| 1997 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship | |
| Dates: | 18 July – 21 September 1997 |
| Teams: | 11 |
| Sponsor: | AIB |
| Champions: | Ballyheigue |
| Count: | 4 |
| Champions Captain: | Nicholas Roche |
| Champions Manager: | John Sheehan |
| Runners-Up: | Causeway |
| Runners-Up Captain: | Maurice Carroll |
| Runners-Up Manager: | Francie Dineen |
| Matches: | 11 |
| Goals: | 32 |
| Points: | 241 |
| Top Scorer: | Maurcie Murnane (2-28) |
| Previous Year: | 1996 |
| Previous Tournament: | 1996 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship |
| Next Year: | 1998 |
| Next Tournament: | 1998 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship |
The 1997 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship was the 96th staging of the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Kerry County Board in 1889. The draw for the opening round fixtures took place on 27 February 1997. The championship ran from 18 July to 21 September 1997.
Ballyheigue were the defending champions.[1]
The final was played on 21 September 1997 at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, between Ballyheigue and Causeway, in what was their first ever meeting in the final. Ballyheigue won the match by 0–13 to 0–05 to claim their fourth championship title overall and a second title in succession.[2] [3]
Kilmoyley's Maurice Murnane was the championship's top scorer with 2-28.
| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maurice Murnane | Kilmoyley | 2-28 | 34 | 4 | 8.50 |
| 2 | John Mike Dooley | Causeway | 5-18 | 33 | 5 | 6.60 |
| 3 | Johnny O'Connell | Lixnaw | 1-13 | 16 | 2 | 8.00 |
| 4 | Mike Slattery | Ballyheigue | 2-08 | 14 | 3 | 4.66 |
| Brendan O'Sullivan | Ballyheigue | 1-11 | 14 | 3 | 4.66 |
| Rank | Player | Club | Tally | Total | Opposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Mike Dooley | Causeway | 3-05 | 14 | Kilmoyley |
| Maurice Murnane | Kilmoyley | 2-08 | 14 | Lixnaw | |
| 3 | Paul McElligott | Abbeydorney | 3-03 | 12 | St Pat's |
| 4 | Mike Slattery | Ballyheigue | 2-05 | 11 | Crotta O'Neill's |
| Johnny O'Connell | Lixnaw | 1-08 | 11 | Kilmoyley | |
| 6 | Maurice Murnane | Kilmoyley | 0-09 | 9 | Lixnaw |
| 7 | John Mike Dooley | Causeway | 1-05 | 8 | St Brendan's |
| Brendan O'Sullivan | Ballyheigue | 0-08 | 8 | Causeway | |
| 9 | Ian Maunsell | Abbeydorney | 1-04 | 7 | St Pat's |
| Tony Maunsell | Abbeydorney | 1-04 | 7 | St Pat's |