The GAA is a 133-year-old organization. In hurling, Kilkenny has been the most dominant side within the sport with an incredible thirty-six All-Ireland titles as of 2015, although they had to wait until 1893 to get to their first final in which they scored a grand total of 0-2. Cork landed 6-8 that day.
Brian Cody has been charged with trying to rekindle that dynasty and recruiting a new wave of hurlers to try and reclaim the Liam McCarthy. The latest step on that road came today in the Bord na Mona Walsh Cup as Kilkenny faced Kildare at St Lachtains GAA Club, Freshford, Co. Kilkenny.
Incredibly, it seems today's clash is the first ever senior fixture between the sides. Kildare has hurled in Intermediate and junior competitions as well as recently in the Christy Ring Cup. The sides came close to meeting in 1976 when Kildare were within minutes of a Leinster final, but Wexford rallied late on and went on to hammer Kilkenny in the final.
Good one alright. Cannot find much except the likes of a JHC game in 1988.
— GAA Stats (@GAA_Stats) January 6, 2018
Me neither. Technically one could argue we used to play them when our first team played in Leinster JHC and IHC up to the ‘60s. But no meetings when we were playing senior that I can find. Good stat.
— Kildare GAA 365 - History & Stats Website (@kildaregaa365) January 5, 2018
Kildare made a game of it in the first-half, and at half-time, the game was 0-9 to 0-5. However, Kilkenny soon proved a level above Kildare and ran out easy 3-18 to 0-8 winners at the end.
Kildare will not be too disheartened by the result as their real targets lie down the line with the Allianz National Hurling League Division 2A and the Christy Ring Cup.
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