1956 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

none April 2022 1956 22 April – 23 September 1956 13 Cork Wexford 12 Wexford 3rd Jim English Cork Tony O'Shaughnessy 85 (7.08 per game) 199 (16.58 per game) Nicky Rackard (12–15) 1955 1957 The 1956 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 70th staging of the All-Ireland hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. The championship began on 22 April 1956 and ended on 23 September 1956. Wexford were the defending champions, and retained their All-Ireland crown following a 2–14 to 2–8 defeat of Cork.http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/sports-recreation/sport/wexford-hurling/wexford-hurling-in-the-19/all-ireland-win-1956/ All-Ireland win 1956 Ask About Ireland website 21 October 2013 Teams A total of thirteen teams contested the championship, a reduction of one on the previous championship. Wicklow withdrew and did not field a team in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship. Team summaries TeamColoursMost recent successAll-IrelandProvincialLeagueClareSaffron and blue191419321945–46CorkRed and white195419541952–53DublinBlue and navy193819521938–39GalwayMaroon and white19231950–51KilkennyBlack and amber194719531932–33LaoisBlue and white19151949LimerickGreen and white194019401946–47MeathGreen and goldOffalyGreen, white and goldTipperaryBlue and gold195119511954–55WaterfordWhite and blue19481948WestmeathMaroon and whiteWexfordPurple and gold195519551955–56 Provincial championships Leinster Senior Hurling Championship First round 29 April 1956 First round Westmeath 9–06 – 6–01 Meath J Daly 3–2, D O'Callaghan 3–0, S Stokes 2–1, D O'Sullivan 1–0, J McGrath 0–2, J Carey 0–1. B Smith 2–0, M Kane 1–1, S O'Brien 1–0, W McGovern 1–0, M Cullen 1–0. O'Connor Park P O'Connell (Offaly) Quarter-finals 22 April 1956 Quarter-final Laois 5–09 – 4–05 Offaly P Spencer 1–4, T Maher 1–1, B O'Keeffe 1–0, P Lalor 1–0, M O'Sullivan 1–0, B Bohane 0–3, J Kelly 0–1. T Dooley 1–1, B McDermott 1–0, T Errity 1–0, A Pyke 1–0, J Brady 0–2, D Breen 0–1, S Grennan 0–1. O'Moore Park J Mulcahy (Kilkenny) 20 May 1956 Quarter-final Kilkenny 6–11 – 3–09 Westmeath S Clohessey 0–9, W Dwyer 2–0, D Rockett 2–0, J Murphy 1–1, PJ Garvan 1–1. J McGrath 0–4, D O'Callaghan 1–0, J Daly 1–0, D O'Sullivan 1–0, S Stokes 0–3, J Carey 0–2. O'Connor Park 12,000 P O'Connell (Offaly) Semi-finals 10 June 1956 Semi-final Wexford 8–09 – 2–02 Laois N Rackard 4–3, N Wheeler 2–0, T Dixon 1–2, T Flood 1–1, J Morrissey 0–2, O Gough 0–1. T Maher 1–2, M O'Sullivan 1–0. Nowlan Park 20,000 J Mulcahy (Kilkenny) 17 June 1956 Semi-final Kilkenny 3–08 – 1–08 Dublin S Clohessey 2–2, W Dwyer 1–1, R Carroll 0–4, PJ Garvan 0–1. W Cashin 1–3, N Allen 0–4, B Boothman 0–1. Nowlan Park 20,000 P O'Connell Final 8 July 1956 Final Wexford 4–08 – 3–10 Kilkenny N Rackard 2–3, T Ryan 1–1, T Dixon 1–1, P Kehoe 0–3. W Dwyer 1–4, D Rockett 2–0, J Murphy 0–3, S Clohessey 0–1, B Walsh 0–1, M Brophy 0–1. Croke Park 52,077 M Spain (Offaly) Munster Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-final 10 June 1956 Quarter-final Cork 5–09 – 2–12 Waterford M Ryan 2–2, C Ring 2–1, P Barry 1–0, M Finn 0–2, M Fouhy 0–1, T Kelly 0–1, WJ Daly 0–1, C O'Shea 0–1. D Whelan 2–0, M Flannelly 0–4, T Cheasty 0–3, J Kiely 0–2, S Power 0–1, F Walsh 0–1, P Grimes 0–1. FitzGerald Park 18,500 G Fitzgerald (Limerick) Semi-finals 17 June 1956 Semi-final Limerick 1–15 – 2–06 Clare M Tynan 1–1, R Prendergast 0–4, D Kelly 0–4, V Cobbe 0–2, L Ryan 0–1, T Casey 0–1, G Fitzgerald 0–1, M McInerney 0–1. J Smyth 1–2, S Madigan 1–0, M Nugent 0–3, G Ryan 0–1. Thurles Sportsfield 24,030 R Stakelum (Tipperary) 1 July 1956 Semi-final Cork 1–11 – 2–07 Tipperary C Ring 0–6, P Barry 1–0, T Kelly 0–1, J