2018 Galway Senior Hurling Championship Explained

2018 Galway Senior Hurling Championship
County:Galway
Year:2018
Manager:Kevin Lally
Captain:Conor Cooney
Winners:St. Thomas'
Relegated:Moycullen
Promoted:N/A
Previous:2017
Next:2019

The 2018 Galway Senior Hurling Championship was the 121st staging of the Galway Senior Hurling Championship since its establishment in 1887.

The winners St. Thomas' were presented with the Tom Callanan Cup having beaten Liam Mellows in the final on 18 November.[1] [2]

Liam Mellows were the reigning champions. Ballinderreen participated in the senior championship having been promoted from the intermediate competition in 2017.

Competition format

Twenty four reams compete in the initial group stages of the championship – the top ranked twelve teams compete in the Senior A Group and the second ranked twelve teams compete in the Senior B Group. Eight teams from the Senior A Group and four teams from the Senior B Group progress to the knockout stage. The competition format is explained further in each of the championship rounds in the sections below.

Group stage

Senior A

Senior A consists of 12 teams divided into two groups of 6. The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the quarter finals. The third and fourth teams from each group play in the preliminary quarter finals. The bottom two teams from each group play-off with the losing team relegated to playing in the following year's Senior B Section.

Senior A - Group 1

width=20Teamwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=30width=40width=20width=20
1 St. Thomas' 54104-975-65299
2 Liam Mellows 53115-833-8277
3 Tommy Larkin's 51404-735-7826
4 Castlegar 52128-724-7595
5 Craughwell 51047-686-83-122
6 Kilnadeema-Leitrim 50143-737-96-351

Senior A - Group 2

width=20Teamwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=30width=35width=20width=20
1 Sarsfields 53113-746-68-37
2 Loughrea 53025-764-7636
3 Gort 53023-953-79166
4 Cappataggle 52122-834-7345
5 Mullagh52035-712-90-104
6 Portumna 51043-782-91-102

Senior A - Relegation

Senior B

Senior B consists of 12 teams divided into two groups of 6. The winners of each group qualify for the 2018 preliminary quarter finals and compete in the following year's Senior A competition. The four second and third placed teams play-off with the two winners also qualifying for the 2018 preliminary quarter finals.

Senior B - Group 1

width=20Teamwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=40width=45width=20width=20
1 Turloughmore 55004-935-612910
2 Clarinbridge 54017-822-81198
3 Killimordaly 52125-824-75105
4 Ballinderreen 52038-594-76-54
5 Ahascragh-Fohenagh 51045-638-84-302
6 Beagh 50146-8112-83-231

Senior B - Group 2

width=20Teamwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=30width=40width=20width=20
1 Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry 54106-894-63329
2 Athenry 53026-712-69146
3 Padraig Pearse's 53024-741-65186
4 Abbeyknockmoy 51226-798-77-144
5 Ardrahan 51133-692-82-103
6 Moycullen 50234-6712-83-402

Senior B - playoffs

The second team in Senior B Group 1 plays the third team in Senior B Group 2 and the third team in Senior B Group 1 plays the second team in Senior B Group 2. The two winning teams qualify for the 2018 senior preliminary quarter finals. The two losing teams are eliminated from this year's senior championship.

Senior B - Relegation

The losing team is relegated to the following year's intermediate championship.

Senior Knockout stage

Senior Preliminary Quarter-finals

The four teams who finished third and fourth in the two Senior A Groups play the four Senior B teams who qualified (the two winners of the two Senior B Groups plus the two winners of the Senior B play-offs).

Senior Quarter-finals

The four teams who finished first and second in the two Senior A groups play the four winners of the senior preliminary quarter finals.

Senior final

St. Thomas':
width=25
1 Gerald Murray
2 Cian Mahoney
3 Cathal Burke
4 David Sherry
7 Fintan Burke
6 Shane Cooney
5 Donal Cooney
11 David Burke
8 James Regan
14Conor Cooney
10Darragh Burke
15Damien McGlynn
12Bernard Burke
13Brendan Farrell
9Eanna Burke
Substitutes Used:
17Kenneth Burke for Damien McGlynn (40 mins)
18Cian Kelly for Bernard Burke (43 mins)
19Mark Caulfield for Brendan Farrell (60 mins)
21Sean Skehill for Donal Cooney (60 mins)
20Damien Finnerty for Eanna Burke (62 mins)
Manager:
Kevin Lally
Liam Mellows:
width=25
1 Kenneth Walsh
7 Brian Leen
3 Sean Morrissey
2 Cathal Reilly
4 Mark Hughes
6 David Collins
5 Michael Conneely
8 Jack Hastings
9 Kevin Lee
13Adrian Morrissey
11Conor Hynes
14Tadhg Haran
19Enda Fallon
10Conor Kavanagh
12Aonghus Callanan
Substitutes Used:
15Jack Forde for Adrian Morrissey (39 mins)
35Ronan Elwood for Aonghus Callanan (39 mins)
25Stephen Barrett for Enda Fallon (43 mins)
18Conor Elwood for Kevin Lee (52 mins)
Manager:
Louis Mulqueen

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Burke stars as Thomas' mark 50th anniversary with Galway title glory. 18 November 2018. Irish Independent. 20 November 2018.
  2. Web site: St Thomas' dethrone Liam Mellows in Galway. 18 November 2018. Irish Times. 20 November 2018.