after nearly twenty years of near misses, kilkenny finally arrived at the all-ireland table by winning their first three titles in a four-year spell between 1904 and 1907. a dispute over the railway shield in 1908 resulted in the team withdrawing for the championship, while there was further trouble the following year when a selection row left the team short of substitutes. on 12 december 1909 a mooncoin selection faced tipperary representatives thurles in the all-ireland decider at the cork athletic grounds. kilkenny goals proved decisive courtesy of jimmy kelly and a hat-trick by bill hennebry. a 4-6 to 0-12 victory for kilkenny meant a first all-ireland final defeat for tipperary.