Cork won on probably the most unsuitable playing surface in hurling history after somebody neglected to get the grass cut at the original venue in Ashtown.

Dick Doyle's first-half goal set the Cats on their way, while a last-minute miracle save by 'keeper Pat "Fox" Maher secured a narrow 1-9 to 1-8 victory.

Kilkenny pulled forward by three points at one stage, however, Willie Campbell landed a long-range free in the net for a dramatic equalising goal for Cork.

While it looked as if the game was heading for a replay Kilkenny's Terry Leahy whipped over the winning point after he connected with a Paddy Phelan 70-yards free.

With ten minutes remaining Cork's lead was reduced to just two points, however, goals by Mossy O'Riordan and Joe Kelly secured the 7-6 to 3-8 victory.

Mossy O'Riordan and Joe Kelly got Cork back into the game with two second-half goals, however, Kilkenny's Jim Langton and Terry Leahy were the key players with tallies of 0-3 and 0-6 respectively.

Cork, seeking a first title in twelve years, laid the foundations for this victory with a solid first-half performance as having played into the win they trailed by 0-7 to 1-2.

Regarded as one of the classic games of the modern era, the All-Ireland final on 3 September 1972 was the only eighty-minute championship decider between Cork and Kilkenny.

After scoring that goal an almost emotionless Keher simply turned around to go back to his normal playing position with blood pouring out of a cut over his eye.

With thirteen minutes left Jimmy Barry-Murphy hit a low shot in towards the goal and it bobbled in past goalkeeper Noel Skehan.

The opening eighteen minutes were frantic, however, a Noel Skehan save from a Seánie O'Leary shot inspired Kilkenny.

The first period of the All-Ireland final on 4 September 1983 was similar to the previous year as Kilkenny built up a healthy interval advantage of six points.

The final was going to script in the first half as Cork shot five points without reply before D. J. Carey rattled home a penalty before half-time to leave them just two adrift at the beginning of the second period.

The conclusion at the end was that Cork, who had endured a winter of discontent on Leeside culminating in a players' strike, had left the All-Ireland title behind them.

Kilkenny sparkled in the first half when the Munster champions were haunted by some terrible finishing and stuttered in the face of an admirable recovery that was given huge impetus by Setanta Ó hAilpín's 53rd-minute goal.

But Kilkenny had the character and the strength in defence to survive and then triumph through Martin Comerford's goal five minutes from the end of normal time.

Kilkenny, as reigning champions, were attempting to claim a third successive All-Ireland championship, while Cork were out to gain revenge for defeat the previous year.

The sides were level for much of the game, however, in the final twenty minutes Cork scored nine points without reply and secured a 0-17 to 0-9 victory.

In a bruising encounter, the teams were level five times before Diarmuid O'Sullivan dropped a high ball into Aidan Fogarty's path in the 29th minute and he rocketed a shot to the Cork net.

[8] By 2008, Cork's great team of the earlier part of the decade was in decline while Kilkenny were enjoying the most remarkable run of success in the history of the championship.

But when Eoin Larkin found himself in space for a Kilkenny goal after twenty nine minutes to have his side 1-9 to 0-6 in front, the champions were in control for the remainder.

Kilkenny claimed a 1-23 to 0-17 victory as Cork's stalwart full-back, Diarmuid O'Sullivan, made an emotional exit from inter-county hurling.

The Cats controlled the game with a masterful performance, killing off the Cork challenge with goals from Eddie Brennan and Aidan Fogarty on their way to a 13-point interval lead.

Cork did stage a revival in the second half with a string of well-taken scores from Patrick Horgan and Ben O'Connor, but the Cats grabbed a third goal from Richie Power to secure a 3-22 to 0-19 victory.

Kilkenny were boosted with the inclusion of Henry Shefflin and Michael Fennelly in their starting line-up, after the duo bounced back from a period on the sidelines due to injury.

Some of their fellow countymen also feature regularly in such debates, such as Cork's Jack Lynch and Brian Corcoran and Kilkenny's Paddy Phelan, Lory Meagher and Jim Langton, many of whom were named on the Hurling Team of the Century.

[citation needed] Ring remains the most iconic of hurlers, possessed of everything from talent and ferocious application to longevity and a string of records, including the first to reach eight All-Ireland medals.

[citation needed] The emergence of D. J. Carey as a force with Kilkenny in the 1990s brought a new challenger to Ring's status as the undisputed number one hurler of all time.

[citation needed] The rivalry between the two teams has not prevented their respective countrymen from playing in each other's club championships, in certain cases to high renown.

[14] In 1989, Cork's four-time dual All-Ireland medal winner Brian Murphy joined the O'Loughlin Gaels club where he became heavily involved as a player and coach.