1974 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

1974 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Championship details
Dates	9 June - 1 September 1974
Teams	13
All-Ireland champions
Winning team	Kilkenny (19th win)
Captain	Nicky Orr
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Limerick
Captain	Seán Foley
Provincial champions
Munster	Limerick
Leinster	Kilkenny
Ulster	Not Played
Connacht	Not Played
Championship statistics
No. matches played	12
Player of the Year	Pat Henderson
All-Star Team	See here
← 1973 1975 →

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1974 was the 88th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Kilkenny won the championship, beating Limerick 3-19 to 1-13 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.

The championship

Format

Munster Championship

First round: (1 match) This is a single match between the first two teams drawn from the province of Munster. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the semi-finals.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the first round joins the other three Munster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final.

Final: (1 match) The winner of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the All-Ireland final.

Leinster Championship

First 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 semi-finals.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the first round joins the other three Leinster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final.

Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.

All-Ireland Championship

Preliminary round: (1 match) This is a single match between Galway and the winners of the All-Ireland 'B' championship. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the quarter-final.

Quarter-final: (1 match) This is a single match between London and the winners of the preliminary round. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the semi-final.

Semi-final: (1 match) This is a single match between the Leinster champions and the winners of the quarter-final. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final.

Final: (1 match) The winners of the semi-final and the Munster champions contest this game.

Fixtures

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

June 9
First Round

Offaly	2-11 – 1-6	Dublin
M. Moylan (0-4), H. Dalton (1-0), J. Kinsella (1-0), M. Cleere (0-3), P. Mulhaire (0-2), P. Horan (0-2).		M. Bermingham (1-1), P. Quigley (0-4), D. Walsh (0-1).

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Referee: J. Rankin (Laois)

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June 16
Semi-Final

Wexford	1-18 – 1-5	Laois
S. Kinsella (1-6), T. Byrne (0-3), P. Wilson (0-2), R. Kinsella (0-2), M. Quigley (0-2), John Quigley (0-1), D. Lawlor (0-1), C. Keogh (0-1).		P. Bates (1-4), G. Lanham (0-1).

Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

Referee: P. Johnston (Kilkenny)

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June 30
Semi-Final

Kilkenny	4-14 – 2-6	Offaly
E. Keher (2-5), K. Purcell (1-1), P. Delaney (1-1), L. O'Brien (0-4), M. Brennan (0-2), P. Henderson (0-1).		J. Flaherty (1-4), P. J. Whelehan (1-0), K. Mooney (0-1), D. Hanniffy (0-1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: M. Bowe (Wexford)

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July 21
Final

Kilkenny	6-13 – 2-24	Wexford
E. Keher (2-6), M. Crotty (2-1), K. Purcell (1-1), P. Delaney (1-1), N. Brennan (0-1), M. Brennan (0-1), P. Henderson (0-1), L. O'Brien (0-1).		T. Byrne (1-8), J. Quigley (0-5), R. Kinsella (1-1), T. Doran (0-4), M. Casey (0-2), P. Wilson (0-2), S. Kinsella (0-1), T. O'Connor (0-1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 20,742

Referee: M. Spain (Offaly)

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Munster Senior Hurling Championship

May 19
First Round

Waterford	4-9 – 3-8	Cork
M. Geary (2-0), P. O'Grady (0-6), M. Ormonde (1-1), A. Reide (1-0), J. Kirwan (0-1), J. Galvin (0-1).		C. McCarthy (1-4), G. McCarthy (1-1), P. Hegarty (0-1), M. Malone (0-1), C. Roche (0-1).

Walsh Park, Waterford

Referee: S. O'Grady (Limerick)

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June 30
Semi-Final

Limerick	3-12 – 3-11	Waterford
R. Bennis (1-6), L. O'Donoghue (1-1), E. Grimes (1-0), J. McKenna (0-2), M. Ruth (0-1), F. Nolan (0-1), N. Rea (0-1).		J. Kirwan (3-1), M. Whelan (0-2), A. Reide (0-2), P. O'Grady (0-2), M. Ormonde (0-1), M. Geary (0-1), M. Walsh (0-1), M. Hickey (0-1).

Semple Stadium, Thurles

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July 7
Semi-Final

Clare	1-8 – 1-7	Tipperary
C. Honan (0-6), G. Lohan (1-0), M. Mooney (0-1), N. Casey (0-1).		F. Loughnane (1-4), J. Flanagan (0-1), P. Byrne (0-1), N. O'Dwyer (0-1).

