How Well Do You Remember The 2019 Hurling Championship?

The future of the 2020 All-Ireland Hurling Championship remains in doubt amid the COVID-19 pandemic, so we are casting our minds back to happier times, namely this time last year when we had an exciting summer ahead of us.

After a brilliant Allianz League campaign, reigning champions Limerick were heading into the championship as the team to beat, Galway looked strong in Leinster despite the absence of Joe Canning and Liam Sheedy’s return provided a major boost to Tipperary.

What a summer it turned out to be.

For the second year in a row, Waterford failed to progress past the Munster Championship, while 2018 All-Ireland semi-finalists Clare joined them in an early exit.

After a rocky start, John Kiely’s Treaty men lifted the Munster Cup after swatting aside Tipperary in the final, despite the Premier County enjoying a flawless campaign to that point.

However, the real drama was in Leinster. All the signs pointed to an eventful championship from the moment Greg Kennedy interfered in Dublin’s eventual loss to Kilkenny in the opening round.

Who could have foreseen the events of June 15th as Mattie Kenny’s side knocked Galway out of the championship on points difference following Wexford’s draw to Kilkenny? On the same day, proud county Offaly were relegated to the Christy Ring Cup following their two-point loss to Kerry in the Joe McDonagh competition.

The drama continued into the All-Ireland series as Laois shocked Dublin to progress to the quarter-finals where they were eventually beaten by Tipperary. Kilkenny announced their bid for the tile in their powerful win over Cork before they shocked hurling fans all over the country by knocking the favourites Limerick out of the competition at the semi-final stage.

Meanwhile, Tipperary fought their way back from a five-point deficit with 14 men to overcome Wexford in a thrilling game in the penultimate round. That set them up with their fifth All-Ireland meeting of the decade with Kilkenny (sixth if you include the 2014 replay).

What a season it proved to be for the Premier County. With Liam Sheedy, Eamon O’Shea and Tommy Dunne steering the ship, they recovered from a slow start to be crowned All-Ireland champions for the third time that decade before their U20 side claimed more glory the following weekend against Cork.