1970 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

1970 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Championship details
Dates	3 May - 6 September 1970
Teams	14
All-Ireland champions
Winning team	Cork (21st win)
Captain	Paddy Barry
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Wexford
Captain	Michael Collins
Provincial champions
Munster	Cork
Leinster	Wexford
Ulster	Not Played
Connacht	Not Played
Championship statistics
No. matches played	14
Goals total	71 (5.07 per game)
Points total	312 (22.28 per game)
Top Scorer	Charlie McCarthy (1-23)
Player of the Year	Pat McDonnell
All-Star Team	See here
	← 1969 1971 →

The 1970 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 84th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament. The championship began on 3 May 1970 and ended on 6 September 1970.

Kilkenny were the defending champions but were defeated by Wexford in the Leinster final. Kildare, who won the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship in 1969, were promoted to the senior championship after a long absence. New York sought entry to the All-Ireland series but their request was denied. Galway left the Munster Championship after ten years of participation and reverted to the old system whereby they enter the championship at the All-Ireland semi-final stage.

The All-Ireland final was played at Croke Park in Dublin on 6 September 1970 between Cork and Wexford, in what was their fourth meeting in the All-Ireland final overall and a first meeting in 14 years. Cork won the match by 6-21 to 5-10 to claim their 21st All-Ireland title overall and a first title in four years.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Cork's Charlie McCarthy was the championship's top scorer with 1-23. Cork's Pat McDonnell was the choice for Texaco Hurler of the Year.^[4]^[5]

Rule change

As a result of a decision taken at the Gaelic Athletic Association's (GAA) annual congress the previous year, as of 1970 all provincial finals, All-Ireland semi-finals and the All-Ireland final itself were extended to 80 minutes playing time. Prior to this all championship matches were sixty minutes in duration.^[6] Lasted until 1974.

Teams

A total of fourteen teams contested the championship, including thirteen teams from the 1969 championship and one new entrant.

The Leinster championship was extended to seven teams as Kildare entered the provincial series of games. They had won the All-Ireland title at intermediate level in 1969 and decided to make the step up to the senior grade.

Galway left the Munster championship where they had been playing since the 1959 championship and returned to the old system whereby they entered the All-Ireland semi-finals.^[7]

Team summaries

Team	Colours	Grounds	Most recent success
Team	Colours	Grounds	All-Ireland	Provincial	League
Clare	Saffron and blue	Cusack Park	1914	1932	1945-46
Cork	Red and white	Cork Athletic Grounds	1966	1969	1969-70
Dublin	Blue and navy	Parnell Park	1938	1961	1938-39
Galway	Maroon and white	Pearse Stadium	1923		1950-51
Kildare	White	St. Conleth's Park
Kilkenny	Black and amber	Nowlan Park	1969	1969	1965-66
Laois	Blue and white	O'Moore Park	1949	1949
Limerick	Green and white	Gaelic Grounds	1940	1955	1946-47
London	Blue and green	Emerald GAA Grounds	1901
Offaly	Green, white and gold	St. Brendan's Park
Tipperary	Blue and gold	Semple Stadium	1965	1968	1967-68
Waterford	White and blue	Walsh Park	1959	1963	1962-63
Westmeath	Maroon and white	Cusack Park
Wexford	Purple and gold	Wexford Park	1968	1968	1957-58

Provincial championships

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

First round

3 May 1970
First round

3:30pm

Laois	1-9 – 1-8	Kildare
P. Dillon (0-4), G. Conroy (1-0), P. Dowling (0-1), P. Dooley (0-1), T. Keenan (0-1), J. Lyons (0-1), F. Keenan (0-1).		B. Burke (0-2), J. O'Brien (0-2), T. Christian (0-1), J. O'Connell (0-1), M. Duane (0-1).

Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

Referee: P. Johnston (Kilkenny)

Quarter-finals

3 May 1970
Quarter-final

3:30pm

Dublin	0-16 – 3-5	Westmeath
G. O'Driscoll (0-5), E. Davey (0-4), T. Grealish (0-2), L. Lalor (0-2), F. Murphy (0-2), H. Dawson (0-1).		T. Ring (2-3), C. Gavin (1-0), P. McCabe (0-1), S. White (0-1).

