Galway Senior Hurling Championship
The Galway Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Brooks Galway Senior Hurling Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Galway County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Galway in Ireland.
Galway Senior Hurling Championship | |
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Current season or competition: | |
Code | Hurling |
Founded | 1887 |
Region | |
Trophy | Tom Callinan Cup[1] |
No. of teams | 24 |
Title holders | |
Most titles | |
Sponsors | Brooks |
TV partner(s) | TG4, RTÉ2 |
Official website | Official website |
The series of games are played during the summer and autumn months with the county final currently being played at Pearse Stadium in November. Initially played as a knock-out competition, the championship currently consists of a group stage followed by a knock-out series of games.
The Galway County Championship is an integral part of the wider All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship. The winners of the Galway county final automatically represent Connacht and join the champions of the other three provinces to contest the All-Ireland Championship.
Twenty-four teams currently participate in the Galway County Championship. The title has been won at least once by 29 different teams. The all-time record-holders are Castlegar, who have won a total of 17 titles.
St. Thomas's are the title-holders, having defeated Liam Mellows by 1-13 to 0-14 in the 2019 championship final.
History
Beginnings
Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in the United Irishman newspaper. In 1886, county committees were established, with the Galway County Board affiliating on 26 October 1886. The inaugural championship was played during the summer of 1887. Delays and objections were commonplace in the early years, with a number of championships remaining unfinished.
Format
Group stage
Senior A
For the group stage there are two groups of six teams. Teams play the other five teams in the group once and match points are awarded depending on the result of each game, with teams receiving two points for a win, and one for a draw. Following the completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the quarter finals. The third and fourth-placed teams from each group play in the preliminary quarter finals.
Senior B
For the group stage there are two groups of six teams. Teams play the other five teams in the group once and match points are awarded depending on the result of each game, with teams receiving two points for a win, and one for a draw. Following the completion of the group stage, the winners of each group qualify for the preliminary quarter-finals. The second and third placed teams play-off with the two winners also qualifying for the preliminary quarter finals.
Relegation
Senior A
The bottom-placed teams from each group play-off with the losing team relegated to the Senior B section for the following year.
Senior B
The bottom-placed teams from each group play-off with the losing team relegated to the Galway Intermediate Hurling Championship for the following year.
Knock-out stage
Preliminary quarter-finals: 8 teams contest this round. The 4 winning teams advance to the quarter-final. The 4 losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Quarter-finals: 8 teams contest this round. The 4 winning teams advance to the semi-finals. The 4 losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Semi-finals: 4 teams contest this round. The 2 winning teams advance to the final. The 2 losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Final: The final is contested by the two semi-final winners.
Venues
Early rounds
Fixtures in the opening rounds of the championship are usually played at a neutral venue that is deemed halfway between the participating teams. Some of the more common venues include Kenny Park, Duggan Park and St. Brendan's Park.
Final
The final has regularly been played at Pearse Stadium in Salthill.
Managers
Managers in the Galway Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches.
