Michael Kavanagh

Michael John Kavanagh (born 6 April 1976) is an Irish former hurler who played as a right corner-back at senior level for the Kilkenny county team.

Born in Freshford, County Kilkenny, Kavanagh first played competitive hurling during his schooling at St Kieran's College.

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.

Kavanagh first played for Kilkenny in 1995 when he joined the minor side.

He won his first Leinster medal that year following a 4-16 to 2-6 defeat of Offaly.

The subsequent All-Ireland decider pitted Kilkenny against old rivals Cork, with Kavanagh lining out at right corner-back.

The game turned into a rout as Cork won easily by 2-10 to 1-2.

In 1996 he won his sole Leinster medal as Good Counsel College were narrowly defeated by 1-7 to 1-6.

St Colman's College provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider.

A 1-14 to 2-6 victory gave Kavanagh an All-Ireland medal.

During his studies at the Waterford Institute of Technology, Kavanagh was an automatic inclusion on the college hurling team.

In 1996 Kavanagh won his second Leinster medal, as Dublin were accounted for on a 1-16 to 1-11 score line.

The All-Ireland campaign came to an end at the semi-final stage.

Kavanagh was eligible for the minor grade again in 1997.

A 3-16 to 1-10 defeat of Offaly gave him a third successive Leinster medal, however, his quest for an All-Ireland medal came to an end at the semi-final stage.

He joined the senior team during the 1998 championship.

Kavanagh immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen, and won seven All-Ireland medals, ten Leinster medals and five National League medals on the field of play.

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

As a member of the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions, Kavanagh won two Railway Cup medals.

At club level he is an All-Ireland medallist with St Lachtain's in the intermediate grade.

In addition to this he has also won a set of Leinster and championship medals.

Throughout his career Kavanagh made 48 championship appearances.

Kavanagh lined out in a second successive Fitzgibbon Cup decider in 2000.

University College Dublin were the opponents on that occasion; however, a 2-10 to 1-6 victory gave WIT the victory.

It was Kavanagh's second Fitzgibbon Cup medal.

In 2002 Kavanagh won the first of four All-Star awards.

In 2004 he was at right corner-back as WIT faced University College Cork in the final of the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Two goals from Declan Browne in a six-minute spell before half-time gave WIT a commanding lead.

Neil Ronan bagged a fourth goal straight after the interval which helped WIT to a 4-15 to 3-12 victory.

He was also chosen as one of the 125 greatest hurlers of all-time in a 2009 poll.

That same year Kavanagh was chosen on the Leinster team of the past twenty-five years.

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

After a lengthy career with St Lachtain's, Kavanagh lined out in his first intermediate decider in 2009.

A narrow 0-16 to 1-11 defeat of Dicksboro gave him a championship medal.

Kavanagh later added a Leinster medal to his collection when St Lachtain's secured a 1-8 to 0-7 defeat of Mount Leinster Rangers to take the provincial title for the first time.

On 13 February 2010 St Lachtain's faced St Gall's in the All-Ireland decider.

John Fitzpatrick (two) and Ollie O'Connor hit the goals that helped secure a comprehensive 3-17 to 0-10 victory and an All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship medal for Kavanagh.

He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 9 February 2012.

In 2015 he was appointed trainer to the Wicklow senior team.

During his schooling at St Kieran's College in Kilkenny, Kavanagh established himself as a key member of the senior hurling team.