O'Connor Park, Tullamore

Referee: P. Buggy (Kilkenny)

24 May 1970
Quarter-final

3:30pm

Offaly	2-15 – 2-9	Laois
B. Moylan (0-7), T. Molloy (1-3), P. Mulhaire (1-1), J. J. Healy (0-1), J. Flaherty (0-1), M. Cleare (0-1), P. J. Whelehan (0-1).		S. Keenan (1-2), J. Loyans (1-2), N. Delany (0-2), J. Dooly (0-1), P. Dowling (0-1), D. Sheeran (0-1).

St. Brendan's Park, Birr

Referee: R. Sheppard (Carlow)

Semi-finals

21 June 1970
Semi-final

3:30pm

Wexford	4-17 – 2-4	Dublin
N. Buggy (1-7), T. Doran (2-1), D. Fortune (1-0), P. Quigley (0-2), D. Quigley (0-2), J. Quigley (0-2), J. Berry (0-1), P. Wilson (0-1), M. Browne (0-1).		E. Flynn (1-3), J. Towell (1-0), R. Copeland (0-1).

Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

Referee: P. Johnston (Kilkenny)

28 June 1970
Semi-final

3:30pm

Kilkenny	2-15 – 1-12	Offaly
E. Keher (0-9), M. Crotty (2-0), J. Kinsella (0-2), P. Delaney (0-2), S. Muldowney (0-1), J. Millea (0-1).		T. Dooley (1-0), P. Molloy (0-3), J. Flaherty (0-3), B. Moylan (0-1), W. O'Gorman (0-1), S. Begin (0-1), P. J. Whelehan (0-1), J. J. Healion (0-1), D. Hanniffy (0-1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: J. Grey (Dublin)

Final

12 July 1970
Final

3:30pm

Wexford	4-16 – 3-14	Kilkenny
N. Buggy (0-8), T. Doran (2-0), J. Quigley (1-2), J. Berry (1-0), P. Wilson (0-2), M. Quigley (0-2), P. Quigley (0-1), D. Bernie (0-1).		P. Delaney (1-4), E. Keher (1-3), M. Crotty (1-0), F. Cummins (0-3), P. Kavanagh (0-2), J. Millea (0-1), M. Coogan (0-1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: J. Hatton (Wicklow)

Preliminary round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Leinster final

Dublin

0-16

Westmeath

3-5

Wexford

4-17

Dublin

2-4

Wexford

4-16

Kilkenny

3-14

Kilkenny

2-15

Ofaly

1-12

Offaly

2-15

Laois

1-9

Laois

2-9

Kildare

1-8

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-finals

14 June 1970
Quarter-final

3:30pm

Limerick	3-9 – 2-12	Clare
P. K. Keane (1-1), R. Bennis (0-4), D. Flynn (1-0), T. Bluett (1-0), B. Hartigan (0-1), Phil Bennis (0-1), Peter Bennis (0-1), A. Dunworth (0-1).		P. Cronin (1-8), P. McNamara (1-0), D. Fitzgerald (0-2), J. Rochford (0-1), J. McNamara (0-1).

Thurles Sportsfield, Thurles

Referee: F. Murphy (Cork)

21 June 1970
Quarter-final
Replay

3:30pm

Limerick	1-10 – 0-4	Clare
R. Bennis (0-4), P. J. Keane (1-0), É. Cregan (0-2), P. Bennis (0-2), A. Dunworth (0-1), T. Ryan (0-1).		M. Moroney (0-1), J. Rochford (0-1), D. Fitzgerald, J. Cronin.

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Referee: F. Murphy (Cork)

Semi-finals

21 June 1970
Semi-final

3:30pm

Tipperary	2-9 – 0-5	Waterford
M. Roche (0-5), R. Ryan (1-1), N. O'Dwyer (1-0), J. McKenna (0-1), J. Flanagan (0-1), T. O'Connor (0-1).		P. Enright (0-4), S. Greene (0-5).

