1959 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
| Championship details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 12 April - 4 October 1959 |
| Teams | 11 |
| All-Ireland champions | |
| Winning team | Waterford (2nd win) |
| Captain | Frankie Walsh |
| All-Ireland Finalists | |
| Losing team | Kilkenny |
| Captain | Seán Clohessy |
| Provincial champions | |
| Munster | Waterford |
| Leinster | Kilkenny |
| Ulster | Not Played |
| Connacht | Not Played |
| Championship statistics | |
| No. matches played | 13 |
| Top Scorer | Frankie Walsh (2-28) |
| Player of the Year | Christy Ring |
| All-Star Team | See here |
← 1959 1960 → | |
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1959 was the 73rd staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Waterford won the championship, beating Kilkenny 3-12 to 1-10 in a replay of the final at Croke Park, Dublin.
The championship
Format
Munster Championship
First round: (2 matches) These are two matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Munster. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the two winners advance to play each other in a semi-final match.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two first round games play each other in one semi-final while the two other Munster teams play each othe rin the second semi-final. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the All-Ireland final.
Leinster Championship
First round: (2 matches) These are two matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Leinster. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the two winners advance to play each other in a second round match.
Second round: (1 match) The winners of the two first round games play each other in this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the second round joins the other three Leinster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final.
Final: (1 match) The winner of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the All-Ireland final.
Fixtures
| Kilkenny | 5-5 – 1-17 | Waterford |
|---|---|---|
| F. Walsh (0-5), T. Cheasty (0-5), S. Power (1-0), P. Grimes (0-3), L. Guinan (0-2), J. Kiely (0-2). | T. O'Connell (3-0), R. Carroll (1-2), W. Dwyer (1-1), P. Kelly (0-1), S. Clohessy (0-1). |
| Waterford | 3-12 – 1-10 | Kilkenny |
|---|---|---|
| T. Cheasty (2-2), F. Walsh (0-8), M. Flannelly (1-1), L. Guinan (0-1). | W. Dwyer (0-5), D. Heaslip (1-1), E. Keher (0-2), S. Clohessy (0-1), M. Walsh (0-1). |
      Waterford
|
   Kilkenny
|
Championship statistics
Miscellaneous
- Galway, facing no opposition in their own province, enter the Munster championship for the first time.
- In the Munster semi-final Waterford lead All-Ireland champions Tipperary by 8-2 to 0-0 at half-time. Sports broadcaster Michael O'Hehir, who was commentating on another game, read the half-time result live on the radio but advised listeners not to pay any heed as he believed it to be a hoax.
- For the first time, Waterford qualified for a third consecutive Munster final.
- The All-Ireland final goes to a replay for the first time since 1934. It held the record as the last replayed championship decider until 2012.
- Phil Grimes becomes the first and only Waterford player to win two All-Ireland medals. He did not play in his county's first championship triumph in 1948, however, he played in the opening round of the championship and was entitled to a winners' medal.
Player facts
Debutantes
The following players made their début in the 1959 championship:
| Player | Team | Date | Opposition | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Keher | Kilkenny | October 4 | Waterford | All-Ireland final replay |
References
- Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
- Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).
- Nolan, Pat, Flashbacks: A Half Century of Cork Hurling (The Collins Press, 2000).
- Sweeney, Éamonn, Munster Hurling Legends (The O'Brien Press, 2002).