John Henderson

John Henderson (born 14 October 1957) is an Irish retired hurler who played as a corner-back and as a full-back for the Kilkenny and Wicklow senior teams.

Born in Johnstown, County Kilkenny, Henderson first played competitive hurling during his schooling at Coláiste Mhuire.

He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team before later joining the under-21 side.

Henderson was born in Johnstown, County Kilkenny in 1957, where he was educated locally at Johnstown's National School, where his interest in hurling reportedly first began.

Later, Henderson and his two brothers, Pat and Ger, would form the backbone of the great Kilkenny team of the 1970s and early 1980s.

He went to college in Carlow RTC where he won an All Ireland college's football medal.

Henderson first played for Kilkenny as a member of the minor team in 1974.

He was an unused substitute during that year's campaign and collected a Leinster medal on the bench following an 8-19 to 3-5 trouncing of Dublin.

The following year Henderson was included as a regular member of the starting fifteen.

A 2-18 to 3-4 defeat of Dublin secured a fifth successive provincial title for the team and a first Leinster medal on the field of play for Henderson.

On 6 September 1975 Kilkenny faced Cork in the All-Ireland decider.

The Cats proved much too strong and powered to a 3-19 to 1-14 victory, giving Henderson an All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship medal.

Henderson was a key member of the Feniains senior team that reached the 1977 championship decider.

An Eddie Keher-inspired Rower-Inistioge provided the opposition, however, Henderson won a Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship medal following a 3–11 to 1–10 victory.

Almost twenty years later and Henderson was lining out with Glenealy in County Wicklow.

Two years later in 1977 Henderson was a key member of the Kilkenny under-21 team.

He won a Leinster that year as Wexford were downed on a score line of 3-11 to 1-10.

Cork were once again waiting for Kilkenny in the All-Ireland decider.

Having been beaten the previous year, Kilkenny secured a narrow 2-9 to 1-9 victory giving Henderson an All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship medal.

He made his senior debut during the 1979 championship.

Henderson immediately became a regular member of the team and won three All-Ireland medals, six Leinster medals and four National Hurling League medals.

He was an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.

As a member of the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions Henderson won one Railway Cup medal.

At club level he is a one-time championship medallist with Fenians while he also won a championship medal with Glenealy.

His brothers, Pat and Ger, won a combined total of eight All-Ireland medals with Kilkenny.

Throughout his career Henderson made 34 championship appearances.

Henderson made his senior championship debut on 24 June 1979 in a 4-15 to 4-11 Leinster semi-final defeat of Dublin.

He later won a Leinster medal as Wexford were defeated by 2-21 to 2-17.

On 2 September 1979 Kilkenny faced Galway in the All-Ireland final.

Bad weather and an unofficial train drivers’ strike resulted in the lowest attendance at a final in over twenty years.

The bad weather also affected the hurling with Kilkenny scoring two freak goals as Galway ‘keeper Séamus Shinnors had a nightmare of a game.

A Liam “Chunky” O’Brien 70-yard free went all the way to the net in the first half, while with just three minutes remaining a 45-yard shot from Mick Brennan was helped by the wind and dipped under the crossbar.

Kilkenny won by 2-12 to 1-8 with Henderson winning his first All-Ireland medal.

After a fallow two-year period, Kilkenny bounced back in 1982 with Henderson winning his first National Hurling League medal following a 2-14 to 1-11 defeat of Wexford.

His retirement came following the conclusion of the 1991 championship.

In retirement from playing Henderson became involved in team management and coaching.

At inter-county level he managed the Wicklow senior team and the Dublin under-21 team while at club level he took charge of Cuala, Bray Emmets and Glenealy.

Henderson also served as an analyst on the Sunday Game.

In 1996 was at full-forward as the club faced Carnew Emmets in the championship decider.

A 3-7 to 0-9 victory secured the victory and a championship medal for Henderson.