Cork Athletic Grounds, Cork

Referee: S. O'Connor (Limerick)

28 June 1970
Semi-final

3:30pm

Cork	4-13 – 3-6	Limerick
E. O'Brien (2-0), C. McCarthy (0-5), P. Hegarty (1-2), R. Cummins (1-0), G. McCarthy (0-3), S. Barry (0-2), C. Cullinane (0-1).		M. Graham (2-2), T. Bluett (1-0), R. Bennis (0-3), P. J. Keane (0-1).

Thurles Sportsfield, Thurles

Referee: J. Maloney (Tipperary)

Final

19 July 1970
Final

3:30pm

Cork	3-10 – 3-8	Tipperary
W. Walsh (2-0), C. Cullinane (1-0), C. McCarthy (0-3), G. McCarthy (0-2), D. Clifford (0-1), C. Roche (0-1), J. Murphy (0-1), T. Ryan (0-1), R. Cummins (0-1).		F. Loughnane (1-4), J. Flanagan (1-0), N. O'Dwyer (1-0), D. Ryan (0-2), M. Roche (0-1), P.J. Ryan (0-1).

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Referee: J. Fitzgerald (Limerick)

Quarter-final

Semi-finals

Munster final

Tipperary

2-9

Waterford

0-5

Tipperary

3-8

Cork

3-10

Cork

4-13

Clare
(R)

2-12 (0-4)

Limerick

3-6

Limerick
(R)

3-9 (1-10)

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

All-Ireland Semi-finals

16 August 1970
Semi-Final

3:30pm

Cork	4-20 – 2-9	London
T. Ryan (1-5), R. Cummins (1-3), C. McCarthy (0-6), W. Walsh (1-2), E. O'Brien (1-0), S. Barry (0-2), D. Coughlan (0-1), J. Murphy (0-1).		P. O'Neill (0-4), T. Connolly (0-1), N. Power (1-0), J. Bennett (1-0), M. Canning (0-3), L. Corless (0-1).

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Referee: M. Spain (Offaly)

16 August 1970
Semi-Final

3:30pm

Wexford	3-17 – 5-9	Galway
M. Butler (0-9), D. Quigley (1-2), D. Bernie (0-4), J. Quigley (1-1), T. Doran (1-0), M. Quigley (0-1).		T. Ryan (3-5), B. O'Connor (1-1), K. Kennedy (1-0), P. Niland (0-1), F. Coffey (0-1), M. O'Connor (0-1).

St. Ciarán's Park, Athlone

Referee: S, O'Connor (Limerick)

All-Ireland Final

6 September 1970
Final

3:15pm

Cork	6-21 – 5-10	Wexford
C. McCarthy (1-9), E. O'Brien (3-1), T. Ryan (0-6), W. Walsh (1-2), C. Cullinane (1-0), G. McCarthy (0-2), R. Cummins (0-1).		P. Quigley (2-0), T. Doran (2-0), D. Quigley (1-0), D. Bernie (0-3), M. Butler (0-3), T. Byrne (0-2), M. Browne (0-1), M. Jacob (0-1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 65,062

Referee: J. Hatton (Wicklow)

Championship statistics

Scoring

Widest winning margin: 19 points
- Wexford 4-17 : 2-4 Dublin (Leinster semi-final)
Most goals in a match: 11
- Cork 6-21 : 5-10 Wexford (All-Ireland final)
Most points in a match: 31
- Cork 6-21 : 5-10 Wexford (All-Ireland final)
Most goals by one team in a match: 6
- Cork 6-21 : 5-10 Wexford (All-Ireland final)
Most goals scored by a losing team: 5
- Wexford 5-10 : 6-21 Cork (All-Ireland final)
- Galway 5-9 : 3-17 Wexford (All-Ireland semi-final)
Most points scored by a losing team: 14
- Kilkenny 3-14 : 4-16 Wexford (Leinster final)

Miscellaneous

The Leinster final between Kilkenny and Wexford was the first championship game to be played over the course of 80 minutes.

