Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship

The Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship was an annual hurling tournament played between the senior hurling clubs in Connacht contested from 1970 until 2007 when it was discontinued due to a lack of meaningful opposition for the Galway champions. The Galway champions now qualify directly for the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-final.

Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship
IrishCraobh Sinsir Iománaíochta Connachta na gClub
Founded1970
Title holdersPortumna (4th title)
Most titlesAthenry (8 titles)

Throughout the competition's existence the Galway champions automatically qualified for the final. In 2007, the competition's final year, this competition was won by Portumna from Galway. The competition had long since become a formality for the Galway teams.

The Mayo and Roscommon champions now compete in the Connacht Intermediate Club Hurling Championship. Sligo and Leitrim champions participate in the Connacht Junior Club Hurling Championship, again with the Galway side entering the competition at the final stage.

History

Given traditional lack of meaningful competition for Galway within the province, the competition was, save for a handful of occasions, a formality with one-sided games being the norm. Thus it was not taken seriously by many when considered in relation to the All-Ireland stage. While the competition was dominated by the Galway sides throughout its history, the title left the county three times in all, with Roscommon providing the winners on these occasions with Four Roads winning two titles in 1977 and 1988, while Tremane won their sole title in 1976. Tremane won their title courtesy of a shock win over Kiltormer on a scoreline of 2-7 to 1-9, and went on to play the well renowned Glen Rovers of Cork in the All-Ireland semi final.

Four Roads were awarded the 1977 championship as a result of Galway champions Kiltormer being handed a suspension by the Galway County Board for incidents which took place match involving the club when they were due to play in the decider. Four Roads went on to represent Connacht in that years All-Ireland semi final. Their second and final victory, won on the field of play, was a much more memorable occasion as the title was wrestled from the Galway champions Abbeyknockmoy at a time when Galway hurling was riding the crest of a wave, having just won back to back All-Ireland hurling titles in 1988. Like their previous All-Ireland semi final appearance, they were up against Wexford opposition, this time in the form of Buffers Alley, but lost out on a scoreline of 2-19 to 0-9.

Mayo side Toureen reached the final on numerous occasions, most recently in 1999 when they lost to eventual All-Ireland champions Athenry,[1] while Ballina and Ballyhaunis made sole appearances for Mayo at the final stage. No Sligo or Leitrim side competed in a final throughout the competition's existence.

Top winners
Team Wins Years won Last Losing Final
1 Athenry 8 1987, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 N/A
2 Sarsfields 7 1980, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2015 N/A
3 Castlegar 4 1972, 1973, 1979, 1984 N/A
4 Portumna 3 2003, 2005, 2007, N/A
Kiltormer 3 1982, 1990, 1991 1977
Ardrahan 3 1974, 1975, 1978 N/A
5 Four Roads 2 1977, 1988 2005
Gort 2 1981, 1983 N/A
6 Loughrea 1 2006 N/A
Clarinbridge 1 2001 N/A
Killimordaly 1 1986 N/A
Turloughmore 1 1985 N/A
Tremane 1 1976 1980
Tommy Larkin's 1 1971 N/A
Liam Mellows 1 1970 N/A

List of finals
Year Winner Score County Opponent Score County
2008 No Competition
2007 Portumna 6-23 Galway Ballina 0-07 Mayo
2006 Loughrea 2-16 Galway Athleague 2-03 Roscommon
2005 Portumna 2-22 Galway Four Roads 0-06 Roscommon
2004 Athenry 2-16 Galway Ballyhaunis 0-07 Mayo
2003 Portumna 0-17 Galway Athleague 0-05 Roscommon
2002 Athenry 1-19 Galway Four Roads 0-09 Roscommon
2001 Clarinbridge 2-18 Galway Four Roads 1-06 Roscommon
2000 Athenry 2-16 Galway Four Roads 1-07 Roscommon
1999 Athenry 1-13 Galway Toureen 1-06 Mayo
1998 Athenry 3-25 Galway Tooreen 0-05 Mayo
1997 Sarsfields 5-15 Galway Tooreen 1-05 Mayo
1996 Athenry 1-15 Galway Four Roads 1-08 Roscommon
1995 Sarsfields 2-17 Galway Tooreen 0-05 Mayo
1994 Athenry 3-20 Galway St Dominic's 2-03 Roscommon
1993 Sarsfield's 5-12 Galway Four Roads 0-07 Roscommon
1992 Sarsfields 2-15 Galway Oran 0-07 Roscommon
1991 Kiltormer 2-09 Galway Four Roads 1-06 Roscommon
1990 Kiltormer 5-11 Galway Oran 0-06 Roscommon
1989 Sarsfields 5-14 Galway Tooreen 0-00 Mayo
1988 Four Roads 3-05 Roscommon Abbeyknockmoy 1-08 Galway
1987 Athenry 4-18 Galway Pádraig Pearse's 0-07 Roscommon
1986 Killimordaly 6-16 Galway Tooreen 1-04 Mayo
1985 Turloughmore 1-08 Galway Ballygar 2-04 Roscommon
1984 Castlegar 2-14 Galway Tooreen 2-07 Mayo
1983 Gort 3-13 Galway Tooreen 1-05 Mayo
1982 Kiltormer 3-14 Galway Four Roads 0-06 Roscommon
1981 Gort 8-13 Galway Tooreen 0-03 Mayo
1980 Sarsfields 4-12 Galway Tremane 0-05 Roscommon
1979 Castlegar 1-16 Galway Tremane 1-09 Roscommon
1978 Ardrahan 2-09 Galway Tooreen 1-07 Mayo
1977 [2] Four Roads w/o Roscommon Kiltormer (susp.) Galway
1976 Tremane 2-07 Roscommon Kiltormer 1-09 Galway
1975 Ardrahan 2-14 Galway Athleague 1-04 Roscommon
1974 Ardrahan 9-12 Galway Tooreen 1-06 Mayo
1973 Castlegar 7-08 Galway Tremane 1-07 Roscommon
1972 Castlegar 7-12 Galway Tremane 2-07 Roscommon
1971 Tommy Larkin's 7-14 Galway Four Roads 0-06 Roscommon
1970 Liam Mellows 4-10 Galway Roscommon Gaels 2-05 Roscommon
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References
  1. "Toureen Test Athenry's Mettle". advertiser.ie. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  2. Kiltormer were suspended by the Galway CB as a result of incidents in an U21 Galway club final v Ardrahan
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