Manager | Team | Wins | Winning years |
---|---|---|---|
Pat Nally | Athenry | 4 | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 |
Johnny Kelly | Portumna | 2 | 2008, 2009 |
John Burke | St. Thomas's | 2 | 2012, 2016 |
Kevin Lally | St. Thomas's | 2 | 2018, 2019 |
Billy McGrath | Clarinbridge | 1 | 2001 |
Mike Monaghan | Portumna | 1 | 2003 |
Billy Caulfield | Athenry | 1 | 2004 |
Pat O'Connor | Loughrea | 1 | 2006 |
Micheál Donoghue | Clarinbridge | 1 | 2010 |
Mattie Murphy | Gort | 1 | 2011 |
Frank Canning | Portumna | 1 | 2013 |
Gerry Spelman | Gort | 1 | 2014 |
Cathal Murray | Sarsfields | 1 | 2015 |
Louis Mulqueen | Liam Mellows | 1 | 2017 |
Top winners
Team | Wins | Years won | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Castlegar | 17 | 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1979, 1984 |
2 | Ardrahan | 11 | 1894, 1895, 1896, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1910, 1949, 1974, 1975, 1978 |
3 | Liam Mellows | 9 | 1935, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1954, 1955, 1968, 1970, 2017 |
4 | Turloughmore | 8 | 1956, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1985 |
Athenry | 8 | 1987, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 | |
6 | Peterswell | 7 | 1889, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1904, 1905, 1907 |
Gort | 7 | 1914, 1916, 1934, 1981, 1983, 2011, 2014 | |
Sarsfields | 7 | 1980, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2015 | |
9 | Portumna | 6 | 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013 |
10 | Tynagh | 5 | 1920, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1928 |
Craughwell | 5 | 1909, 1915, 1918, 1930, 1931 | |
Kiltormer | 5 | 1976, 1977, 1982, 1990, 1991 | |
13 | St. Thomas's | 4 | 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019 |
14 | Kilconieron | 3 | 1908, 1912, 1919 |
Mullagh | 3 | 1906, 1929, 1932 | |
16 | College Road | 2 | 1892, 1893 |
Woodford | 2 | 1913, 1917 | |
Army | 2 | 1947, 1948 | |
Fohenagh | 2 | 1959, 1960 | |
Loughrea | 2 | 1941, 2006 | |
Clarinbridge | 2 | 2001, 2010 | |
22 | Meelick | 1 | 1887 |
Killimor | 1 | 1897 | |
Derrydonnell | 1 | 1911 | |
Oranmore/Maree | 1 | 1933 | |
Ballinasloe | 1 | 1951 | |
Tommy Larkin's | 1 | 1971 | |
Killimordaly | 1 | 1986 | |
Abbeyknockmoy | 1 | 1988 | |
Roll of honour
Year | Winner | Opponent |
---|---|---|
2019 | St. Thomas's 1-13 | Liam Mellows 0-14 |
2018[2] | St. Thomas's 2-13 | Liam Mellows 0-10 |
2017[3] | Liam Mellows 3-12 | Gort 1-15 |
2016[4] | St. Thomas's 1-11 | Gort 0-10 |
2015[5][6] | Sarsfields 0-12, Replay 2-10 | Craughwell 0-12, Replay 0-14 |
2014[7] | Gort 2-13 | Portumna 1-10 |
2013[8] | Portumna 3-12 | Loughrea 0-14 |
2012[9] | St. Thomas's 3-11 | Loughrea 2-11 |
2011[10][11] | Gort 0-17 | Clarinbridge 1-12 |
2010 | Clarinbridge 2-11, Replay 0-18 (AET) | Loughrea 1-14, Replay 0-15 (AET) |
2009 | Portumna 5-19 | Loughrea 1-13 |
2008 | Portumna 1-18 | Gort 2-07 |
2007 | Portumna 6-12 | Kinvara 0-11 |
2006 | Loughrea 1-13 | Portumna 0-15 |
2005 | Portumna 3-21 | Loughrea 3-14 |
2004 | Athenry 0-15 | Portumna 0-13 |
2003 | Portumna 2-13 | Loughrea 2-09 |
2002 | Athenry 1-16 | Sarsfields 3-07 |
2001 | Clarinbridge 0-18 | Athenry 2-11 |
2000 | Athenry 2-14 | Sarsfields 3-07 |
1999 | Athenry 1-16 | Abbey-Duniry 1-10 |
1998 | Athenry 0-09, 1-15 (R) | Abbey-Duniry 0-09, 1-12 (R) |
