Mick Kenefick
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Micheál Ciniféic | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Left wing-forward | ||
| Born |
14 July 1924 Glasheen, Cork, Ireland | ||
| Died |
20 December 1984 (aged 60) Mercy Hospital, Cork, Ireland | ||
| Occupation | Secondary school principal | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
1941–1944 | St Finbarr's | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Cork titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1942–1944 | Cork | 8 (3–06) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 3 | ||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| NHL | 0 | ||
Michael Kenefick (14 July 1924 – 20 December 1984) was an Irish hurler who played as a left wing-forward at senior level for the Cork county team.
Kenefick joined the team during the 1942 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his forced retirement due to injury during the 1944 championship. During that time he won two All-Ireland medals and two Munster medals. Kenefick captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1943.
At club level Kenefick was a two-time county club championship medalist with St Finbarr's.
Early life
[edit]Kenefick was born and raised in Fair Hill on Cork's northside. His father, Dan Kenefick, played with the St Mary's club and was on the Cork team beaten by Kilkenny in the 1912 All-Ireland final. Kenefick attended Gerald Griffin Technical School and his class submitted teams to the North Monastery class leagues and the St Anne's street leagues. He also played juvenile soccer for Celtic United, something which contravened the ban.[1]
Club career
[edit]Kenefick was part of a group of boys who, in 1939, founded a new club, Gerald Griffins, with the help of John Lyons and Jimmy Lynam from the North Monastery. The new club entered the new Cork City Bord na nÓg leagues and ended the year as winners of both the Gaelic football and hurling leagues. Kenefick had further successes in 1940 when William Griffins retained their hurling league title as well as claiming the newly-established football championship.[2]
A move to the southside of Cork city resulted in Kenefick joining the St Finbarr's club in 1941. Success was immediate with St Finbarr's claiming the Cork MHC title after a defeat of Cloughduv in the final. Kenefick was still eligible for the minor grade when he joined the club's senior team. He was at centre-back when St Finabrr's beat Ballincollig by 5-07 to 2-02 in the 1942 final. Kenefick claimed a second winners' medal the following year when St Finbarr's beat Ballincollig following a replay.[3]
Inter-county career
[edit]Kenefick first played for Cork when he was called-up to the minor team in 1941. He won a Munster MHC medal that year before later lining out at centre-forward in Cork's 5-02 to 2-02 defeat of Kilkenny in the 1941 All-Ireland minor final.[4]
With the All-Ireland MHC suspended due to the Emergency in 1942, the 17-year-old Kenefick was suggested as a possibility for the senior team. After a successful debut marking Mick Mackey in the 1942 Munster semi-final, he ended the campaign with his first Munster SHC medal after a defeat of Tipperary in that year's Munster final.[5] Kenefick subseuently claimed All-Ireland SHC honours when Dublin were beaten by 2-14 to 3-04 in the 1942 All-Ireland final.
The success of St Finbarr's at club level meant that the captaincy of Cork's senior team passed to Kenefick in 1943. After claiming a second successive Munster SHC title, he later captained Cork to a 5-16 to 0-04 victory over Antrim in the 1943 All-Ireland final.[6] At just 19 years and 52 days, he was, and remains, the youngest ever All-Ireland-winning captain.[7] Kenefick retained his place on the Cork team in 1944, however, his wrist was broken by James Ryan in Cork's Munster semi-final defeat of Tipperary. In spite of spending 18 months in plaster, the injury did not heal sufficiently to allow him play again.[8]
Inter-provincial career
[edit]Kenefick's performances at inter-county level resulted in his selection for Munster in 1943. He was a non-playing substitute when Munster beat Leinster by 4-03 to 3-05 in the 1943 Railway Cup final.[9]
Coaching career
[edit]Kenefick's coaching career began in 1974 when he took charge of the St Finbarr's senior team. It was a successful period for the club with both the Cork SHC and Munster Club SHC titles being won.[10][11] Kenefick's side subsequently beat Fenians in the 1975 All-Ireland club final.[12] He was later elected club chairman.[13] Kenefick was a selector in 1977 when St Finbarr's beat Glen Rovers in front of a record final attendance to claim the Cork SHC title once again.[14] St. Finbarr's later reclaimed the Munster club title after a defeat of Sixmilebridge, before Kenefick's side won a second All-Ireland club title when Rathnure were beaten in the 1978 All-Ireland club final.[15]
Honours
[edit]Player
[edit]- St Finbarr's
- Cork Senior Hurling Championship: 1942, 1943
- Cork Minor Hurling Championship: 1941
- Cork Minor Football Championship: 1941, 1942
- Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: 1942, 1943 (c)
- Munster Senior Hurling Championship: 1942, 1943 (c), 1944
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship: 1941
- Munster Minor Hurling Championship: 1941
- Munster
Management
[edit]- St. Finbarr's
- All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship: 1975, 1978
- Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship: 1975, 1978
- Cork Senior Hurling Championship: 1974, 1977
References
[edit]- ^ "The definite history of the Ban and Cork GAA, 50 years on from Rule 27 ending". Echo Live. 11 April 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "The first Cork City under-16 hurling and football champions". Diarmuid O'Donovan website. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "The Barrs - A History". St. Finbarr's GAA website. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
- ^ "Minor Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Senior Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Kilkenny aim to replicate Cork's four-in-a-row". Hogan Stand. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "What clubs have provided the most All-Ireland winning Hurling captains?". AIB website. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "A Cork hurling legend... and his career ended at 21". Echo Live. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Railway Cup Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Barrs and Rockies resume hostilities for classic contest". Irish Examiner. 27 July 2002. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ "Senior Hurling (Club)". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ Cormican, Eoghan (24 September 2022). "Barrs marching on the double just the tonic for iconic former captain Bertie O'Brien". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Cormican, Eoghan (13 September 2022). "Cooperation key in Barr's tilt for double glory". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "Classic Cork hurling finals: Glen and the Barrs packed the Páirc in 1977". Echo Live. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ Allen, John (14 March 2014). "Patrick's Day will see country's best clubs playing for town, village and posterity". Irish Times. Retrieved 24 July 2015.