Kieran Joyce

Kieran Joyce (born 4 April 1987) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a right wing-back for the Kilkenny senior team.
Born in Portlaoise, County Laois, Joyce first excelled at hurling in his youth. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team before later joining the under-21 and intermediate sides. He joined the senior panel during the 2011 championship. Buckley immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen and has won three All-Ireland medals, two Leinster medals and three National Hurling League medals.
At club level Joyce is an All-Ireland medallist in the intermediate grade with Rower-Inistioge. In addition to this he has also won one Leinster medal and one championship medal.

University

In 2011 Joyce was captain of the University of Limerick team that reached the final of the inert-varsities championship. Local rivals Limerick Institute of Technology provided the opposition and led by nine points on two separate occasions in the first half. UL were transformed in the second half, even after being reduced to fourteen men after the dismissal of Willie Hyland. A 1-17 to 2-11 victory gave Joyce a Fitzgibbon Cup medal.

Club

In 2013 Joyce's club Rower-Inistioge faced Emeralds in the intermediate championship decider. The Rower started and finished strongly as they got the better of Emeralds in a tense decider. The 2-13 to 2-11 victory gave Joyce a championship medal. The Rower subsequently secured the Leinster crown following a narrow 1-9 to 0-10 defeat of Buffers Alley. On 8 February 2014 Rower-Inistioge faced Kilnadeema-Leitrim in the All-Ireland decider. Extra time was needed to separate the sides, however, Joyce collected a coveted All-Ireland medal following a 1-16 to 1-9 victory.

Minor, under-21 and intermediate

Joyce first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Kilkenny minor team in 2004. He won a Leinster medal that year following a heavy 1–15 to 1–4 defeat of Dublin. The subsequent All-Ireland decider on 12 September 2004 pitted Kilkenny against Galway. Richie Hogan proved to be the hero for Kilkenny, as his point, a minute into injury time, earned "the Cats" a 1–18 to 3–12 draw. The replay a week later was also a close affair, with Galway just about holding off the Kilkenny challenge. A 0–16 to 1–12 victory gave Joyce a coveted All-Ireland medal.

By 2006 Joyce had linked up with the Kilkenny under-21 team. He won a Leinster medal that year following a 2-18 to 2-10 defeat of Dublin before later lining out in the All-Ireland decider against Tipperary on 10 September 2006. A last second opportunist goal by Richie Hogan saved Kilkenny and secured a 2-14 apiece draw. The replay a week later was another close encounter, however, Paddy Hogan's first half goal helped Kilkenny claw their way to the title. The 1-11 to 0-11 victory gave Joyce an All-Ireland medal.

After surrendering their provincial and All-Ireland crowns the following year, Joyce won a second Leinster medal in 2008 following a facile 2–21 to 2–9 defeat of Offaly. Old rivals Tipperary provided the opposition in the All-Ireland decider on 14 September 2008. Tipperary whittled down a six-point half-time deficit to just two with minutes to go, however, Kilkenny hung on to win by 2–13 to 0–15 and secure the Grand Slam of championship titles. It was also a second All-Ireland medal for Joyce.

Joyce was also a key member of the Kilkenny intermediate for a number of seasons. He won his first Leinster medal in this grade in 2006 following a 2-20 to 0-8 trouncing of Wexford. On 26 August 2006 Kilkenny faced Cork in the All-Ireland decider. A 3-15 to 1-18 defeat was Joyce's lot on that occasion.

Two years later in 2008 Joyce captured his second Leinster medal following a 4-26 to 3-15 trouncing of Dublin. On 30 August 2008 Kilkenny faced Limerick in the All-Ireland decider. A 1-16 to 0-13 victory gave Joyce an All-Ireland medal in that grade.

Joyce won a third Leinster medal in 2011 following a 2-19 to 2-8 defeat of Wexford in the provincial decider.

Senior

Joyce was added to the extended panel of the senior team in 2011, however, he played no part in Kilkenny's successful Leinster and All-Ireland campaigns.

2012 began well for Joyce as he made his debut during the National Hurling League. He ended the campaign with a winners' medal following a 3–21 to 0–16 demolition of old rivals Cork. Kilkenny were later shocked by Galway in the Leinster decider, losing by 2–21 to 2–11, however, both sides subsequently met in the All-Ireland decider on 9 September 2012. Kilkenny had led going into the final stretch, however, Joe Canning struck a stoppage time equaliser to level the game at 2–13 to 0–19 and send the final to a replay for the first time since 1959. The replay took place three weeks later on 30 September 2012. Galway stunned the reigning champions with two first-half goals, however, Kilkenny's championship debutant Walter Walsh gave a man of the match performance, claiming a 1–3 haul. The 3–22 to 3–11 Kilkenny victory gave Joyce a first All-Ireland medal.

Kilkenny's dominance showed no sign of abating in 2013, with Joyce winning a second league medal following a 2–17 to 0–20 defeat of Tipperary in the decider.

In 2014 Joyce collected his third successive league medal, as Kilkenny secured a narrow one-point 2–25 to 1–27 extra-time victory over Tipperary. Joyce subsequently secured his first Leinster medal, as a dominant Kilkenny display gave "the Cats" a 0–24 to 1–9 defeat of Dublin. On 7 September 2014 Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland decider. In what some consider to be the greatest game of all-time, the sides were level when Tipperary were awarded a controversial free. John O'Dwyer had the chance to win the game, however, his late free drifted wide resulting in a draw. The replay on 27 September 2014 was also a close affair. Goals from brothers Richie and John Power inspired Kilkenny to a 2–17 to 2–14 victory. It was Joyce's second All-Ireland medal.

Joyce won a second successive Leinster medal in 2015 following a 1-25 to 2-15 defeat of Galway in the provincial decider.

Team

University of Limerick

• Fitzgibbon Cup (1): 2011 (c)

Rower-Inistioge

• All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship (1): 2014
• Leinster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship (1): 2013
• Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship (1): 2013

Kilkenny

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (4): 2011 (sub), 2012, 2014, 2015
• Leinster Senior Hurling Championship (4): 2011 (sub), 2014, 2015, 2016
• National Hurling League (3): 2012, 2013, 2014
• All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship (1): 2008
• Leinster Intermediate Hurling Championship (3): 2006, 2008, 2011
• All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship (2): 2006, 2008
• Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship (2): 2006, 2008
• Leinster Minor Hurling Championship (1): 2004