2019–20 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Explained

Type:Senior Club
Year:2019-20
Dates:27 October 2019 – 19 January 2020
Teams:17
Munster:Borris-Ileigh
Leinster:Ballyhale Shamrocks
Ulster:Slaughtneil
Ulsterlink:Slaughtneil GAC
Team:Ballyhale Shamrocks
Titles:8th
Captain:Michael Fennelly
Manager:Henry Shefflin
Team2:Borris-Ileigh
Captain2:Conor Kenny & Seán McCormack
Manager2:Johnny Kelly
Totalgoals:36 (2.57 per game)
Totalpoints:433 (30.92 per game)
Matches:14
Topscorer: T. J. Reid (2-53)
Previous:2018-19
Next:2021-22

The 2019–20 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 50th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county club hurling tournament. The championship began on 27 October 2019 and ended on 19 January 2020.

Ballyhale Shamrocks of Kilkenny were the defending champions.[1]

On 18 January 2020, Ballyhale Shamrocks won the championship after an 0-18 to 0-15 defeat of Borris-Ileigh in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park.[2] This was their 8th championship title overall and their second title in succession.

T. J. Reid from the Ballyhale Shamrocks club was the championship's top scorer with 2-53.

Competition format

County Championships

The top hurling teams in Ireland's counties compete in their senior club championship. Each county decides the format for determining their county champions – it can be knockout, double-elimination, league, etc or a combination.

Only single club teams are allowed to enter the All-Ireland Club championship. If a team which is an amalgamation of two or more clubs, a divisional team or a university team wins a county's championship, a single club team will represent that county in the provincial championship as determined by that county's championship rules. Normally it is the club team that exited the county championship at the highest stage.

Provincial Championships

Leinster, Munster and Ulster organise a provincial championship for their participating county champions. Connacht discontinued their senior club championship after 2007 but they do organise intermediate and junior championships. The Galway champions represent Connacht in the All-Ireland senior club semi-finals as Galway club hurling is at higher level than the hurling in the other four Connacht counties.

Some Leinster, Munster and Ulster counties enter their senior champions in the All-Ireland intermediate club championship (tier 2) as it is recognised that club hurling is weak in those counties.

All matches are knock-out. Two ten minute periods of extra time are played each way if it's a draw at the end of normal time in all matches including the final. If the score is still level after extra time the match is replayed.

All-Ireland

The two semi-finals will be played on the weekend 4–5 January 2020 with the final scheduled for 19 January 2020 in Croke Park.[3] The All-Ireland final was previously played on St. Patrick's Day, the 17th of March.

All matches are knock-out. Two ten minute periods of extra time are played each way if it's a draw at the end of normal time in the semi-finals or final. If the score is still level after extra time the match is replayed.

Initial Schedule

County championships April 2019 to November 2019
Provincial championships October 2019 to December 2019
All-Ireland semi-finals 4–5 January 2020
All-Ireland final 19 January 2020

Team Summaries

TeamCountyCaptain(s)Manager(s)Most recent success
All-IrelandProvincialCounty
DownPádraig FlynnGary Savage
Gary Gordon
19932018
WaterfordPhilip Mahony
Conor Power
Darragh O'Sullivan
David Franks
20182018
KilkennyMichael FennellyHenry Shefflin201920182018
TipperaryConor Kenny
Seán McCormack
Johnny Kelly198719861986
WestmeathBrendan MurtaghKevin O'Brien2018
DublinColm CroninWillie Maher201820182017
AntrimPaul ShielsGregory O'Kane20092017
CorkBrian MoylanRichie Kelleher197719762016
ArmaghOdhran CurryConor McCann2017
LimerickCian LynchCiarán Carey19902016
LaoisPaddy PurcellJohn Delaney2014
ClareSéadna Morey
Noel Purcell
Tim Crowe199620002017
DerryChrissy McKaigueMichael McShane20172018
WexfordWillie Devereux
Paudie Kelly
Tomás Codd2017
CarlowMarty KavanaghNiall O'Donnell2016
OffalyConor ClancyKen Hogan19932016
GalwayConor CooneyKevin Lally20132018

Provincial championships

Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship


Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship

Quarter-final

Semi-finals

Final

Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship

Semi-finals

Final

All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship

Final

Top Scorers

Top scorers overall
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks2-5359511.80
2Marty KavanaghSt. Mullin's1-3134311.33
3Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-242739.00
4Mark KavanaghRathdowney-Errill1-2225212.50
Brendan MaherBorris-Ileigh0-252546.25
5Pauric MahonyBallygunner0-202036.66
6Eoin CodyBallyhale Shamrocks3-101953.80
7Conal CunningDunloy1-141728.50
8Brendan MurtaghClonkill2-0915115.00
Jerry KellyBorris-Ileigh0-151543.25
9Colin FennellyBallyhale Shamrocks4-021452.80
10Dessie HutchinsonBallygunner1-101334.33
Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks2-1420St. Martin's
2Brendan MurtaghClonkill2-0915Ballyhale Shamrocks
3Eoin CodyBallyhale Shamrocks3-0413Clonkill
Mark KavanaghRathdowney-Errill1-1013St. Rynagh's
4Marty KavanaghSt. Mullin's1-0912Rathdowney-Errill
Mark KavanaghRathdowney-Errill0-1212St. Mullin's
Marty KavanaghSt. Mullin's0-1212Ballyhale Shamrocks
5Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil0-1111Middletown
T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks0-1111Clonkill
T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks0-1111Slaughtneil

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Colin Fennelly inspires Ballyhale to All Ireland glory as Henry Shefflin reaches another milestone. 17 March 2019. Irish Independent. 17 March 2019. Martin. Breheny.
  2. Web site: Ballyhale retain All-Ireland club title for first time with win over battling Borris-Ileigh. 18 January 2020. The 42. 18 January 2020. Fintan. O'Toole.
  3. Web site: All-Ireland club finals to be played in January from 2020 . www.irishexaminer.com . Irish Examiner . 3 October 2019 . en . 29 June 2019.