National Forum

Greatest Hurling Upsets Of All Time

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Offaly beating Kilkenny in1980 was a shock result, the greatest is a hard one to call.. Roscommon beating Wexford In Centenary Cup competition in 1984 was a huge shock. Wexford later that summer went on to dethrone the 3 in a row seeking Leinster and All Ireland champions Kilkenny in the Leinster semi final with a late Tony Doran goal..Tipperarrys 1987 Munster final win over a then great Cork team was a fair shock too.. Tipp had lost finals to Cork in 1984 and 85, before missing out in 1986 with Cork and Clare contesting many thought Tipp had slipped back but 1987 the came roaring back and remained there for a few years.. Antrim beating Offaly in AI semifinal in 1989 was another shock..to pick one is hard..Kerry beating a then weak Waterford in 1993 Munster championship.. Same year Clare came from nowhere literally to beat Cork with a late goal..I think Kildare beat Kilkenny in the NHL back late 1970s or early 1980s too..surely a massive upset especially back then..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 30/05/2023 18:29:47    2483007

Link

Dublin winning Leinster in 2013 after 5 games in five weeks, drawing with and then beating Wexford and Kilkenny, then hammering Galway in final surely a shock?

We've been at other end. Laois obviously in 2019, Westmeath in 2006, although Dublin had just come out of Division II. Biggest in my life time was Kildare in Aughrim in 1977 after we'd had a reasonably good league. Kildare came close to Wexford in semi final and Wexford were very good at time and won two Leinsters in a row. Also got beaten by Rossies in league in Athleague. Think it was same year Roscommon beat Wexford in centenary cup.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2584 - 30/05/2023 18:30:16    2483008

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Funny how so many of these upsets feature the most inconsistent hurling county in Ireland. Us!"
Glad you're accepting that mantle, though we were pretty close to wresting it back from you with our display last Sunday!

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1904 - 30/05/2023 21:18:22    2483036

Link

Surely Antrim v Offaly in '89… The game badly needs a few more shocks like this which have a meaningful impact and give hope to the developing counties…

Observer23 (UK) - Posts: 17 - 30/05/2023 21:38:12    2483040

Link

In fairly recent past Carlow have beaten Wexford in the league and drawn with Galway. We also came within an inch of beating Wexford in a championship back door knock out game about 6-7 years ago when a glorious goal chance with the last puck went narrowly wide and we lost by just two.

Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1412 - 30/05/2023 21:50:09    2483043

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Cody collapsed on the floor when Mick Jacob scored that goal!"
I remember seeing that lol,

Galway9801 (Galway) - Posts: 1721 - 30/05/2023 21:52:11    2483044

Link

Replying To Breffni1969:  "Limerick beating Kilkenny in the All Ireland final in 1973 was a big shock."
Carlow 1-17 Cork 1-12, National Hurling League, October 1962. Carlow had just won the All-Ireland intermediate championship, and it was their first game as a senior team.

Christy Ring scored 0-7 for Cork.

That Carlow team would reach two consecutive Leinster finals. They came really close to a breakthrough. However, in 1965, they suddenly went into a tailspin. The county would remain in the doldrums for four decades. Eventually they re-emerged in the mid 2000s.

CARPS (Carlow) - Posts: 601 - 31/05/2023 06:27:33    2483056

Link

Replying To Breffni1969:  "Limerick beating Kilkenny in the All Ireland final in 1973 was a big shock."
Hardly a 'big shock'. Limerick appeared in 8 Munster finals between 1971 and 1981, winning 4 in 73,74, 80 and 81
After beating Kilkenny in the 73 All-Ireland they lost to Kilkenny the following year in the final.
The Limerick team of the 1970s were a very good side. If it hadn't been for the great Cork team of the 1970s ( won 5 Munster's in a row between 75 and 79, and 3 AIs in a row 76 to 78), Limerick would probably have won one or two more All-Irelands.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2478 - 31/05/2023 08:24:07    2483062

Link

Replying To CARPS:  "Carlow 1-17 Cork 1-12, National Hurling League, October 1962. Carlow had just won the All-Ireland intermediate championship, and it was their first game as a senior team.

Christy Ring scored 0-7 for Cork.

That Carlow team would reach two consecutive Leinster finals. They came really close to a breakthrough. However, in 1965, they suddenly went into a tailspin. The county would remain in the doldrums for four decades. Eventually they re-emerged in the mid 2000s."
Semi-finals, sorry. Not finals. Typo.

CARPS (Carlow) - Posts: 601 - 31/05/2023 10:13:00    2483079

Link

Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Glad you're accepting that mantle, though we were pretty close to wresting it back from you with our display last Sunday!"
Historically we are the 2 Kings of inconsistency!!!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 12045 - 31/05/2023 10:18:03    2483081

Link

Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "Hardly a 'big shock'. Limerick appeared in 8 Munster finals between 1971 and 1981, winning 4 in 73,74, 80 and 81
After beating Kilkenny in the 73 All-Ireland they lost to Kilkenny the following year in the final.
The Limerick team of the 1970s were a very good side. If it hadn't been for the great Cork team of the 1970s ( won 5 Munster's in a row between 75 and 79, and 3 AIs in a row 76 to 78), Limerick would probably have won one or two more All-Irelands."
Same as us that time.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 12045 - 31/05/2023 10:19:25    2483083

Link

Replying To endgame:  "Kilkenny had a lot of injuries that day so maybe not that big of a shock. The same counties met in the Final 12 months later and Kilkenny won well."
Limerick came from nowhere that year. Hadn't won a Munster title for nearly 30 years.

