| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Micheál Ciniféic | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Left wing-forward | ||
| Born | (1924-07-14)14 July 1924 Fair Hill,Cork,Ireland | ||
| Died | 20 December 1984(1984-12-20) (aged 60) Grenville Place,Cork,Ireland | ||
| Occupation | Secondary school principal | ||
| Club | |||
| Years | Club | ||
1941–1944 | St Finbarr's | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Cork titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1942–1944 | Cork | 8 (3–06) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 3 | ||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| NHL | 0 | ||
Michael Kenefick (14 July 1924 – 20 December 1984) was an Irishhurler, coach and administrator. At club level he played withSt Finbarr's, while he was also a member of theCork senior hurling team.
Although cut short by injury, Kenefick had a successful career across various levels. A back-to-backCork SHC-winner, he later won back-to-backAll-Ireland SHC medals with Cork and aRailway Cup medal withMunster. Kenefick holds the record as the youngest player ever to captain an All-Ireland SHC-winning team.
As a coach, selector and chairman, Kenefick was involved at all levels with the St Finbarr's club. 30 years after his own playing career ended, he guided the club to twoAll-Ireland Club SHC titles.
Kenefick first playedhurling andGaelic football as a schoolboy, at Gerald Griffin Technical School, when his class submitted teams to theNorth Monastery class leagues and the St Anne's street leagues. He also played juvenilesoccer for Celtic United, something which contravened theGAA'sban on playing foreign games.[1]
Kenefick was part of a group of boys who, in 1939, founded a new club, Gerald Griffins, with the help ofJohn Lyons andJimmy Lynam from the North Monastery. The new club entered the new Cork City Bord na nÓg leagues and ended the year as winners of both theGaelic football and hurling leagues. Kenefick had further successes in 1940 when William Griffins retained their hurling league title as well as claiming the newly established football championship.[2]
A move to the southside of Cork city resulted in Kenefick joining theSt Finbarr's club in 1941. Success was immediate with St Finbarr's claiming the Cork MHC title after a defeat ofCloughduv in the final, while also winning back-to-back Cork MFC titles. Kenefick was still eligible for the minor grade when he joined the club'ssenior team. He was at centre-back when St Finbarr's beatBallincollig by 5-07 to 2-02 in the1942 final. Kenefick claimed a second winners' medal the following year when St Finbarr's beat Ballincollig following areplay.[3]
Kenefick first played forCork when he was called-up to theminor team in 1941. He won aMunster MHC medal that year before later lining out at centre-forward in Cork's 5-02 to 2-02 defeat ofKilkenny in the1941 All-Ireland minor final.[4]
With theAll-Ireland MHC suspended due tothe Emergency in 1942, the 17-year-old Kenefick was suggested as a possibility forCork's senior team. After a successful debut markingMick Mackey in the1942 Munster semi-final, he ended the campaign with his firstMunster SHC medal after a defeat ofTipperary in that year'sMunster final.[5] Kenefick subsequently claimedAll-Ireland SHC honours whenDublin were beaten by 2-14 to 3-04 in the1942 All-Ireland final.
The success of St Finbarr's at club level meant that thecaptaincy of Cork's senior team passed to Kenefick in 1943. After claiming a second successive Munster SHC title, he later captained Cork to a 5-16 to 0-04 victory overAntrim in the1943 All-Ireland final.[6] At just 19 years and 52 days, he was, and remains, the youngest ever All-Ireland-winning captain.[7] Kenefick retained his place on the Cork team in 1944, however, his wrist was broken byJames Ryan in Cork'sMunster semi-final defeat of Tipperary. In spite of spending 18 months in plaster, the injury did not heal sufficiently to allow him play again.[8]
Kenefick's performances at inter-county level resulted in his selection forMunster in 1943. He was a non-playing substitute when Munster beatLeinster by 4-03 to 3-05 in the1943 Railway Cup final.[9]
Kenefick's coaching career began in 1974 when he took charge of the St Finbarr's senior team. It was a successful period for the club with both theCork SHC andMunster Club SHC titles being won.[10][11] Kenefick's side subsequently beatFenians in the1975 All-Ireland club final.[12] He was later elected club chairman.[13] Kenefick was a selector in 1977 when St Finbarr's beatGlen Rovers in front of a record final attendance to claim the Cork SHC title once again.[14] St. Finbarr's later reclaimed the Munster club title after a defeat ofSixmilebridge, before Kenefick's side won a second All-Ireland club title whenRathnure were beaten in the1978 All-Ireland club final.[15]
Kenefick was born in Fair Hill onCork's northside in July 1924. His father,Dan Kenefick, played with theSt Mary's club and was on theCork team beaten byKilkenny in the1912 All-Ireland final.
After leaving school Kenefick worked as a carpenter. Out of work for two years after his hurling career-ending wrist injury, he returned to the building trade where he worked withSisks. Kenefick later embarked on a teaching career and, after spending two years training inGorey, he took up a position as a woodwork teacher inCounty Mayo in 1961. He later moved to the vocational school inCullen, County Cork before becoming principal ofMidleton Vocational School in 1971.[16]
Kennefick and his wife had nine children. His son,Niall Kenefick, was anAll-Ireland Club SHC-winner with St Finbarr's and also won aNational Hurling League medal with Cork.[17][18] His son-in-law,Jimmy Barry-Murphy, was adual All-Ireland-winner with Cork.[19] A grandson,Brian Barry-Murphy, played soccer withCork City,Preston North End andBury, before becoming involved in management withManchester City EDS.[20]
Kennefick died following abrain haemorrhage on 20 December 1984, at the age of 60.[21]