Yes, there really is such a thing as a handy All-Ireland
However, when first Tipperary and then Kilkenny fell by the wayside before August, some suggested this year’s championship would facilitate a soft All-Ireland. Tony Considine, of this parish, expressed his annoyance with fans who spoke of a ‘handy’ All-Ireland. “There is no such thing as a handy All Ireland, never was, never will be,” believed the Clareman.
All winners like to feel they really dug deep, sweated blood and had to give their all to subdue forces of almost equal standing in their quest for glory. But does this notion actually stack up for winners every year? It’s interesting to look back through the results, as there was certainly ‘handy wins’ on the big day, if not throughout the whole campaign.
There were two ‘handy’ All-Ireland final wins in the past decade. Both featured the superb Kilkenny, who were unbeatable at the time. Their campaign in 2007 could hardly be described as arduous: it should go down as one of the handiest in their history. They were very comfortable against Offaly in the Leinster semi-final and accounted for Wexford in the provincial decider by 15 points. Galway were dismissed by 10 points in the quarter-final before meeting up again with Wexford, who were no match for the Cats, losing by 10.
They then defeated Limerick in a final that was effectively over after 10 minutes when Henry Shefflin struck for a goal moments after Stephen Lucey had returned to the fringe of the square following treatment for a blood injury.
This goal, adding to the audacious strike by Eddie Brennan a minute earlier, killed the game as a contest, with Kilkenny up 2-3 to 0-0.
Twelve months later, they dismantled Waterford in September’s decider, clocking up 3-30. Sitting in the stand that day I concluded the game was over once Kilkenny had scored their second goal.
Tipp’s final victory in 1989 was a handy win against Antrim, who had shocked Offaly in the semi-final. In those times, the semi-finals of the All-Ireland pitched the Connacht champions, Galway and the Ulster champions, Antrim (usually), against the Munster and Leinster champions on alternate years.
Tipp got past Galway in the semi in a game with more than a sprinkling of controversy. In the run-up, coverage was dominated by the suspension of Galway centre-back Tony Keady, who had allegedly played illegally in the United States. That was a difficult game for Tipp, but one couldn’t describe that year’s campaign as particularly tough as they won Munster comfortably, defeating Waterford in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Antrim came to Croke Park that day with lots of hope. But an early fumble by their keeper Niall Patterson resulted in a goal. This score set Tipp up for their expected easy victory with a winning margin of 1-15. Incidentally, RTÉ’s television commentary was a first All-Ireland for Jimmy Magee. Tipp’s legendary star forward Nicky English has 2-10 credited to him in the record books but English himself expressed doubts to Magee in an after match interview that he had scored two goals.
Five years before Cork won handily enough in the ’84 decider in Thurles against Offaly, who had beaten three-in-a-row-seeking Kilkenny in Leinster. There was no back door at the time. The toughest part of that campaign was in Munster where the Rebels defeated Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds on a damp day. Limerick had a strong side and were undone to a degree by their All Star full-back Leonard Enright. He kicked the ball into his own net from inside the square when attempting to knock it out for a 65. In the Munster final Cork staged a great comeback against Tipp. Seanie O’Leary followed in a high ball which was dropping over the bar. Tipp netminder John Sheedy rose high to save the point but O’Leary fired home the crucial score. Antrim in the semi and an easy second half against the Faithful, who didn’t do themselves justice on the day brought Cork victory in the much coveted Centenary final.
Clare will certainly feel that there’s nothing soft about 2013. They will have played seven games by Sunday, two in Munster against Waterford and Cork and then the champions Limerick in the semi-final. Neither will Cork, who will have played two games less but had to overcome Kilkenny as well as current Leinster champions Dublin.
History proves there has been handy final wins; I’d say over 20% in this category. But 2013 will not be another one. Whoever wins Sunday will have earned it.
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