Rogers 0–1, C O'Shea 0–1, P Healy 0–1, M Fouhy 0–1, P Kenny 1–3, T Butler 1–1, P Stakelum 0–1, L Devaney 0–1, G Doyle T English 0–1. Gaelic Grounds 36,946 M Pollard (Waterford) Final 22 July 1956 Final Cork 5–05 – 3–05 Limerick T Kelly 2–2, C Ring 2–1, P Barry 1–0, C O'Shea 0–1, WJ Daly 0–1. V Cobbe 1–1, T McGarry 1–1, L Ryan 1–0, D Kelly 0–3. Thurles Sportsfield 47,017 R Stakelum (Tipperary) All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship All-Ireland semi-finals 29 July 1956 Semi-final Wexford 5–13 – 1–8 Galway N Rackard (5–3), English (0–2), W Rackard (0–2), Flood (0–2), Hearne (0–1), Ryan (0–1), Dixon (0–1), Kehoe (0–1). Salmon (0–4), Fives (1–0), Conway (0–2), Cullinane (0–1), Molloy (0–1). Croke Park 36,465 R Stakelum All-Ireland final 23 September 1956 Final Wexford 2–14 – 2–8 Cork N Rackard (1–6), Kehoe (1–1), T. Flood (0–2), Codd (0–2), Dixon (0–2), W. Rackard (0–1). Ring (1–5), Barry (1–1), Regan (0–1) Goulding (0–1). Croke Park 83,096 T O'Sullivan (Limerick) Championship statistics Top scorers Top scorers overall Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Nicky RackardWexford12–1551412.752Christy RingCork5–132847.003Seán ClohessyKilkenny2–121836.004Billy DwyerKilkenny4-051735.665Jimmy DalyWestmeath4-021427.006Paddy BarryCork4-011343.257Dinny O'CallaghanWestmeath4-001226.00Tom DixonWexford2-061243.00 Top scorers in a single game Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Nicky RackardWexford5-0318Galway2Nicky RackardWexford4-0315Laois3Jimmy DalyWestmeath3-0211Meath4Dinny O'CallaghanWestmeath3-009MeathNicky RackardWexford2-039KilkennyNicky RackardWexford1-069KilkennySeán ClohessyKilkenny0-099Westmeath4Seán ClohessyKilkenny2-028DublinMick RyanCork2-028WaterfordTerry KellyCork2-028LimerickChristy RingCork1-058Wexford Scoring Widest winning margin: 19 points Wexford 8–9 – 2–2 Laois (Leinster semi-final, 10 June 1956) Most goals in a match: 15 Westmeath 9–6 – 6–1 Meath (Leinster first round, 29 April 1956) Most points in a match: 22 Wexford 2–14 – 2–8 Cork (All-Ireland final, 23 September 1956) Most goals by one team in a match: 9 Westmeath 9–6 – 6–1 Meath (Leinster first round, 29 April 1956) Most goals scored by a losing team: 6 Westmeath 9–6 – 6–1 Meath (Leinster first round, 29 April 1956) Most points scored by a losing team: 12 Cork 5–9 – 2–12 Waterford (Munster quarter-final, 10 June 1956) Miscellaneous Wexford won a third Leinster title in-a-row. It remains the only time in their history that they went undefeated in the provincial championship for three successive campaigns. An outbreak of polio in Cork and the fear of a spread of the disease to Dublin due to an influx of Cork supporters lead to the postponement of the All-Ireland final until 23 September 1956.http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/deadly-polio-nightmare-of-50-years-ago-26412438.html Deadly polio nightmare of 50 years ago Irish Independent 28 May 2006 21 October 2013 Seán Reilly The attendance of 83,096 at the All-Ireland final remains an all-time record. Wexford retained the All-Ireland title for the only time in their history. The 2–14 to 2–8 victory remained their only championship defeat of Cork until July 2016 when they did it again in the round 2 Qualifiers. (Cork–Wexford hurling rivalry) Sources Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005). Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005). Horgan, Tim, Christy Ring: Hurling's Greatest (The Collins Press, 2007). Nolan, Pat, Flashbacks: A Half Century of Cork Hurling (The Collins Press, 2000). Sweeney, Éamonn, Munster Hurling Legends (The O'Brien Press, 2002). External links 1956 All-Ireland Hurling Championship results References 1956 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship