Greatest All-Ireland Hurling Finals individual performances
Saturday 16 May 2020 20:40, UK
We look back at seven of the greatest individual performances in All-Ireland hurling finals.
- Greatest individual hurling performances on the losing side
- Greatest individual football performances on the losing side
Seamus Callanan - Tipperary vs Kilkenny (2016)
The 2016 showpiece is remembered as a one-sided victory as Tipp regained the Liam MacCarthy Cup with a nine-point winning margin. But it's often overlooked just how tight it was as the game turned down the home straight.
Indeed, the Cats led with 45 minutes on the clock after a Kevin Kelly goal. But the difference was the performance of Seamus Callanan.
The Premier forward put in one of the performances of his career, toying with the Kilkenny defence. The Drom-Inch man scored 0-13 in total, nine of which came from play.
Kieran Joyce - Kilkenny vs Tipperary (2014)
For the third consecutive year, the decider was brought to a replay in 2014. Kilkenny had survived a shootout with Tipp two weeks' previously, so the Cats elected to set up more defensively the next day.
Joyce was drafted into the starting line-up, playing as a spare defender for Brian Cody's side.
He dominated his half of the field, laying the foundations for a famous victory.
Shane O'Donnell - Clare vs Cork (2013)
This wasn't a bad way for a player to announce himself on the big stage. O'Donnell had been frozen out for the majority of the year, but was drafted back into the starting team after the final ended in a draw.
The first day ended in a stalemate, so Clare and Cork had to do it all over again. Davy Fitzgerald's charges had failed to raise a green flag on the first occasion, so turned to the young forward to give them the killer instinct up front.
A return of 3-3 followed, as the Banner ended a 16-year wait for All-Ireland glory.
Lar Corbett - Tipperary vs Kilkenny (2010)
The Thurles Sarsfields sharpshooter played a starring role in the previous year's showpiece, scoring four points from play. However, 12 months later Liam Sheedy elected to play him closer to goal, and it worked a treat.
Corbett shrugged off Noel Hickey in the air for his first goal, and timed his second to perfect as he ran onto Noel McGrath's hand-pass and blasted it past PJ Ryan. His third was a cherry-on-top, with the victory already wrapped up.
It earned him the Hurler of the Year gong, and the Cats needed to make special provisions for him in the subsequent years.
PJ Ryan - Kilkenny vs Tipperary (2009)
A thoroughly deserved man-of-the-match award, after pulling off some outrageous stops against the Premier. Eoin Kelly and Callanan both had clear opportunities, but Ryan was equal to their efforts.
Goals proved the difference, as Kilkenny got two up the other end courtesy of Henry Shefflin and Martin Comerford.
Ryan's clean sheet helped the Cats across the line and seal the four-in-a-row.
DJ Carey - Kilkenny vs Offaly (2000)
After losing the two previous finals, the Cats were eager to finally get over the line and did so in some style. Brian Cody's goal-hungry charges were too strong for a wilting Offaly side who had won two of the previous six titles.
Carey was tormentor-in-chief, as he scored 2-4 in a rampant display.
Nicky English - Tipperary vs Antrim (1989)
Nobody has scored more than English in an All-Ireland hurling final. When Babs Keating's Tipperary reached the 1989 decider, they came up against surprise-package Antrim.
The Premier won at a canter, but that was largely down to the Lattin-Cullen man's record contribution of 2-12.
His late first-time goal into the Canal End capped off a memorable performance, as Tipp ended an 18-year wait; their longest-ever All-Ireland drought.