Top scorers

Season

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Charlie McCarthy	Cork	1-23	26	4	6.50
2	Tony Doran	Wexford	7-1	22	4	5.50
3	Eddie O'Brien	Cork	6-1	19	4	4.75
4	Ned Buggy	Wexford	1-15	18	4	4.50
5	Willie Walsh	Cork	4-4	16	4	4.00
	Eddie Keher	Galway	1-12	15	2	7.50
	Tomás Ryan	Cork	1-12	15	3	5.00
8	Tom Ryan	Galway	3-5	14	1	14.00
9	Mick Butler	Wexford	0-12	12	2	6.00
10	Ray Cummins	Cork	2-5	11	4	2.75
10	Richie Bennis	Limerick	0-11	11	3	3.66

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Tom Ryan	Galway	3-5	14	Wexford
2	Charlie McCarthy	Cork	1-9	12	Wexford
3	Pat Cronin	Clare	1-8	11	Limerick
4	Ned Buggy	Wexford	1-7	10	Dublin
4	Eddie O'Brien	Cork	3-1	10	Wexford
6	Eddie Keher	Kilkenny	0-9	9	Dublin
	Tommy Ring	Westmeath	2-3	9	Dublin
	Mick Butler	Wexford	0-9	9	Galway
9	Ned Buggy	Wexford	0-8	8	Kilkenny
9	Tomás Ryan	Cork	1-5	8	London

Hat-tricks

Player	For	Against	Result	Date
Tom Ryan	Galway	Wexford	5-9 : 3-17	16 August 1970
Eddie O'Brien	Cork	Wexford	6-21 : 5-10	6 September 1970

Player facts

Debutantes

The following players made their début in the 1970 championship:

Player	Team	Date	Opposition	Game
Paul Byrne	Tipperary	June 21	Waterford	Munster semi-final
Roger Ryan	Tipperary	June 21	Waterford	Munster semi-final
John Horgan	Cork	June 28	Limerick	Munster semi-final
Pat McDonnell	Cork	June 28	Limerick	Munster semi-final
Dinny Ryan	Tipperary	July 19	Cork	Munster final
Martin Coleman	Cork	August 16	London	All-Ireland semi-final

Tom Byrne

Wexford August 15 Galway All-Ireland semi-final

Awards

Annual awards

Texaco Hurler of the Year

The Texaco Hurler of the Year was awarded to Pat McDonnell of Cork.^[5]

References

^ Fogarty, John (15 April 2020). "Plenty of discoveries to be made in deep dive of GAA digital archive". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ Daly, Derek (31 March 2021). "Reeling on the banks of the Lee: History of Cork sports 1970 to 1974". Echo Live. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ Wymbs, Henry (2 January 2021). "CLASH OF THE ASH: The greatest hurlers of the 1970s". The Irish Post. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ O'Grady, Dónal (6 May 2016). "Is the full-forward role now a thing of the past?". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
^ ^a ^b Carter, Plunkett (4 April 2021). "Cork hurlers and the All-Stars clocked up the miles on US tour in 1977". Echo Live. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
^ Moran, Seán (23 July 2020). "Playing with time: When Gaelic games lasted 80 minutes". Irish Times. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
^ Nolan, Pat (9 May 2018). "How GAA Championships have evolved in the last 131 years". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 4 December 2024.

[1] Fogarty, John (15 April 2020). "Plenty of discoveries to be made in deep dive of GAA digital archive". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[2] Daly, Derek (31 March 2021). "Reeling on the banks of the Lee: History of Cork sports 1970 to 1974". Echo Live. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[3] Wymbs, Henry (2 January 2021). "CLASH OF THE ASH: The greatest hurlers of the 1970s". The Irish Post. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[4] O'Grady, Dónal (6 May 2016). "Is the full-forward role now a thing of the past?". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[:0-5] Carter, Plunkett (4 April 2021). "Cork hurlers and the All-Stars clocked up the miles on US tour in 1977". Echo Live. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[6] Moran, Seán (23 July 2020). "Playing with time: When Gaelic games lasted 80 minutes". Irish Times. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[7] Nolan, Pat (9 May 2018). "How GAA Championships have evolved in the last 131 years". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 4 December 2024.

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