Kilkenny, Tipperary were rivals long before 2010

It’s best practice to ignore the self-serving agendas of sporting organisations. But the comments of Tipperary’s county chairman, Sean Nugent, on the rivalry between his county and Kilkenny, in a recent interview with Jackie Cahill, deserve a response.

The rivalry between the counties is as old as the association. A glance of the records shows that both counties, hurling strongholds, have had a rivalry typical of neighbouring counties.

Such a rivalry is a fact of sport: players from both counties have been competing against each other at club, county, and inter-provincial level since the formation of the association.

Sometimes, the rivalry has been less than wholesome, but that, too, is a part of sport. Neither county can claim the moral high ground.

To suggest that the rivalry between the teams of today is because of the outcome of the 2010 All-Ireland final is absurd. We in Kilkenny, have no hangover as to that result. We were beaten by a better team, a fact unconditionally acknowledged by every Kilkenny follower present.

The ‘five-in-a-row’ hysteria was more of a media creation than anything Kilkenny should feel bitter about.

All Kilkenny sought to achieve in 2010 was their 33rd All-Ireland title.

They failed to achieve that milestone that day, but they achieved it 12 months later, and followed it with title number 34 last year. Kilkenny have moved on, but Tipperary have not.

Dermot Kavanagh

Inistioge

Co Kilkenny