2012 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship final

The 2012 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship final, the deciding game of the 2012 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, was a hurling match played on 8 July 2012 at Croke Park, Dublin. Contested by Galway and Kilkenny, most experts gave the former little chance against the latter.

2012 Leinster Senior Hurling final
Event2012 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Date8 July 2012
VenueCroke Park, Dublin
RefereeJ. McGrath (Westmeath)
Attendance22,171[1]
WeatherDry
2011
2013

Pre-match

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Galway were 11/2 outsiders going into this game.[2] On the day of the game RTÉ delivered a verdict favouring Kilkenny, saying "Kilkenny's vice-like grip on the Leinster title is set to remain as tight as ever, unless Galway can produce something extraordinary at Croke Park today".[3]

Match summary

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Galway secured a historic first ever Leinster title, after unexpectedly defeating the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Champions, Kilkenny.[4] In doing so they held Kilkenny scoreless for the first twenty minutes, had 1-6 to 0-0 lead after 18 minutes, and led at half-time by 2-12 to 0-4, the full-time score of was 2-21 to 2-11.[5] The result sent the Bob O'Keeffe Cup across the Shannon for the first time in the GAA's 128-year history.[6]

Galway2–21 – 2–11Kilkenny
J Canning (1-10, 7fs), C Donnellan (0-05), D Burke (1-02), N Burke (0-02), D Collins (0-01), D Hayes (0-01). Report H Shefflin (1-08, 7fs), R Hogan (1-00), R Power (0-02), M Rice (0-01).
Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 22,171
Referee: J. McGrath (Westmeath)
 
 
 
 
 
Galway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kilkenny

Post-match

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Kilkenny manager Brian Cody said afterwards that his team were "wiped out" by Galway.[7] The Irish Examiner reported on "a historic day in Croke Park [...] a day that may also go down in history for another reason, however, the day an empire began to crumble".[8] Martin Breheny, writing in the Irish Independent, called it "one of the most remarkable shut-outs of modern-day hurling" and reported that Galway had moved to the top of the selection of teams to have beaten the Cats "after subjecting Kilkenny to a systematic beating which nobody thought remotely possible".[2]

The teams would meet again in the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final to decide the destination of the Liam MacCarthy Cup, with Kilkeeny winning that game after a replay.

Sale of medal

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A 2012 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship winners' medal was later sold on eBay for €570.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Galway make history to take Leinster crown". The Irish Times. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b Breheny, Martin (9 July 2012). "Shock and awe in Leinster". Irish Independent. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  3. ^ Leonard, Séamus (8 July 2012). "Preview: Galway v Kilkenny - Leinster SHC final". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Galway land historic Leinster win". RTÉ Sport. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  5. ^ "LIVE: Galway v Kilkenny, Leinster SHC Final". The Journal. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Into the West: Galway win Leinster final in stunning display". Irish Independent. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Kilkenny manager Brian Cody admitted his side were overwhelmed by Galway". RTÉ Sport. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  8. ^ O'Flynn, Diarmuid (9 July 2012). "Kilkenny empire rocked by king Canning". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  9. ^ "Galway Board to investigate sale of Leinster winner's medal on eBay". RTÉ Sport. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.