All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1998

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1998
Championship Details
Dates	24 May - 13 September 1998
Teams	18
All Ireland Champions
Winners	Offaly (4th win)
Captain	Hubert Rigney
Manager	Michael Bond
All Ireland Runners-up
Runners-up	Kilkenny
Captain	Tom Hickey
Manager	Kevin Fennelly
Provincial Champions
Munster	Clare
Leinster	Kilkenny
Ulster	Antrim
Connacht	Galway
Championship Statistics
Matches Played	23
Top Scorer	John Troy (2-31)
Player of the Year	Tony Browne
All-Star Team	See here
← 1997 1999 →

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1998 (known for sponsorship reasons as the Guinness Hurling Championship 1998) was the 112th staging of Ireland's premier hurling competition. Offaly won the championship, beating Kilkenny 2-16 to 1-13 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.

1 Format
2 Semi-final controversy
3 All-Ireland Final
4 Fixtures
5 Top scorers
- 5.1 Season
- 5.2 Single game
6 External links
7 See also

Format

1998 was the second year that the controversial "back door" or qualifier system was used in the All-Ireland Championship. While the two provincial final winners automatically qualify for the All-Ireland semi-finals the two defeated provincial teams join Galway and the Ulster provincial final winners in two "quarter-finals". The two winners from these two games qualify for the semi-finals where they meet the Leinster and Munster winners. In 1998 Waterford and Offaly were the two teams to benefit from the qualifier system.

Semi-final controversy

The All-Ireland semi-final between Clare and Offaly ended in controversy and disarray when the referee, Jimmy Cooney, clearly ended the game two minutes early with Clare three points up, 1-16 to 2-10. While Clare manager Ger Loughnane was furious, insisting that it was part of a vendetta to get Clare out of the championship, Cooney admitted that it was a simple error on his behalf. When the whistle blew there was disarray in Croke Park as the disgruntled Offaly supporters began a sit-down protest on the pitch as Clare had won the game. A Kildare v. Kerry IHC game planned for afterwards had to be cancelled.

As a compromise the Gaelic Athletic Association decided to play another game between the two teams. There was even more controversy in that game as the result was reversed with Offaly winning the game.

All-Ireland Final

As a result of the new Qualifier system of games for the second year in a row the All-Ireland final was contested by two teams from the same province. However, this year the final was a repeat of the Leinster final with Offaly taking on Kilkenny. Offaly were playing in their Third All-Ireland Final of the 1990s(having won against Limerick in 1994 and lost to Clare in 1995). Goals for Offaly reversed the Leinster final result and allowed the Offaly men to defeat "the Cats" heavily.

Fixtures

Connacht Senior Hurling Championship

July 12 Final	Roscommon	3-13 – 2-27	Galway	Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon Attendance: 2,000 Referee: P. Delaney (Laois)
	B. Boyle (1-5), C. Kelly (1-4), P. Regan (1-1), M. Cunniffe (0-1), L. Murray (0-1), T. Galvin (0-1).		D. Coen (1-13), A. Kerins (1-4), M. Kenny (0-2), F. Forde (0-2), M. Coleman (0-1), O. Fahy (0-1), K. Broderick (0-1), J. Rabbitte (0-1), J. McGrath (0-1), N. Shaughnessy (0-1).

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

May 24 Quarter-Final	Offaly	4-28 – 0-8	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin Attendance: 48,856 Referee: P. Aherne (Carlow)
	J. Troy (1-9), J. Dooley (1-5), M. Duignan (0-4), B. Dooley (1-1), B. Whelehan (1-0), M. Hand (0-3), K. Farrell (0-2), C. Cassidy (0-1), P. Mulhaire (0-1), G. Oakley (0-1), J. Pilkington (0-1).		N. Horan (0-6), M. Cole (0-1), D. Dorran (0-1).

