Kilkenny finally go one better than a double

Kilkenny’s treble success in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final at Semple Stadium on Sunday was all the more noteworthy for the reason that the county only won back-to-back titles for the first time in 1983.

They defeated Wexford in the 1981/’82 decider in Croke Park and retained the title by beating Limerick in Thurles the following year, with a team captained by Liam Fennelly and including former GAA president Nickey Brennan. They again recorded the double in 2002/‘03 (failing to make it to the final in ’04), again in 2005/’06 (losing the following year to Waterford) and for the fourth time last season in Nowlan Park when they followed up their 2012 win over Cork in Thurles by beating Tipperary 2-17 to 0-20.

Kilkenny also defeated Tipperary in extra-time to win the 2009 final in Thurles 2-26 to 4-17, with Richie Hogan (again) playing a starring role with a contribution of 1-10. The outcome was notable for the fact that in their preliminary round meeting in Nowlan Park six weeks earlier, Kilkenny had trounced their great rivals by 5-17 to 1-12.

Previously, extra-time had been played in the 1993 final — in the second of three games needed to separate Cork and Wexford. A late Jim Cashman point saved Cork from defeat and they were triumphant in the second replay.