1972 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1972 was the 85th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Kilkenny won the championship, beating Cork 3–24 to 5–11 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.

1972 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Championship details
Dates	14 May – 3 September 1972
Teams	15
All-Ireland champions
Winning team	Kilkenny (18th win)
Captain	Noel Skehan
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Cork
Captain	Frank Norberg
Provincial champions
Munster	Cork
Leinster	Kilkenny
Ulster	Not Played
Connacht	Not Played
Championship statistics
No. matches played	16
Goals total	111 (6.93 per game)
Points total	368 (23 per game)
Player of the Year	Eddie Keher
All-Star Team	See here
← 1971 1973 →

Calendar

Round	Date
Leinster First Round	Saturday 14 May 1972
Munster First Round	Sunday 22 May 1972
Leinster Final	Sunday 9 July 1972
Munster Final	Sunday 30 July 1972
Leinster Final Replay	Sunday 30 July 1972
All-Ireland Quarter-Final	Sunday 23 July 1972
All-Ireland Semi-Finals	Sunday 6 August 1972
All-Ireland Final	Sunday 3 September 1972

Format

Overview

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1972 was run on a provincial basis as usual. It was a knockout tournament with pairings drawn at random in the respective provinces – there were no seeds.

Each match was played as a single leg. If a match was drawn there was a replay. If that match ended in a draw a period of extra time was played, however, if both sides were still level at the end of extra time another replay had to take place.

Participating counties

Province	County	Most recent success
		All-Ireland	Provincial
Leinster	Dublin	1938	1961
	Kildare
	Kilkenny	1971	1969
	Laois	1915	1949
	Offaly
	Westmeath
	Wexford	1968	1970
Munster	Clare	1914	1932
	Cork	1970	1970
	Limerick	1940	1955
	Tipperary	1971	1971
	Waterford	1959	1963
Connacht	Galway	1923	1922
Ulster	Antrim		1946
Britain	London	1901

The Championship

Munster Championship

Quarter-final: (1 match) This was a single match between the first two teams drawn from the province of Munster.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the lone quarter-final joined the other three Munster teams to make up the semi-final pairings.

Final: (1 match) The winner of the two semi-finals contested this game.

Leinster Championship

First Round: (1 match) This was a single match between two of the 'weaker' teams drawn from the province of Leinster.

Quarter-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the first round game joined three other Leinster teams to make up the quarter-final pairings.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two quarter-finals joined Kilkenny and Wexford, who received a bye to this stage, to make up the semi-final pairings.

Final: (1 match) The winner of the two semi-finals contested this game.

All-Ireland Championship

Quarter-final: (1 match) This was a single match between Antrim and Galway, two teams who faced no competition in their respective provinces.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the lone quarter-final joined London and the Munster and Leinster champions to make up the quarter-final pairings. The provincial champions were drawn in opposite semi-finals.

Final: (1 match) The winner of the two semi-finals contested this game.

Fixtures

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

May 14, 1972
First Round

Westmeath	1–7 – 0–8	Kildare
G. Connaughton (0–1), T. Ring (0–4), O. Boylan (1–0), C. Gavin (0–1), M. Flanagan (0–1).		T. Carew (0–2), P. Dunny (0–1), J. Walsh (0–3), M. Dwane (0–1), B. Burke (0–1).

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Referee: D. Fergusan (Meath)

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June 4, 1972
Quarter-final

Laois	4–7 – 3–9	Offaly
P. Dillon (1–3), P. Dowling (0–1), D. Sheeran (0–2), G. Cuddy (1–0), G. Conroy (1–0), G. Lanham (0–1).		B. Cooloholan (0–1), D. Hanniffy (1–0), P.J. Conroy (1–1), P.J. Whelahan (0–2), J. Kirwan (1–5).

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Referee: D. Dooley (Dublin)

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June 4, 1972
Quarter-final

Dublin	3–12 – 2–3	Westmeath
B. Cooney (0–1), W. Markey (0–1), D. Rhenisch (2–0), E. Flynn (1–8), M. Bermingham (0–2).		T. Ring (1–3), G. Gavin (1–0).

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Referee: J. Rankins (Laois)

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June 18, 1972
Semi-final

Wexford	4–13 – 2–5	Dublin
C. Kehoe (0–2), M. Quigley (0–1), T. Doran (1–2), N. Buggy (1–3), J. Berry (1–2), D. Quigley (1–3).		H. Dalton (0–1), E. Flynn (1–3), V. Holden (1–0), M. Bermingham (0–1).

Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

Referee: M. Spain (Offaly)

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June 25, 1972
Semi-final

Kilkenny	5–14 – 5–7	Laois
E. Keher (1–7), M. Brennan (2–2), M. Murphy (1–1), F. Cummins (1–0), J. Kinsella (0–2), M. Crotty (0–2).		P. Dillon (2–3), G. Lanham (2–2), G. Cuddy (1–0), F. Keenan (0–2).

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Referee: M. Spain (Offaly)

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July 9, 1972
Final

Kilkenny	6–13 – 6–13	Wexford
E. Keher (2–5), M. Crotty (1–3), P. Delaney (1–1), K. Purcell (1–1), F. Cummins (1–0), L. O'Brien (0–1), J. Kinsella (0–1), M. Brennan (0–1).		M. Quigley (0–1), P. Wilson (0–1), C. Kehoe (1–3), T. Doran (1–2), N. Buggy (1–0), J. Berry (2–1), D. Quigley (1–4), J. Murphy (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: M. Spain (Offaly)

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July 30, 1972
Final
Replay

Kilkenny	3–16 – 1–14	Wexford
E. Keher (1–8), P. Delaney (1–4), N. Byrne (1–0), J. Kinsella (0–2), P. Henderson (0–1), K. Purcell (0–1).		T. Doran (0–5), W. Murphy (0–2), M. Jacob (0–1), M. Quigley (0–1), P. Flynn (0–1), J. Berry (0–1), D. Quigley (0–4).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: M. Spain (Offaly)

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Munster Senior Hurling Championship

May 22, 1972
Quarter-final

Cork	3–16 – 4–6	Waterford
C. McCarthy (0–8), D. Collins (1–1), R. Cummins (1–1), S. O'Leary (1–0), J. McCarthy (0–3), D. Coughlan (0–1),M. Malone (0–1), P. Hegarty (0–1).		S. Greene (1–0), P. Condy (1–0), J. Whelan (1–0), A. Heffernan (1–0), M. Hickey (0–2),J. Foley (0–2), J. Kirwan (0–1), M. Ormonde (0–1).

Cork Athletic Grounds, Cork

Referee: J. Maloney (Tipperary)

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June 25, 1972
Semi-final

Cork	3–8 – 3–8	Tipperary
C. McCarthy (1–6), R. Cummins (1–1), S. O'Leary (1–0), M. Malone (0–1).		N. O'Dwyer (1–1), J. Flanagan (1–1), R. Ryan (1–1), M. Roche (0–1), L. Gaynor (0–1).

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Referee: S. O'Connor (Limerick)

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July 2, 1972
Semi-final

Clare	3–11 – 2–10	Limerick
T. Ryan (0–7), N. Casey (1–2), M. Keane (1–0), G. Lohan (0–1), J. Cullinan (0–1), J. McNamara (1–0).		É. Cregan (1–0), É. Grimes (1–0), B. Hartigan (0–3),A. Dunworth (0–3), W. Moore (0–2), R. Bennis (0–2).

Cusack Park, Ennis

Referee: F. Murphy (Cork)

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July 9, 1972
Semi-final
Replay

Cork	3–10 – 2–7	Tipperary
G. McCarthy (2–1), M. Malone (1–2), R. Cummins (0–3), C. McCarthy (0–2), C. Roche (0–1), S. O'Leary (0–1).		S. Hogan (1–0), M. Coen (1–0), E. Loughnane (0–2), J. Flanagan (0–2), N. O'Dwyer (0–2), M. Roche (0–1).

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Referee: S. O'Connor (Limerick)

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July 30, 1972
Final

Cork	6–18 – 2–8	Clare
C. McCarthy (2–9), R. Cummins (2–1), S. O'Leary (2–1), G. McCarthy (0–3), J. McCarthy (0–1), D. Coughlan (0–1), M. Malone (0–1), P. Hegarty (0–1).		P. McNamara (2–1), J. Cullinan (0–2), J. O'Gorman (0–2), N. Casey (0–2), J. McNamara (0–1).

Semple Stadium, Thurles

Referee: S. O'Grady (Limerick)

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All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

July 23, 1972
Quarter-Final

Galway	7–16 – 4–7	Antrim
T. Ryan (3–1), P. Fahy (0–10), B. O'Connor (1–2), J. Hughes (1–1), M. Greaney (1–0), S. Murphy (0–1), A. Fenlon (1–0), P. Niland (0–1).		E. Donnelly (2–3), S. Richmond (1–1), R. McDonnell (1–0), B. McGarry (0–2), A. Hamill (0–1).