1997 | Sarsfields 1-11 | Clarinbridge 1-06 |
1996 | Athenry 2-06 | Carnmore 1-06 |
1995 | Sarsfields 0-17 | Portumna 1-09 |
1994 | Athenry 2-06 | Sarsfields 0-09 |
1993 | Sarsfields 1-10 | Carnmore 0-04 |
1992 | Sarsfields 0-14, 1-14 (R) | Carnmore 1-11, 1-05 (R) |
1991 | Kiltormer 3-09 | Athenry 0-15 |
1990 | Kiltormer 0-18 | Turloughmore 2-07 |
1989 | Sarsfields 3-07 | Athenry 1-08 |
1988 | Abbeyknockmoy 2-08, 2-06 (R) | Athenry 2-08, 0-11 (R) |
1987 | Athenry 1-12 | Castlegar 2-06 |
1986 | Killimordaly 0-17 | Turloughmore 2-07 |
1985 | Turloughmore 1-14 | Killimordaly 1-04 |
1984 | Castlegar 3-10 | Killimordaly 0-11 |
1983 | Gort 2-12 | Castlegar 3-06 |
1982 | Kiltormer 2-08 | Castlegar 1-09 |
1981 | Gort 2-08, 2-06 (R) | Kiltormer 1-11, 0-08 (R) |
1980 | Sarsfields 0-11 | Meelick-Eyrecourt 0-09 |
1979 | Castlegar 2-13 | Kinvara 0-06 |
1978 | Ardrahan 2-10, 2-18 (AET) | Ballinderreen 0-16, 2-14 (AET) |
1977 | Kiltormer 3-10 | Athenry 3-08 |
1976 | Kiltormer 1-09 | Killimordaly 1-06 |
1975 | Ardrahan 4-05 | Carnmore 1-11 |
1974 | Ardrahan 2-10 | Castlegar 1-10 |
1973 | Castlegar 3-10, 4-11 | Ballinasloe 2-13, 3-10 |
1972 | Castlegar 5-05 | Turloughmore 0-08 |
1971 | Tommy Larkin's 5-02 | Carnmore 1-12 |
1970 | Liam Mellows 5-11 | Killimordaly 1-11 |
1969 | Castlegar 4-14 | Ardrahan 2-06 |
1968 | Liam Mellows 3-11 | Ardrahan 2-12 |
1967 | Castlegar 3-09 | Padraig Pearse's Maree 4-04 |
1966 | Turloughmore 4-08 | Mullagh 2-08 |
1965 | Turloughmore 7-04 | Killimordaly 4-11 |
1964 | Turloughmore 5-11 | Ballinasloe 5-05 |
1963 | Turloughmore 5-13 | Fohenagh 2-04 |
1962 | Turloughmore 2-09, 7-10 (R) | Castlegar 2-09, 0-09 (R) |
1961 | Turloughmore 3-06 | Fohenagh 3-04 |
1960 | Fohenagh 4-09 | Castlegar 2-07 |
1959 | Fohenagh 2-08, 3-09 (R) | Castlegar 1-11, 4-05 (R) |
1958 | Castlegar 5-09 | Fohenagh 2-04 |
1957 | Castlegar 6-11 | Liam Mellows 2-03 |
1956 | Turloughmore 0-09 | Ardrahan 2-03 (awarded to Turloughmore) |
1955 | Liam Mellows 3-04 | Army 2-05 |
1954 | Liam Mellows 5-04 | Ballinasloe 2-03 |
1953 | Castlegar 3-02 | Ballinasloe 1-05 |
1952 | Castlegar 2-08 | Ardrahan 3-03 |
1951 | Ballinasloe 4-07 | Loughrea 2-05 |
1950 | Castlegar 9-03 | Gort 0-02 |
1949 | Ardrahan 1-09 | Loughrea 2-02 |
1948 | Army 7-07 | St. Coleman's 6-02 |
1947 | Army 4-13 | Carnmore 3-03 |
1946 | Liam Mellows 6-06 | Army 1-11 |
1945 | Liam Mellows 7-02 | Army 2-03 |
1944 | Castlegar 8-06 | Killimor 5-06 |
1943 | Liam Mellows 3-04 | Ballinasloe 2-05 |
1942 | Declared void | |
1941 | Loughrea 5-03 | Army 2-01 |
1940 | Castlegar 9-06 | Maree 2-03 |
1939 | Castlegar 9-01 | Clarinbridge 8-02 |
1938 | Castlegar 2-07 | Maree 2-02 |
1937 | Castlegar 9-13 | Killimor 1-01 |
1936 | Castlegar 6-06 | Gort 2-05 |
1935 | Liam Mellows 5-00 | Ballinderreen 2-02 |
1934 | Gort 4-04 | Tynagh 3-01 |
1933 | Maree 5-06 | Castlegar 6-02 |
1932 | Mullagh | Craughwell |
1931 | No final | |
1930 | Craughwell | Leitrim |
1929 | Mullagh | Clarinbridge |
1928 | Tynagh | Peterswell |
1927 | No final | |
1926 | No final | |
1925 | Tynagh | Craughwell |
1924 | No final | |
1923 | Tynagh | Ardrahan |
1922 | Tynagh | Galway City |
1921 | No final | |
1920 | Tynagh | Kilconieron |
1919 | Kilconieron | Tynagh |
1918 | Craughwell | Tynagh |
1917 | Woodford | Kilconieron |
1916 | Gort | Kilconieron |