May 31 Quarter-Final	Dublin	0-14 – 4-23	Kilkenny	Parnell Park, Dublin Attendance: 10,000 Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)
	J. Brennan (0-5), E. Morrissey (0-3), I. McGrane (0-2), S. Perkins (0-2), D. Sweeney (0-1), R. Boland (0-1).		D. J. Carey (1-8), N. Maloney (1-3), B. McEvoy (1-1), K. O'Shea (1-0), M. Phelan (0-3), C. Carter (0-3), P. J. Delaney (0-3), P. O'Neill (0-1), P. Larkin (0-1).

June 14 Semi-Final	Kilkenny	3-11 – 1-14	Laois	Croke Park, Dublin Attendance: 46,078 Referee: P. Horan (Offaly)
	K. O'Shea (1-1), C. Carter (0-4), N. Maloney (1-0), P. J. Delaney (1-0), D. J. Carey (0-3), P. O'Neill (0-2), D. Byrne (0-1).		D. Cuddy (0-5), M. Rooney (1-1), C. Cuddy (0-2), D. Rooney (0-2), D. Russell (0-1), O. Dowling (0-1), F. O'Sullivan (0-1), P. Cuddy (0-1).

June 14 Semi-Final	Offaly	1-15 – 0-17	Wexford	Croke Park, Dublin Attendance: 46,078 Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)
	Johnny Dooley (1-3), J. Troy (0-4), B. Whelehan (0-3), Joe Dooley (0-2), B. Dooley (0-1), J. Pilkington (0-1), P. Mulhaire (0-1).		P. Codd (0-9), M. Storey (0-3), A. Fenlon (0-2), R. McCarthy (0-1), L. Murphy (0-1), M. Jordan (0-1).

July 5 Final	Kilkenny	3-10 – 1-11	Offaly	Croke Park, Dublin Attendance: 32,490 Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)
	C. Carter (1-5), D. J. Carey (2-1), N. Maloney (0-1), B. McEvoy (0-1), A. Comerford (0-1), M. Phelna (0-1).		J. Troy (1-6), Johnny Dooley (0-2), D. Hanniffy (0-1), K. Martin (0-1), B. Whelehan (0-1).

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

May 24 Quarter-Final	Kerry	1-9 – 0-20	Waterford	Austin Stack Park, Tralee Attendance: 4,106 Referee: S. McMahon (Clare)
	B. O'Sullivan (0-4), J. M. Dooley (1-0), R. Gentleman (0-2), M. Slattery (0-2), T. Maunsell (0-1).		D. Shanahan (0-6), P. Flynn (0-6), K. McGrath (0-3), T. Browne (0-2), A. Kirwan (0-1), D. Bennett (0-1), M. White (0-1).

May 31 Quarter-Final	Limerick	3-11 – 1-20	Cork	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick Attendance: 34,480 Referee: J. McDonnell (Tipperary)
	B. Foley (1-1), S. O'Neill (1-1), M. Galligan (0-4), J. Moran (1-0), G. Kirby (0-2), T. J. Ryan (0-2), M. Foley (0-1).		J. Deane (0-7), S. McGrath (0-5), A. Browne (1-1), S. O'Farrell (0-3), K. Morrisson (0-2), F. McCormack (0-2).

June 7 Semi-Final	Waterford	0-21 – 2-12	Tipperary	Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork Attendance: 30,532 Referee: P. O'Connor (Limerick)
	P. Flynn (0-10), K. McGrath (0-4), T. Browne (0-2), D. Shanahan (0-2), B. O'Sullivan (0-2), A. Kirwan (0-1).		E. O'Neill (1-3), B. O'Meara (1-0), L. Cahill (0-3), T. Dunne (0-2), L. McGrath (0-1), D. Ryan (0-1), J. Leahy (0-1), M. Kennedy (0-1).