Breffni1969 (Cavan) - Posts: 510 - 31/05/2023 11:14:39    2483107

Link

Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "Hardly a 'big shock'. Limerick appeared in 8 Munster finals between 1971 and 1981, winning 4 in 73,74, 80 and 81
After beating Kilkenny in the 73 All-Ireland they lost to Kilkenny the following year in the final.
The Limerick team of the 1970s were a very good side. If it hadn't been for the great Cork team of the 1970s ( won 5 Munster's in a row between 75 and 79, and 3 AIs in a row 76 to 78), Limerick would probably have won one or two more All-Irelands."
They hadn't won a Munster title for nearly 30 years BBEdits 1973. If that's not a shock what is?

Breffni1969 (Cavan) - Posts: 510 - 31/05/2023 11:16:25    2483108

Link

Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Dublin winning Leinster in 2013 after 5 games in five weeks, drawing with and then beating Wexford and Kilkenny, then hammering Galway in final surely a shock?

We've been at other end. Laois obviously in 2019, Westmeath in 2006, although Dublin had just come out of Division II. Biggest in my life time was Kildare in Aughrim in 1977 after we'd had a reasonably good league. Kildare came close to Wexford in semi final and Wexford were very good at time and won two Leinsters in a row. Also got beaten by Rossies in league in Athleague. Think it was same year Roscommon beat Wexford in centenary cup."
Was going to say that, including the replay v Kilkenny when everyone thought we had missed the boat,

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1138 - 31/05/2023 11:25:43    2483115

Link

Replying To Breffni1969:  "They hadn't won a Munster title for nearly 30 years BBEdits 1973. If that's not a shock what is?"
Limerick lost by 1 point to Tipp in the 1971 Munster Final, after beating Cork in the sem-final. Tipp went on to beat Kilkenny in the AI final. Limerick also won the National Hurling League 1972, and were runners-up in 1970, 71, 73 and 74. The Limerick team of the early 1970's could hold their own, against any other county. Nobody at the time would have been greatly shocked, in them winning an All-Ireland in 73.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2478 - 31/05/2023 11:58:16    2483132

Link

Replying To CARPS:  "Carlow 1-17 Cork 1-12, National Hurling League, October 1962. Carlow had just won the All-Ireland intermediate championship, and it was their first game as a senior team.

Christy Ring scored 0-7 for Cork.

That Carlow team would reach two consecutive Leinster finals. They came really close to a breakthrough. However, in 1965, they suddenly went into a tailspin. The county would remain in the doldrums for four decades. Eventually they re-emerged in the mid 2000s."
Am not "doing down" the Carlow team of that era in any way, but they never actually made a Leinster Final. Best they did was semi-finals in both 1963 and '64, winning two matches in each of those years before being beaten by Dublin in the semi-finals.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2254 - 31/05/2023 14:54:52    2483181

Link

Replying To Pikeman96:  "Am not "doing down" the Carlow team of that era in any way, but they never actually made a Leinster Final. Best they did was semi-finals in both 1963 and '64, winning two matches in each of those years before being beaten by Dublin in the semi-finals."
Did you not read the post under it?

I said it was a typo.

CARPS (Carlow) - Posts: 601 - 31/05/2023 15:49:44    2483196

Link

Galway beating Cork in the All-Ireland semi-finals in 1975, 1979 and 1985 were big shocks. However once they met in the finals 1986 and 1990 Galway did not cope well when favourites.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 31/05/2023 15:50:28    2483197

Link

Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "Limerick lost by 1 point to Tipp in the 1971 Munster Final, after beating Cork in the sem-final. Tipp went on to beat Kilkenny in the AI final. Limerick also won the National Hurling League 1972, and were runners-up in 1970, 71, 73 and 74. The Limerick team of the early 1970's could hold their own, against any other county. Nobody at the time would have been greatly shocked, in them winning an All-Ireland in 73."
Regardless of their form post 73 they hadn't won a provincial title for nearly 30 years and were up against the current all Ireland champions.
Be the same as Offaly ( who haven't won a provincial for nearly 30yrs) beating the current champions Limerick in a final. Be classed as a shock I'd say.

Breffni1969 (Cavan) - Posts: 510 - 31/05/2023 16:04:41    2483207

Link

Replying To Byanthon:  "Galway beating Cork in the All-Ireland semi-finals in 1975, 1979 and 1985 were big shocks. However once they met in the finals 1986 and 1990 Galway did not cope well when favourites."
1985 was a big shock. Was in pub before that one and there were lads putting down 400 to 100 on Cork win. Hardly anyone at it either.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2584 - 31/05/2023 19:04:04    2483254

Link