1915 | Craughwell | Gort |
1914 | Gort | Kilconieron |
1913 | Woodford | Kilconieron |
1912 | Kilconieron | Castlegar |
1911 | Derrydonnell (Athenry) | Claregalway |
1910 | Ardrahan | Kilconieron |
1909 | Craughwell | Loughrea |
1908 | Kilconieron | Kileenadeema |
1907 | Peterswell | Duniry |
1906 | Mullagh | Duniry |
1905 | Peterswell | Craughwell |
1904 | Peterswell | Mullagh |
1903 | Ardrahan | Galway City 98's |
1902 | Ardrahan | Peterswell no. 2 |
1901 | Ardrahan | Claregalway |
1900 | Peterswell | Craughwell |
1899 | Peterswell | Craughwell |
1898 | Peterswell | Ardrahan |
1897 | Killimor | Ardrahan |
1896 | Ardrahan | Tynagh |
1895 | Ardrahan | Claregalway |
1894 | Ardrahan | College Road |
1893 | College Road | Turloughmore |
1892 | College Road | Craughwell |
1891 | None | |
1890 | None | |
1889 | Peterswell | Tynagh |
1888 | None | |
1887 | Meelick |
Records and statistics
Teams
By decade
The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Galway Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:
- 1880s: 1 each for Meelick (1887) and Peterswell (1889)
- 1890s: 3 for Ardrahan (1894-95-96)
- 1900s: 4 for Peterswell (1900-04-05-07)
- 1910s: 2 each for Kilconieron (1912–19), Woodfield (1913–17), Gort (1914–16) and Craughwell (1915–18)
- 1920s: 5 for Tyangh (1920-22-23-25-28)
- 1930s: 4 for Castlegar (1936-37-38-39)
- 1940s: 3 for Liam Mellows (1943-45-46)
- 1950s: 5 for Castlegar (1950-52-53-57-58)
- 1960s: 6 for Turloughmore (1961-62-63-64-65-66)
- 1970s: 3 each for Castlegar (1972-73-79) and Ardrahan (1974-75-78)
- 1980s: 2 each for Sarsfields (1980–89) and Gort (1981–83)
- 1990s: 4 each for Sarsfields (1992-93-95-97) and Athenry (1994-96-98-99)
- 2000s: 5 for Portumna (2003-05-07-08-09)
- 2010s: 4 for St. Thomas's (2012-16-18-19)
Gaps
Top five longest gaps between successive championship titles:
- 65 years: Loughrea (1941-2006)
- 47 years: Liam Mellows (1970-2017)
- 47 years: Gort (1934-1981)
- 39 years: Ardrahan (1910-1949)
- 28 years: Gort (1983-2011)
References
- "Tom Callinan Cup comes to Scoil Chaitríona Senior". Renmore School. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- "Burke stars as Thomas' mark 50th anniversary with Galway title glory". Irish Independent. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
- "Liam Mellows shock Gort to claim Galway Senior Hurling title". Irish Examiner. 3 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- "St Thomas' targeting more glory". Irish Examiner. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- "Galway SHC final: Stalemate in Athenry". Hogan Stand. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- "Cooney clan rise to task for Sarsfields one more time". Irish Examiner. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
- "Galway SHC final: Gort dethrone All-Ireland champs with late goals". Hogan Stand. 14 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- "Cannings lead Portumna charge". Irish Examiner. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
- "Heavenly day for Burke's Saints". Irish Examiner. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "Gort crowned county senior hurling champions for 2011". Advertiser.ie. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- "Gort end their long wait in style". Irish Times. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.