June 21 Semi-Final	Clare	0-21 – 0-13	Cork	Semple Stadium, Thurles Attendance: 49,133 Referee: W. Barrett (Tipperary)
	J. O'Connor (0-5), E. Taaffe (0-3), A. Markham (0-3), N. Gilligan (0-3), D. Forde (0-2), O. Baker (0-2), A. Daly (0-1), G. O'Loughlin (0-1), P. J. O'Connell (0-1).		J. Deane (0-7), P. Ryan (0-3), S. McGrath (0-2), F. McCormack (0-1).

July 12 Final	Clare	1-16 – 3-10	Waterford	Semple Stadium, Thurles Attendance: 51,417 Referee: W. Barrett (Tipperary)
	J. O'Connor (0-7), A. Markham (1-0), P. J. O'Connell (0-2), E. Taaffe (0-2), A. Daly (0-1), O. Baker (0-1), D. Forde (0-1), N. Gilligan (0-1), C. Clancy (0-1).		A. Kirwan (2-1), P. Flynn (1-2), T. Browne (0-3), D. Shanahan (0-3), M. White (0-1).

July 19 Final Replay	Clare	2-16 – 0-10	Waterford	Semple Stadium, Thurles Attendance: 51,731 Referee: W. Barrett (Tipperary)
	N. Gilligan (1-1), S. McMahon (0-4), J. O'Connor (0-4), C. Clancy (1-0), D. Forde (0-2), A. Markham (0-1), F. Hegarty (0-1), G. O'Loughlin (0-1), C. Lynch (0-1), O. Baker (0-1).		P. Flynn (0-4), D. Bennett (0-2), K. McGrath (0-1), A. Kirwan (0-1), S. Daly (0-1), P. Queally (0-1).

Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

June 14 Semi-Final	Antrim	0-19 – 0-19	London	Casement Park, Belfast Referee: P. Delaney (Laois)
	Greg O'Kane (0-6), L. Richmond (0-2), P. McKillen (0-2), S. McMullan (0-2), J. Cardon (0-2), J. McIntosh (0-2), M. Molloy (0-1), Gary O'Kane (0-1), A. Elliott (0-1).		T. Moloney (0-10), D. Browne (0-2), D. Murphy (0-2), E. Quiane (0-2), A. Heney (0-2), C. Heney (0-1).	Casement Park, Belfast Referee: P. Delaney (Laois)

June 21 Semi-Final Replay	Antrim	6-28 – 1-7	London	Casement Park, Belfast Attendance: 3,000 Referee: P. Delaney (Laois)
	J. Carson (2-2), L. Richmond (1-5), A. Elliott (1-5), Greg O'Kane (1-5), P. McKillen (0-4), J. O'Neill (1-0), S. McMullan (0-2), M. Molloy (0-2), C. McGuckian (0-1), C. McKiernan (0-1), J. McIntosh (0-1).		T. Maloney (1-3), P. Jordan (0-2), B. Dolan (0-1), D. Murphy (0-1).

June 21 Semi-Final	Derry	2-17 – 0-18	Down	Casement Park, Belfast Attendance: 3,000 Referee: T. McIntyre (Antrim)
	O. Collins (0-12), G. McGonagle (1-3), M. Conway (1-0), G. Biggs (0-1), J. O'Dwyer (0-1).		J. McGrattan (0-7), J. McCarthy (0-3), E. Trainor (0-2), G. McGrattan (0-2), M. Coulter (0-2), A. Tinnelly (0-1), B. Coulter (0-1).

July 5 Final	Antrim	1-19 – 2-13	Derry	Casement Park, Belfast Attendance: 6,000 Referee: P. Delaney (Laois)
	Greg O'Kane (0-10), A. Elliott (1-3), S. McMullan (0-2), P. McKillen (0-1), J. McIntosh (0-1), Jarlath Elliott (0-1), J. Carson (0-1).		O. Collins (0-10), Gary Biggs (1-1), G. McGonagle (1-0), M. McCormack (0-1), Greg Biggs (0-1).