ents ▁well ▁in ▁a ▁fast - p ac ed , ▁hard - h itting ▁contest . ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁championship , ▁their ▁rain - maker ▁was ▁the ▁brilliant ▁Se an ▁O ' Ne ill ▁at ▁mid field . ▁The ▁el dest ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁Cla reen ▁school master , ▁O ' Ne ill ▁was ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁St ▁K ier an ' s ▁College ▁in ▁Kil ken ny , ▁where ▁he ▁capt ained ▁the ▁team ▁that ▁won ▁out ▁the ▁Le in ster ▁Colleg es ▁Hur ling ▁Championship ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁despite ▁an ▁on going ▁crisis ▁of ▁numbers , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁won ▁the ▁Inter mediate ▁Hur ling ▁cont ests ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁The ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁championship ▁was ▁cur ta iled ▁by ▁w art ime ▁restrictions , ▁especially ▁r ation ing ▁of ▁pet rol ▁and ▁food ▁supplies . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁won ▁the ▁Final ▁against ▁Clara ▁by ▁ 7 - 5 ▁to ▁ 5 - 1 . ▁R ation ing ▁had ▁hardly ▁e ased ▁by ▁the ▁Spring time ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁when ▁a ▁brut al ▁Ar ctic ▁free ze ▁was ▁ex ac erb ated ▁by ▁bl izz ards ▁that ▁set ▁in ▁on ▁St ▁Patrick ' s ▁Day . ▁Non eth eless , ▁an