Kilkenny GAA - Gaelic Football

Gaelic Football

In the GAA's early years, Kilkenny had some success at football. Between 1888 and 1911 Kilkenny contested 7 leinster finals, winning 3. They won the first ever Leinster Senior Football Championship that was played in 1888 with a victory over Wexford. However, the rest of the championship was abandoned due to the players tour of America, known as the US invasion. Further success in Leinster followed in 1900 against Louth 12pts to no score. Kilkenny went on beat Tipperary in the 1900 all-ireland semi final, 1-7 to 0-8. The game was refixed following an objection by Tipperary, Kilkenny refused to play, so the match was awarded to Tipperary. Tipperary went on to win the all ireland final beating Galway 2-20 to 0-1. The 1911 leinster final between Kilkenny and Meath the match awarded to Meath because Kilkenny were late. Kilkenny objected and had won by 2–4 to 1–1 on the field of play. In 1914, the young team mascot, Peter Dunne, had to line out to complete their team. Kilkenny county footballers have not won a senior championship match since 1929 when they defeated Louth by 0–10 to 0–4. Their best championship result since was a 3–8 to 3–4 defeat against Kildare in 1961. 1982 was their last championship campaign. In the league their 1970–71 league campaign yielded four victories and they won three games in a row in early 1988 League and O'Byrne Cup games.

Kilkenny is unique among the 32 Irish county associations in not participating in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. They played in the Tommy Murphy Cup a second tier competition for weaker footballing counties for four of the five years it was played, however, even in this competition they lost every game they played. Kilkenny entered the National Football League for the first time in years in 2008, and have not had any success losing every game bar one up to, and including, the 2011 competition. Kilkenny compete in the Leinster Junior Football Championship, their most notifiable rest came in 2011, defeating Wexford 3-5 to 0-13. There is an excellent underage and adult club football structure in Kilkenny. Glenmore, Mullinavat, Railyard and Muckalee are the football strongholds. However the lure of county and club hurling championships deprives Kilkenny of it best footballers.