Kilkenny
Overview: The proverbial “Home of Hurling”, Kilkenny is the most successful county ever to play the game. This cannot be disputed. They have won the All-Ireland Championship thirty-one times and have won the provincial championship sixty-five times. As one of the few teams to win the All-Ireland Championship three years in a row (2006-2008), an argument can be made that this Kilkenny team may be the best of all time - and with many members of those championship teams returning for the 2009 campaign, Kilkenny may win another this year.
Nickname: The Cats
From Wikipedia: "The term Kilkenny cat refers to anyone who is a tenacious fighter. The origin of the term is now lost so there are many stories purporting to give the true meaning." Trust me, there is no point wasting your time reading the above-mentioned "stories" - they're all equally confusing.
American Comparison: The New York Yankees (of the late 90's) or the New England Patriots. If only because they each had their own “dynasties” in their particular sport in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and Kilkenny is in the midst of creating their own. It’s unclear whether or not the Cats are as hated as the Yankees though (really, how could they be?)
Colors/Jerseys: Black and Amber
Rivals: Cork and Tipperary – the other two teams in the “Big Three” of hurling.
Sponsor: Avonmore (Dairy Products)
Notable Players: When discussing notable players at Kilkenny, it’s best to start at the top. The captain, James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, has been with the team since 2004. He was named “Young Hurler of the Year” in 2006 and has won All-Star awards the past three years
Fitzpatrick took over the captaincy in 2008 from Harry Shefflin, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. Shefflin’s tally of 20 goals and 331 points from 44 championship games makes him the second highest scorer in championship history. And in 2002 he was awarded the three most prestigious personal awards in the game – the Vodafone, Texaco and Gaelic Players’ Association Hurler of the Year Awards.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the coach of the Cats, Brian Cody. He is currently the longest serving manager of any team in the senior championship (having taken the job in 1998) and is considered one of the greatest managers of the modern game. Since 1999 he has led Kilkenny to six All-Ireland titles, nine Leinster titles and four National Hurling League titles. In a word, his teams have dominated hurling for the last ten years.
Stadium: Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
Frequency of televised matches: Often - they're the champs.
Relevant websites: www.kilkennycats.com
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