One of Brian Cody’s trusted post-match lines during Kilkenny’s spell of dominance was that on any given day, anybody could beat anybody.
Not many believed him.
Ger Canning drew a smile from Cody after the 2013 Leinster semi-final replay when Dublin beat Kilkenny. He’d just put it to the legendary Kilkenny manager that tonight was one of those nights…
Anthony Daly said after the game that ‘no disrespect now,’ this wasn’t Dublin’s best performance. “We could have been more comfortable,” said Dalo, “There were a lot of mistakes in our play.”
The smart money said that, having had so many wides, Dublin had missed their chance the first day.
When their five point lead evaporated down to one, many felt they’d missed their chance in the replay too.
But then a young Danny Sutcliffe stepped up in the 53rd minute with the goal that ultimately slayed the Cats.
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There were a few hairy moments down the stretch as Kilkenny rallied desperately, but Colin Fennelly was penalised for charging as the clock ran into the red.
Barry Kelly blew the final whistle and for the first time in 71 years, Dublin had beaten Kilkenny in championship hurling.
“But there’s no time for celebrating or anything like that,” Dalo said afterwards. It’s get the head down and hopefully get ready for next week.”
They beat Galway in the Leinster final the following Sunday to win Bob O’Keeffe Cup for the first time in 52 years.
On Saturday night, they are chasing their first in 11.
Six players that played that day in O'Moore Park are still standing eleven years on, with another having gone from an extended panellist back then, to an absolute key cog in the Dublin wheel now.
1. Eoin Murphy
Having served as David Herity’s deputy in 2011 and 2012, Murphy was promoted to Kilkenny’s first choice goalkeeper in 2013.
A decade on, he’s widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers ever.
He’s 33 now but has said that he’s enjoying it as much as ever and that if he is to retire, then it might come down to Derek Lyng rather than him.
Murphy was powerless to prevent Sutcliffe’s goal in 2013, with the wing forward burying a shot low and hard past a sea of Kilkenny bodies.
He suffered a head injury earlier this year that kept him out of the round-robin clash with Galway, with Aidan Tallis taking his place. But he was back between the posts for the Carlow game the next day out and has remained there since.
Murphy has won four All-Stars and four All-Irelands.
Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
2. Danny Sutcliffe
Sutcliffe missed Dublin’s National League campaign in 2011 but only because he was doing his leaving cert.
He was parachuted into the squad for the championship, even though he was still a teenager, and made his debut against Limerick in the All-Ireland quarter final, which Dublin won by 3-13 to 0-18.
Sutcliffe was a starter the following year as Dublin exited in the qualifiers at the hands of Clare.
By 2013, he was a key man on the team and after this dual with Kilkenny, and a few other subsequent meetings, his marker Tommy Walsh described him as the toughest opponent he’s ever come across.
Sutcliffe ended the year as the first Dublin forward to win a hurling All-Star since 1991.
He spent time travelling the US between 2015 and 2017 but was back in 2018 and has been a mainstay ever since.
Mattie Kenny named him his Dublin captain in 2020. He’s renowned as a tireless worker and a target for Dublin puck-outs as well as a regular scorer on the team.
Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
3. Walter Walsh
Shot to stardom in 2012 when he hit 1-3 in the All-Ireland final replay against Galway, on an incredible debut for Kilkenny.
Hit 1-4 from play in the drawn game against Dublin but was held scoreless in the replay.
33 now, Walsh is unlikely to start this weekend having missed much of the year through a groin injury.
He is expected to be used as an impact sub having come on last time out against Wexford. Has won one All-Star (2016) and three All-Ireland titles in a glittering career.
David Maher / SPORTSFILE
4. Cillian Buckley
Brian Cody rarely played teenagers in championship games but Buckley was an exception.
Still a few days shy of his 20th birthday, he played midfield in their infamous Leinster final loss to Galway in 2012.
Held onto his place and was wing forward when they beat Galway in the All-Ireland final replay later that summer.
Buckley had a bad day against Dublin in 2013 and was subbed off after 22 minutes for Lester Ryan.
He remained a crucial player in the years that followed but has had to be content with a bit-part role in recent seasons.
Buckley showed his enduring worth with a winning goal in last year’s Leinster final against Galway but has only played a minute of championship hurling in this round-robin, against Dublin in Parnell Park.
Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
5. TJ Reid
What’s to say that hasn’t been said already?
Reid was Kilkenny captain in 2013, and was disappointed to see his side lose to Dublin in Leinster before losing to Cork in the All-Ireland quarter final.
He has in the mean-time earned a billing as one of the greatest hurlers ever.
With 32-591 in 87 championship games, he is the highest scorer in hurling championship history, amassing six All-Ireland titles and seven All-Stars.
He hasn't been at his imperious best so far this year but at 36, he still wears number 11 and remains a big leader on the Kilkenny team.
Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
6. Conor Fogarty
34 now, Fogarty is one of the elder statesmen on the Kilkenny panel.
He was first brought into the fold in 2011, winning All-Irelands as an unused sub in his first two years on the panel.
Started corner back both days against Dublin, before moving out to midfield, where he won two more All-Ireland medals in ‘14 and ‘15.
Came on at half-time against Wexford two weeks ago and may see game-time in that capacity again this weekend.
David Maher / SPORTSFILE
7. Chris Crummey
Didn’t feature in Portlaoise but was member of Dublin’s extended panel at the time.
Their spiritual leader right now, Crummey is arguably Dublin’s most important player and comes into the game in red hot form having scored 0-3 against Kilkenny and 0-4 against Galway in recent weeks, all from wing back.
His return from Australia earlier this year has coincided with Dublin’s return to prominence.
Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
That was always the plan with Crummey said to have kept in close contact with Dublin’s strength and conditioning coach Brendan Egan ever since he left, with an eye on a return.
Dublin went onto lose to Cork narrowly in the 2013 All-Ireland semi-final. How they'd love a direct route back to that stage once again.
