (0-2), C. Carter (0-1). Report K. Broderick (1-4), E. Cloonan (0-4), L. Burke (1-0), J. Cooney (1-0), J. Campbell (0-3), F. Forde (0-3), C. Moore (0-1), A. Kerins (0-1).
Attendance: 22,826
Referee: P. O'Connor (Limerick)

Clare1-17 1-13Kilkenny
J. O'Connor (0-9), G. O'Loughlin (1-1), P. O'Connell (0-2), N. Gilligan (0-2), S. McMahon (0-2), D. Forde (0-1). D. J. Carey (1-6), C. Carter (0-2), P. Barry (0-2), D. BYrne (0-1), P. Larkin (0-1), P. O'Neill (0-1).
Attendance: 47,961
Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)

Tipperary2-16 0-15Wexford
J. Leahy (1-4), B. O'Meara (1-1), T. Dunne (0-4), M. Cleary (0-3), D. Ryan (0-1), L. Cahill (0-1), C. Gleeson (0-1), L. McGrath (0-1). P. Codd (0-8), M. Storey (0-3), T. Dempsey (0-1), M. Jordan (0-1), L. Murphy (0-1), L. Dunne (0-1).
Attendance: 62,142
Referee: J. O'Leary (Cork)

Clare0-20 2-13Tipperary
J. O'Connor (0-7), N. Gilligan (0-3), O. Baker (0-2), C. Lynch (0-2), D. Forde (0-2), S. McMahon (0-1), G. O'Loughlin (0-1), C. Clancy (0-1), L. Doyle (0-1). T. Dunne (0-5), E. O'Neill (1-1), J. Leahy (0-4), L. Cahill (1-0), M. Cleary (0-1), C. Gleeson (0-1), B. O'Meara (0-1).
Attendance: 65,575
Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)
Clare
Tipperary

Championship statistics

Scoring

Discipline

Miscellaneous

  • The meeting of Clare and Tipperary in the All-Ireland final was the first time that two teams from the same province met in the championship decider.

Top scorers

Season

Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average
1 D. J. Carey Kilkenny 4-22 34 4 8.50
2 Jamesie O'Connor Clare 0-33 33 5 6.60
3 Tommy Dunne Tipperary 0-30 30 5 6.00
4 John Leahy Tipperary 1-22 25 5 5.00
5 Johnny Dooley Offaly 1-21 24 3 8.00
6 Noel Sands Down 2-15 21 3 7.00
7 Jamesie Brennan Dublin 1-14 17 2 8.50
8 Ger Ennis Dublin 4-2 14 2 7.00
Eugene Cloonan Galway 1-11 14 2 7.00
10 Ger O'Loughlin Clare 1-10 13 5 2.60
Jackie Carson Antrim 0-13 13 1 13.00

Single game

Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition
1 D. J. Carey Kilkenny 2-8 14 Galway
2 Jackie Carson Antrim 0-13 13 Down
3 Noel Sands Down 1-9 12 Antrim
Johnny Dooley Offaly 1-9 12 Meath
5 Ger Ennis Dublin 3-2 11 Westmeath
Alan Kerins Galway 3-2 11 Roscommon
Jamesie Brennan Dublin 1-8 11 Kilkenny
8 Eugene Cloonan Galway 1-7 10 Roscommon
D. J. Carey Kilkenny 1-7 10 Dublin
Paul Flynn Waterford 1-7 10 Limerick

References

  • Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
  • Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).
  • Sweeney, Éamonn, Munster Hurling Legends (The O'Brien Press, 2002).

See also

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