T. J. Reid


Thomas Joseph Reid, known as T. J. Reid, is an Irish hurler who plays for Kilkenny Senior Championship club Ballyhale Shamrocks and at inter-county level with the Kilkenny senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a centre-forward. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
Reid began his hurling career at club level with Ballyhale Shamrocks. He broke onto the club's senior team as a 16-year-old goalkeeper in 2004 before later being deployed as an outfield player. Reid has since played on six All-Ireland Club Championship-winning teams, including as captain in 2015.
At inter-county level, Reid was part of the successful Kilkenny under-21 team that won All-Ireland Championships in 2006 and 2008. He joined the Kilkenny senior team in 2007. Since then Reid has gone on to establish himself as one of the most dominant forwards of his generation, even though he never captained Kilkennys golden generation to All Ireland glory, and remains the only Kilkenny captain to have lost two all Ireland finals to neighbours and arch rivals Tipperary. He has been involved in seven All-Ireland Championship-winning teams with Kilkenny while Reid has also claimed multiple Leinster Championship and National League.
He is the second highest scoring player in the history of the All-Ireland championship behind Cork's Patrick Horgan, with 39 goals 641 points, a total of 758 points as of 1 September 2025.

Playing career

St Kieran's College

Reid first came to prominence as a hurler with St Kieran's College in Kilkenny. Having played in every grade as a hurler, he was eventually called up the college's senior team. On 13 March 2004, Reid was an unused substitute when St. Kieran's College defeated St Peter's College from Wexford by 0–13 to 1–04 to win the Leinster Championship. On 3 May 2004, he was an unused substitute once again when St Kieran's College claimed the All-Ireland Championship following a 3–20 to 1–06 defeat of St Raphael's College from Loughrea.
On 13 March 2005, Reid lined out at midfield when St Kieran's College faced St Brendan's Community School from Birr in the Leinster final. He scored a point from play and collected a second successive winners' medal - his first on the field of play - following a 1–18 to 1–12 victory. Reid was switched to left wing-forward for the All-Ireland final against St Flannan's College from Ennis on 2 May 2005. He scored two points from play but ended on the losing side following a 2–15 to 2–12 defeat.

Waterford Institute of Technology

As a student at the Waterford Institute of Technology, Reid immediately became involved in hurling and joined the senior team in his second year. On 1 March 2008, he lined out at centre-forward in the Fitzgibbon Cup final against the Limerick Institute of Technology. Reid scored three points from play and claimed a winners' medal following the 1–29 to 1-24 extra-time victory.

Ballyhale Shamrocks

Minor and under-21

Reid joined the Ballyhale Shamrocks club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. After enjoying little success in the minor grade he was just 15-year-old when he was drafted onto the club's under-21 team.
On 7 December 2003, Reid was selected amongst the substitutes when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced Tullaroan in the Kilkenny Under-21 Championship final. He remained on the bench for the entire game but collected a winners' medal following the 5–09 to 1–09 victory.
Reid was just 16-years-old when he broke onto the club's under-21 team during the 2004 championship. On 21 November 2004, he lined out at right corner-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced Tullaroan in a second successive Kilkenny Under-21 Championship final. Reid was held scoreless throughout but claimed a second successive winners' medal following the 1–14 to 0–16 victory.
Ballyhale Shamrocks qualified for a third successive Kilkenny Under-21 Championship final on 4 December 2005. Reid claimed a third successive winners' medal - his second on the field of play - following a 5–16 to 2–04 defeat of Dicksboro.
On 10 December 2006, Reid was selected at centre-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks reached a fourth successive Kilkenny Under-21 Championship final. He collected a fourth successive winners' medal after scoring five points from play in the 2–17 to 1–04 defeat of Erin's Own.

