Tom Kenny (hurler)

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Tom Kenny
irish = Tomás Ó Cionnaith
fullname = Thomas Kenny
placeofbirth = Grenagh
countryofbirth = County Cork
dob = 1981
height = 6'1"
nickname =
county = Cork
province = Munster
club = Grenagh
clposition = Midfield
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Cork
icposition = Midfield
icyears = 2003-
icapps(points) = 22 (1-15)
icprovince = 3
icallireland = 2
allstars =
clupdate =
icupdate =

Tom Kenny (born 1981 in Grenagh, County Cork) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Grenagh and with the Cork senior inter-county team.

Early life

Tom Kenny was born in Grenagh, a tiny village just outside of Cork, in 1981. He was educated locally in Grenagh and later at St. Finbarr's College, Farranferris, a famed hurling nursery in Cork city. It was here that his hurling talents were developed and he won a Dean Ryan Cup medal in 1996. He also made a Harty Cup final appearance with the school in his final year at the school. AT the age of 16 he had trials for the Irish under-age soccer team. Kenny later attended University College Cork (UCC) where he studied commerce. In 2001 he won a Freshers All-Ireland medal with the college and in 2004 Kenny captained the college's Fitzgibbon Cup team, narrowly losing out to Waterford Institute of Technology in the final. He also played in a Sigerson Cup final with the college. Kenny now works for Ernst and Young.

Playing career

Club

Kenny plays his local club hurling and football with Grenagh and has had some success with the club. He was recognised as great dual player at under-age level and subsequently won a Mid-Cork junior football championship medal with the club in 2003. Kenny has also played in the Cork Senior Hurling Championship as a member of his local Muskerry division.

Inter-county

Kenny was a dual star at minor and under-21 levels with Cork and had much success. In 1998 he won a Munster minor football medal, however, he never won an All-Ireland medal at this level. Kenny subsequently won an Under-21 Munster football medal in 2001, however, an All-Ireland medal at this level eluded him as well. In spite of these disappointments Kenny captured an All-Ireland junior football medal in the same year.

In 2003 Kenny played for Cork on both the senior hurling and football teams, however, he quickly decided to concentrate on his hurling career. In 2003 he made his senior debut with Cork in a Munster Championship game against Clare. He later won his first Munster medal but suffered defeat by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. In 2004 Cork lost the Munster final, however, they qualified for the All-Ireland final via the "back-door system". Once again their opponents were Kilkenny, however, this time Cork overturned the result of the previous year and Kenny captured his very first All-Ireland winners medal. Cork were on form again in 2005 with Kenny capturing his second Munster medal, before going on to defeat Galway in the final to win his second All-Ireland medal. In 2006 he claimed his third provincial title, however, Cork, who were playing in their fourth All-Ireland final in-a-row, were defeated by Kilkenny. In spite of this Cork's midfield pairing of Kenny and Jerry O'Connor, nicknamed 'the Tom and Jerry Show,' is regarded as one of the best midfield pairings in hurling.

Teams

External links

* [http://www.gaa.ie/ Official GAA Website]
* [http://www.hoganstand.com/Cork/ Cork GAA]