Martin Kavanagh (hurler)

Martin Kavanagh
Personal information
Irish name Máirtín Caomhánach
Sport Hurling
Position Centre-forward
Born (1994-09-15) 15 September 1994 (age 30)
St Mullin's, County Carlow, Ireland
Nickname Mouse
Occupation Student
Club(s)
Years Club
 St Mullin's
Club titles
Carlow titles 5
Colleges(s)
Years College
 Institute of Technology, Carlow
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles 0
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2012-present
 Carlow 23 (4-136)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 0
All-Irelands 0
NHL 0
All Stars 0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 18:06, 21 May 2024.

Martin Kavanagh (born 15 September 1994) is an Irish hurler. At club level he plays with St Mullin's and at inter-county level with the Carlow senior hurling team. Kavanagh is Carlow's all-time top scorer.[1]

Early life

Born and raised in the St Mullin's are of County Carlow, Kavanagh first played hurling as a schoolboy with Borris Vocational School in various competitions.[2][3] He later lined out with Institute of Technology, Carlow and won an All-Ireland Freshers' Hurling League title after a defeat of University College Cork in 2013.[4] Kavanagh returned to IT Carlow almost a decade later and was their top scorer in the 2022 Fitzgibbon Cup.[5]

Club career

Kavanagh began his club career at juvenile and underage levels with the St Mullin's club. He had a number of successes, beginning with a Carlow U16HC title before later claiming a Carlow MHC title after scoring 1-08 against Naomh Eoin in the 2011 minor final.[6] Kavanagh ended his underage career by winning a Carlow U21HC title in 2014.[7]

By that stage Kavanagh had already joined the club's senior team and was top scorer when St Mullin's were beaten by Mount Leinster Rangers in the 2013 final.[8] He continued to be the club's scorer-in-chief as St Mullin's won three consecutive Carlow SHC titles after defeats of Naomh Eoin in 2014 and Mount Leinster Rangers in 2015 and 2016.[9][10][11]

After losing the 2018 final to Mount Leinster Rangers, Kavanagh collected a fourth winners' medal as captain when St Mullin's overcame Mount Leinster Rangers in the 2019 final.[12][13] He ended the season by scoring 0-12 in a defeat by Ballyhale Shamrocks in the 2019 Leinster Club SHC final.[14]

Kavanagh made a further three final appearances between 2021 and 2023 and claimed a fifth winners' medal after beating Bagenalstown Gaels in the 2022 final.[15]

Inter-county career

Kavanagh began his inter-county career with Carlow during a two-year tenure with the minor team in 2011 and 2012. He was the team's top scorer both seasons with a cumulative total of 2-40.[16] Kavanagh was in his final year with the minor team when he was drafted onto the under-21 team.[17] His four seasons in this grade ended without success.

Kavanagh was just 17-years-old and still eligible for the minor side when he made his senior team debut in a National League defeat of Down in 2012.[18] He ended that campaign with a Division 2A title after beating Westmeath by 1-14 to 0-12 in the final.[19] Kavanagh was appointed team captain in advance of the 2017 season.[20] He ended the year with a Christy Ring Cup winners' medal after a 5-23 to 4-15 defeat of Antrim in the final.[21]

Kavanagh added a second Division 2A medal to his collection after another defeat of Westmeath in 2018.[22] He played in the early stages of that year's Joe McDonagh Cup but later spent the summer if the United States and missed the defeat of Westmeath in the final.[23]

Kavanagh immediately rejoined the team after returning and was named on the Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year in 2022.[24] He became Carlow's all-time top scorer during the 2023 National League.[25] Kavanagh was top scorer when Carlow claimed the Joe McDonagh Cup title after a 2-29 to 1-31 defeat of Offaly in the 2023 final.[26] Kavanagh ended the season by being named on the Team of the Year for a second successive year.

Career statistics

As of match played 26 May 2024.
Team Year National League Ring Cup McDonagh Cup Leinster All-Ireland Total
Division Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score
Carlow 2012 Division 2A 5 1-12 — — 1 0-07 1 0-08 7 1-27
2013 Division 1B 4 0-23 — — 2 0-11 1 0-00 7 0-34
2014 Division 2A 6 3-20 — — 4 3-06 — 10 6-26
2015 5 2-28 — — 3 1-16 — 8 3-44
2016 4 1-12 — — 2 0-08 — 6 1-20
2017 5 0-13 5 4-13 — — — 10 4-26
2018 6 3-27 — 1 0-01 — — 7 3-28
2019 Division 1B 6 0-49 — — 4 0-33 — 10 0-82
2020 6 1-35 — 4 1-31 — — 10 2-66
2021 Division 2A 5 4-60 — 0 0-00 — — 5 4-60
2022 3 0-21 — 5 2-49 — — 8 2-70
2023 4 0-26 — 6 3-71 — 1 0-12 11 3-109
2024 6 4-46 — — 5 1-46 — 11 5-92
Total 65 19-372 5 4-13 16 6-152 21 5-127 3 0-20 110 34-684

Honours

Team

Institute of Technology, Carlow
  • All-Ireland Freshers' Hurling League: 2013
St Mullin's
Carlow

Individual

Awards
  • Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year: 2022, 2023
  • Club Hurling Team of the Year: 2020
  • Higher Education Rising Stars Team of the Year: 2018
  • Carlow Hurler of the Year: 2014, 2015, 2019

References

  1. ^ "Marty becomes Carlow's top scorer". The Nationalist. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Borris Vocational School". Irish Independent. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Borris Vocational". Irish Independent. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Kilcotton's late point earns dramatic victory for IT Carlow in Freshers final". Irish Independent. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Kavanagh enjoying life back in the Fitzgibbon Cup". The Nationalist. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Lucky 13 for St Mullins as they bag Minor title". Irish Independent. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  7. ^ "2014 - the year that was". Carlow GAA website. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Rampant Rangers complete hat-trick". Irish Examiner. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  9. ^ "St Mullins collect record 24th title". Irish Examiner. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  10. ^ "St Mullins overcome odds in Carlow SHC". Irish Times. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Red mist costs Rangers". Irish Independent. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  12. ^ "Momentum carries Rangers over the line against 14-man St Mullin's". The Nationalist. 14 October 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  13. ^ "St Mullins edge Rangers to take Carlow hurling spoils". RTÉ Sport. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  14. ^ "'They much stand for everything we stand for' - Henry Shefflin pays tribute to St Mullins as Ballyhale march on". Irish Independent. 1 December 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  15. ^ "St Mullin's return to Carlow SHC summit". Hogan Stand. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Kavanagh and Shaw inspire Carlow". Irish Examiner. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Laois survive mighty test from Carlow". Irish Examiner. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Kavanagh leads way as Carlow romp past Down". Irish Independent. 27 February 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  19. ^ O'Donovan, Paul (16 April 2012). "Carlow clinch promotion". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  20. ^ "One step at a time for Kavanagh". Hogan Stand. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  21. ^ "Carlow too strong for Antrim as Christy Ring Cup final produces nine-goal thriller". Irish Independent. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  22. ^ "The good news continues for Carlow as their hurlers are crowned Division 2A champions". The 42. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Kavanagh explains reasons". Hogan Stand. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Carlow duo honoured on McDonagh Team of the Year". The Nationalist. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Barrowsiders". Irish Independent. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Carlow dig deep to snatch Joe McDonagh Cup from Offaly after extra time". Irish Independent. 27 May 223. Retrieved 7 June 2023.