Senior

Reid was just 16-year-old when he joined the Ballyhale Shamrocks senior team in advance of the 2004 Kilkenny Senior Championship. He made his first appearance for the team on 2 October 2004 when he lined out in goal in a 0–15 to 1–12 draw with O'Loughlin Gaels.
Reid became an outfield player during the 2005 Kilkenny Senior Championship. On 23 October 2005, he lined out at midfield when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced James Stephens in the final. Reid top scored for the team with 1–02 in the 1–18 to 2–12 defeat.
On 5 November 2006, Reid lined out in his second successive final. Playing at left wing-forward, he scored three points from play and claimed his first winners' medal following a 1–22 to 2–11 defeat of O'Loughlin Gaels. On 26 November 2006, Reid won a Leinster Championship medal after scoring five points from play in Ballyhale's 1–20 to 1–08 defeat of Birr in the final. On 17 March 2007, he was selected at left wing-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced Loughrea in the All-Ireland final. Reid top scored with 2-02 and claimed a winners' medal following the 3–12 to 2–08 victory.
Reid lined out in a third successive final on 28 October 2007. He top scored with 0–10 in the 1–20 to 1–10 defeat of St. Martin's. Reid ended the championship as the club's top scorer with 0-24.
On 26 October 2008, Reid was selected at left wing-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks reached a fourth successive final. He scored two points from play and collected a third successive winners' medal after a 2–11 to 0–12 defeat of James Stephens. On 30 November 2008, Reid won a second Leinster Championship medal after scoring 1–01 in Ballyhale's 2–13 to 0–11 defeat of Birr in the final.
Reid was again selected at left wing-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced James Stephens in a second consecutive final on 25 October 2009. He scored six points from play and collected a winners' medal as Ballyhale secured a record-equalling four-in-a-row following the 1–14 to 1–11 victory. On 29 November 2009, Reid won a third Leinster Championship medal following Ballyhale's 1–16 to 1–08 defeat of Tullamore in the final. He was again selected at left wing-forward when Ballyhale faced Portumna in the All-Ireland final on 17 March 2010. Reid scored three points from play and ended the game with a second All-Ireland medal following the 1–19 to 0–17 victory.
On 23 October 2011, Reid lined out at centre-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced James Stephens in the final for the third time in five years. The game ended in an 0–11 to 1–08 draw. Reid was switched to left wing-forward for the replay a week later but ended on the losing side following a 1–20 to 0–15 defeat.
Reid was appointed captain of the Ballyhale Shamrocks team for the 2014 Kilkenny Senior Championship. On 16 November 2014, he captained the club to a final meeting with Clara. Reid top scored with ten points and collected a fifth winners' medal following the 1–20 to 1–13 victory. He claimed a fourth Leinster Championship medal on 7 December 2014 after again scoring ten points in a 0–21 to 1-14 extra-time defeat of Kilcormac/Killoughey in the final. On 17 March 2015, Reid captained Ballyhale Shamrocks to an All-Ireland final-meeting with Kilmallock. He ended the game with a third All-Ireland medal after a 1–18 to 1–06 victory.
Reid played in a seventh final with Ballyhale Shamrocks on 30 October 2016. Lining out at left wing-forward, he ended the game on the losing side after scoring 1–05 in the 0–19 to 1–12 defeat by O'Loughlin Gaels.
File:Henry Shefflin.jpg|left|thumb|120px|Henry Shefflin managed Reid to consecutive All-Ireland Club Championships in 2019 and 2020.
On 28 October 2018, Reid top scored with 1-10 and claimed his sixth winners' medal when Ballyhale Shamrocks defeated Bennettsbridge by 2–20 to 2–17 to win the Kilkenny Championship. He again top scored with nine points when Ballyhale faced Ballyboden St. Enda's in the Leinster final and ended the game with a fifth provincial winners' medal after the 2–21 to 0–11 victory. Reid was selected at centre-forward when Ballyhale qualified for the All-Ireland final on 17 March 2019. He collected a fourth winners' medal following the 2–28 to 2–11 victory over St. Thomas's. Reid was one of six Ballyhale Shamrocks hurlers later chosen on the Team of the Year.
On 27 October 2019, Reid lined out at centre-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced James Stephens in the Kilkenny Championship final. He top scored for the team with six points, with all bar one coming from placed balls, and collected a seventh winners' medal after the 2–21 to 1–15 victory. Reid was also the championship's top scorer with 1-34. On 1 December 2019, he was selected at midfield but lined out at centre-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced St. Mullin's in the Leinster final. Reid top scored for the team with nine points, including eight from placed balls, and collected a sixth winners' medal following the 1–21 to 0–15 victory. On 18 January 2020, Reid was selected at left wing-forward when Ballyhale Shamrocks faced Borris-Ileigh in the All-Ireland final. He top scored with 0-08, including five frees, and claimed a record fifth All-Ireland Club Championship medal after the 0–18 to 0–15 victory. Reid also ended the championship as top scorer with 2-53.

Kilkenny

Minor and under-21

Reid first played for Kilkenny as a member of the minor team during the 2005 Leinster Championship. He made his only appearance in the grade on 25 June 2005 when he scored 1-01 from left wing-forward in a 2–16 to 4–07 defeat by Dublin.
Reid was still eligible for the minor grade when he was drafted onto the Kilkenny under-21 team for the 2005 Leinster Championship. On 20 July 2005, he was an unused substitute when Kilkenny defeated Dublin by 0–17 to 1–10 to win the Leinster Championship. Reid was again selected amongst the substitutes for the All-Ireland final against Galway on 18 September 2005. He remained on the bench for the 1–15 to 1–14 defeat.
Reid broke onto the Kilkenny under-21 starting fifteen during the 2006 Leinster Championship. On 27 July 2006, he won a second successive Leinster Championship medal - his first on the field of play - after scoring a point in the 2–18 to 2–10 defeat of Dublin in the final. On 10 September 2006, Reid scored two points from right wing-forward when Kilkenny drew 2-14 apiece with Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. He was switched to left wing-forward for the replay on 16 September 2006 and collected a winners' medal after being held scoreless in the 1–11 to 0–11 victory.
On 24 July 2008, Reid won a third Leinster Championship medal in four years after top scoring for Kilkenny with 1–03 in the 2–21 to 2–09 defeat of Offaly in the final. On 14 September 2008, he lined out at left wing-forward when Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. Reid claimed a second All-Ireland medal following the 2–13 to 0–15 defeat of Tipperary.