Ballycastle GAA Field

Referee: P. Collins (Westmeath)

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August 6, 1972
Semi-Final

Kilkenny	5–28 – 3–7	Galway
E. Keher (0–17), P. Delaney (2–5), L. O'Brien (1–1), K. Purcell (1–1), J. Kinsella (0–4), N. Byrne (1–0).		J. Hughes (2–1), P.J. Molloy (1–0), A. Fenlon (0–2), P. Niland (0–1), E. Murphy (0–1), P. Fahy (0–1), P. Mitchell (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: N. Dalton (Waterford)

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August 6, 1972
Semi-Final

Cork	7–20 – 1–12	London
S. O'Leary (3–0), C. McCarthy (1–4), D. Collins (1–3), J. McCarthy (0–6), R. Cummins (1–1), P. Hegarty (1–0), M. Malone (0–2), C. Roche (0–2), S. Looney (0–1), T. O'Brien (0–1).		R. Cashin (0–6), T. Connolly (1–1), F. Canning (0–2), P. McDermott (0–1), M. Connors (0–1), A. Smith (0–1).

Cork Athletic Grounds, Cork

Referee: S. Maloney (Tipperary)

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Main article: 1972 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

September 3, 1972
Final
15:15 IST

Kilkenny	3–24 – 5–11	Cork
E. Keher (2–9), L. O'Brien (0–5), F. Cummins (1–0), P. Delaney (0–3), K. Purcell (0–2), M. Crotty (0–2), P. Henderson (0–1), J. Kinsella (0–1), M. Murphy (0–1).		R. Cummins (2–3), M. Malone (2–1), S. O'Leary (1–1), C. McCarthy (0–4), C. Roche (0–2).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 66,137

Referee: Mick Spain (Offaly)

Championship statistics

Scoring

• Widest winning margin: 27 points
  • Kilkenny 5–28 : 3–7 Galway (All-Ireland semi-final)
• Most goals in a match: 12
  • Kilkenny 6–13 : 6–13 Wexford (Leinster final)
• Most points in a match: 35
  • Kilkenny 3–24 : 5–11 Cork (All-Ireland final)
  • Kilkenny 5–28 : 3–7 Galway (All-Ireland semi-final)
• Most goals by one team in a match: 7
  • Galway 7–16 : 4–7 Antrim (All-Ireland quarter-final)
  • Cork 7–20 : 1–12 London (All-Ireland semi-final)
• Most goals scored by a losing team: 5
  • Cork 5–11 : 3–24 Kilkenny (All-Ireland final)
• Most points scored by a losing team: 14
  • Wexford 1–14 : 3–16 Kilkenny (Leinster final)

Top scorers

Season

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	6–46	64	5	12.8
2	Charlie McCarthy	Cork	3–33	42	6	7.0
3	Ray Cummins	Cork	7–10	31	6	5.1
4	Seánie O'Leary	Cork	8–3	27	6	4.5
5	Pat Delaney	Kilkenny	4–13	25	5	5.0
6	Éamonn Flynn	Dublin	2–11	17	2	8.50
	Dan Quigley	Wexford	2–11	17	3	5.66
8	Phil Dillon	Laois	3–6	15	2	7.50
	Tony Doran	Wexford	2–9	15	3	5.00
10	Jimmy Hughes	Galway	3–2	11	2	5.60
	Pádraic Fahy	Galway	0–11	11	2	5.60

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	0–17	17	Galway
2	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	2–9	15	Cork
	Charlie McCarthy	Cork	2–9	15	Clare
4	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	2–5	11	Wexford
	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	1–8	11	Wexford
	Pat Delaney	Kilkenny	2–5	11	Galway
7	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	1–7	10	Laois
	Tom Ryan	Galway	3–1	10	Antrim
9	Seánie O'Leary	Cork	3–0	9	London
	Ray Cummins	Cork	2–3	9	Kilkenny
	Eddie Donnelly	Antrim	2–3	9	Galway
	Phil Dillon	Laois	2–3	9	Kilkenny

Player facts

Debutantes

The following players made their début in the 1972 championship:

Player	Team	Date	Opposition	Game
Frank Norberg	Cork	May 22	Waterford	Munster semi-final

Retirees

The following players played their last game in the 1972 championship:

Player	Team	Date	Opposition	Game	Début
Frank Norberg	Cork	September 5	Kilkenny	All-Ireland final	1972

Stadia

The following stadia were used during the championship:

County	Stadium
Antrim	Ballycastle GAA Field
Clare	Cusack Park
Cork	Cork Athletic Grounds
Dublin	Croke Park
Kilkenny	Nowlan Park
Laois	O'Moore Park
Limerick	Gaelic Grounds
Tipperary	Semple Stadium

References

• Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
• Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).
• Nolan, Pat, Flashbacks: A Half Century of Cork Hurling (The Collins Press, 2000).