Tom Kenny

Thomas Kenny (born 16 July 1981) is an Irish hurling coach and hurler who plays for Cork Intermediate Championship club Grenagh.

He played for the Cork senior hurling team for 10 years, during which time he usually lined out at midfield before ending his career at right wing-back.

Kenny's midfield partnership with Jerry O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest of all time.

Kenny began his hurling and Gaelic football career at club level with Grenagh.

After success as a dual player in the minor grades, he eventually broke onto the club's top adult teams.

He played in every grade of hurling and collected a Dean Rayn Cup medal in 1996 before joining the college's senior hurling team.

At inter-county level, Kenny was part of the successful Cork minor football team that won the Munster Championship in 1999 before later winning a Munster Championship with the under-21 football team in 2001 and an All-Ireland Championship medal with the junior football team the same year.

On 7 March 1999, Kenny scored four points from midfield when St. Finbarr's College suffered a 1–14 to 1–08 defeat by St. Flannan's College from Ennis in the Harty Cup final.

As a commerce student at University College Cork, Kenny immediately became involved in Gaelic games.

As a member of the freshers' hurling team in his first year he won an All-Ireland Championship.

Kenny joined the senior hurling and Gaelic football teams during his second year.

In 1999 Kenny enjoyed his first major success with Grenagh when he captured a divisional junior hurling championship winners' medal following a 2–11 to 1–11 victory over Ballinora.

This was the beginning of a great decade of success for Grenagh in the Muskerry junior hurling championship.

In 2000 Kenny added a second consecutive Mid Cork junior title to his collection as Aghabullogue were defeated by 2–12 to 1–6.

Grenagh completed a divisional 'double' that year as the club's football team beat Donoughmore by 0–13 to 0–4.

In spite of these victories Kenny's side enjoyed little success in the wider county championship.

2001 proved to be another hugely successful year for Kenny and for Grenagh.

Defeats of Donoughmore and Ballingeary gave Grenagh a second consecutive 'double' in the divisional junior championship.

He joined the Cork senior hurling team in 2002.

On 23 February 2002, Kenny was at right wing-forward when UCC suffered a 0–06 to 0–05 defeat by the Institute of Technology, Sligo in the Sigerson Cup final.

After surrendering both their football and hurling titles in 2002 Grenagh bounced back in 2003.

A narrow 1–14 to 2–9 win over Ballincollig gave Kenny a fourth divisional junior championship winners' medal in five years.

Kenny was nominated for six consecutive All-Stars between 2003 and 2008 and is regarded as one of the best Cork hurlers never to win the accolade.

During that time he was part of two All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – in 2004 and 2005.

Kenny also secured three Munster Championship medals.

On 6 March 2004, Kenny captained the senior hurling team to the Fitzgibbon Cup final against the Waterford Institute of Technology.

He lined out at right wing-back in the 0–11 to 0–09 defeat.

Kenny plays his local club hurling and Gaelic football with his local club in Grenagh and has enjoyed much success.

He was regarded as a great dual player at under-age levels and he quickly joined the top team with the club.

A fifth divisional junior hurling championship title quickly followed for Kenny in 2004 as Grenagh recorded a thrilling 0–19 to 3–9 victory over Cloughduv.

Kenny enjoyed his first success in 2007 when Grenagh won the Intermediate Football Championship.

He won a second Intermediate Football Championship title in 2013, while also claiming a Junior Hurling Championship medal the same season.

Kenny's early prowess also saw him selected for University College Cork in the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups as well as the Muskerry divisional team.

From his debut, Kenny was ever-present at midfield and made a combined total of 116 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2013.

He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 12 December 2013.

At inter-provincial level, he was selected to play in two championship campaigns with Munster, with his sole Railway Cup medal being won in 2013.

Kenny became involved in management and coaching following his retirement from playing.

He served as a coach and selector, both in third-level competitions and in the Cork Senior Championship, with University College Cork.

In June 2019, he was added to the Cork senior hurling management team.

Kenny first came to prominence as a hurler with St. Finbarr's College in Cork.