Hurling's greatest individual performances on the losing side
Tuesday 28 April 2020 06:47, UK
We look back at five of the greatest ever individual hurling performances from players who ended up on the losing side.
Patrick Horgan - Cork vs Kilkenny (2019 All-Ireland quarter-final)
The most recent entry on the list, Horgan could not have done much more for Cork at Croke Park last July.
The Glen Rovers sharpshooter notched a personal tally of 3-10, 1-8 of which came from placed balls but he was unable to drag his side over the line.
He got the Leesiders off to a perfect start in the third minute, dispatching a penalty past Eoin Murphy. He then beat the black and amber shot-stopper once more in the first half, finding the net with a fierce shot taken on his knees.
Although the Rebels led by two points at half-time, a string of eight unanswered Kilkenny points after the break swung the momentum in the Cats' favour.
Horgan's third goal breathed fire into comeback hopes, as he caught a high ball over Huw Lawlor and rattled the net. But it was not to be as Kilkenny ran out 2-27 to 3-18 victors.
Seamus Callanan - Tipperary vs Galway (2015 All-Ireland semi-final)
The Drom-Inch man put in a truly remarkable display in the 2015 All-Ireland semi-final, as he virtually single-handedly took the fight to the Galway defence.
He finished with 3-9 (3-5 of which came from play) as he terrorised the Tribesmen's defence under high balls.
Pádraic Mannion had no answer to the Tipp forward's aerial prowess. The 2019 Hurler of the Year caught three high balls over the now-Galway captain and stuck them past his namesake Colm Callanan in the Galway goal.
However, while he contributed 3-9, the rest of the Premier team could only contribute seven points, and it was Anthony Cunningham's Galway charges who progressed to the final by the narrowest of margins.
Joe Canning - Galway vs Cork (2008 qualifier)
There was no shortage of hype surrounding Joe Canning heading into his debut season as a senior intercounty hurler. He had already helped Portumna to two All-Ireland club crowns, Galway to two minor and one U21 All-Ireland titles, and also LIT to a Fitzgibbon Cup triumph.
His senior championship bow was against Antrim, which proved to be a routine qualifier win in which he scored 2-6, and he backed it up with 0-9 against Laois the following week.
His third (and final) test that summer came against Cork in Thurles. The Rebels stormed into an early lead, rattling off four points without reply. However, when a long ball was sent down on top of Canning and Diarmuid O'Sullivan, it was the Galwegian who rose highest and beat Donal Óg Cusack.
He followed it up with a breath-taking display, finishing with 2-12 which included a converted penalty and a pointed side-line. However, it was not enough as the 14 men of Cork did enough to get over the line, 0-23 to 2-15.
John Mullane - Waterford vs Cork (2003 Munster final)
The De La Salle club man's contribution in the 2004 provincial decider may be more memorable for his red card and post-match interview, but 12 months previously he ran riot in Thurles.
The Déise came to Semple Stadium as Munster champions, but ran into a Cork side who were under pressure to deliver following their winter strike.
Mullane had bagged 1-1 within eight minutes, and was proving a handful for the Rebel rearguard.
While he did not score for the remainder of the first half, he cut loose once again after the break. Firstly, he collected a quickly-taken free from Paul Flynn and buried it past the unprepared Cork defence on the goal-line. He then sent a rocket over Cusack and into the net to complete his hat-trick.
However, his tally of 3-1 was not enough to stop Cork sealing their first Munster title in three years.
Joe Cooney - Galway vs Cork (1990 All-Ireland final)
In a decider best described as an exhilarating shoot-out, one man led the charge for Galway.
'Canon' Michael O'Brien's team could not get a handle on Cooney, who was simply unmarkable in the first half as his contribution of 1-6 gave Galway the lead at the break.
His booted first-half goal prompted the Munster champions to make a switch, and they eventually nullified his threat in the second half during which he was limited to a single point.
Cork eventually won 5-15 to 2-21, but Cooney's display ensures he is deserving of a place on this list.