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Referee: S. O'Connor (Limerick)

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July 28
Final

Limerick	6-14 – 3-9	Clare
R. Bennis (2-8), N. Rea (2-0), L. O'Donoghue (0-4), F. Nolan (1-0), B. Hartigan (0-1), J. McKenna (0-1).		C. Honan (0-8), E. O'Connor (1-0), G. Lohan (1-0), T. Ryan (1-0), S. Stack (1-0, own goal), C. Woods (0-1).

Semple Stadium, Thurles

Attendance: 36,446

Referee: J. Moloney (Tipperary)

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All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

July 7
Preliminary Round

Galway	3-19 – 4-10	Kildare
J. Connolly (0-6), P. J. Molloy (0-5), G. Holland (1-1), M. Barrett (1-0), P. Ryan (1-0), P. Fahy (0-2), I. Clarke (0-2), S. Murphy (0-2), G. Coone (0-1).		E. Walsh (1-5), J. Wall (1-1), J. O'Leary (1-1), Tommy Carew (1-0), B. Burke (0-2), J. O'Connell (0-1).

Athlone

Referee: S. O'Meara (Tipperary)

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July 21
Quarter-Final

Galway	3-13 – 0-6	London
J. Connolly (2-4), P. Fahy (1-1), P. J. Molloy (0-5), M. Barrett (0-1), M. Bond (0-1), S. Murphy (0-1).		L. Corless (0-2), F. Canning (0-2), P. Cronin (0-1), R. Cashin (0-1).

Athlone

Referee: P. Johnston (Kilkenny)

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August 4
Semi-Final

Kilkenny	2-32 – 3-17	Galway
E. Keher (0-13), P. Delaney (2-1), K. Purcell (0-5), L. O'Brien (0-4), M. Brennan (0-4), B. Fitzpatrick (0-2), F. Cummins (0-2), M. Crotty (0-1).		G. Coone (1-2), M. Barrett (1-2), P. J. Molloy (0-5), J. Rabbitte (1-0), S. Grealish (0-3), S. Murphy (0-2), P. Ryan (0-2), J. Connolly (0-1).

St. Brendan's Park, Birr

Referee: J. Moloney (Tipperary)

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Main article: 1974 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

September 1
Final

Kilkenny	3-19 – 1-13	Limerick
E. Keher (1-11), M. Brennan (1-2), P. Delaney (1-0), K. Purcell (0-2), B. Fitzpatrick (0-1), P. Henderson (0-1), L. O'Brien (0-1), M. Crotty (0-1).		R. Bennis (0-5), L. O'Donoghue (1-0), N. Rea (0-3), J. McKenna (0-2), F. Nolan (0-1), M. Ruth (0-1), E. Grimes (0-1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 62,071

Referee: J. Moloney (Tipperary)

Kilkenny

Limerick

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

• In the Munster final Clare's Seán Stack scores a remarkable own goal for Limerick.
• The All-Ireland 'B' champions were allowed to participate in the All-Ireland series for the first time. Kildare are the first team to benefit from this new format.
• In the All-Ireland quarter-final between Galway and London, brothers Michael and John Connolly line out for opposing teams.
• In the All-Ireland semi-final Kilkenny scored 2-32, it was one of the first times any team put more than thirty points over the bar.
• The All-Ireland final between Kilkenny and Limerick was attended by the Soviet Union ambassador to Ireland.

Top scorers

Season

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	5-35	50	4	12.50
2	Richie Bennis	Limerick	3-19	28	3	9.33
3	Pat Delaney	Kilkenny	5-03	18	4	4.50
4	John Connolly	Galway	2-11	17	3	5.66
5	Kieran Purcell	Kilkenny	2-09	15	4	3.75
	P. J. Molloy	Galway	0-15	15	3	5.00
6	Tom Byrne	Wexford	1-11	14	2	7.00
	Colm Honan	Clare	0-14	14	2	7.00
7	Mick Brennan	Kilkenny	1-09	12	4	3.00
8	John Kirwan	Waterford	3-02	11	2	5.50
	Liam O'Donoghue	Limerick	2-05	11	3	3.66

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Richie Bennis	Limerick	2-08	14	Clare
	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	1-11	14	Limerick
3	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	0-13	13	Galway
4	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	2-06	12	Wexford
5	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	2-05	11	Offaly
	Tom Byrne	Wexford	1-08	11	Kilkenny
7	John Kirwan	Waterford	3-01	10	Limerick
	John Connolly	Galway	2-04	10	London
9	Seánie Kinsella	Wexford	1-06	9	Laois
	Richie Bennis	Limerick	1-06	9	Waterford

References

• Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
• Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).