Kerry Senior Hurling Championship Explained

Kerry Senior Hurling Championship
Currentlyrunning:2024 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship
Irish:Craobh Sinsear Iomána Chiarraí
Code:Hurling
Region: Kerry
Trophy:Neilus Flynn Cup
Teams:10
Title Holders: Abbeydorney
Currentordinal:5
Super:th
Most Titles: Kilmoyley
Mostordinal:26
Sponsors:Garvey's SuperValu
Website:https://www.kerrygaa.ie/

The Kerry Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as Garvey's SuperValu Senior Hurling Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1889 for the top hurling teams in the county of Kerry in Ireland.

The series of games are played during the summer months, with the county final currently being played in Austin Stack Park in August. Initially played a knock-out competition, the championship currently uses a double elimination format whereby each team is guaranteed at least two games. The 2020 championship reverted to a straight knock-out format due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Kerry County Championship is an integral part of the wider Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship. The winners of the Kerry county final join the intermediate champions of the other five counties to contest the provincial championship.

The title has been won at least once by 21 different teams. The all-time record-holders are Kilmoyley who have won 26 titles.

Abbeydorney are the current title-holders after defeating Ballyduff by 1-17 to 1-10 in the 2024 championship final played at Austin Stack Park in Tralee.

History

Beginnings

The inaugural championship took place in 1889 with just five clubs entering. These were Abbeydorney, Ballyduff, Kenmare, Kilgarvan and Kilmoyley. The very first championship match was held on 10 March 1889 when Abbeydorney beat Ballyduff by 1-1 to 0-1. Walkovers and delays were regular occurrences in the early years of the championship, while no records exist for some championship finals. More clubs fielded teams as the years went on, with the championships of 1905 and 1913 being held on a league basis.

The championship suffered severe disruption between 1920 and 1924 due to the War of Independence and subsequent Civil War. Several championships were abandoned midway through, while the championships of 1921 and 1923 were cancelled. The last championship which failed to be completed was in 1935.

Club dominance

Since the beginning, the championship has been dominated at various times by Ballyduff and Kilmoyley who are collectively known as the "big two". They have won 51 championship titles between them. Kilmoyley dominated the first 25 years of the championship, winning ten titles between 1890 and 1914. The 1920s and 1930s saw a number of first-time winners, including Austin Stacks, Causeway and Lixnaw. Crotta O'Neill's also won their first championship in 1939 and dominated the next twelve years by winning eight titles in total.

The second half of the 20th century was dominated by Ballyduff. The club won 19 championship titles in a forty-year period between 1955 and 1995. The only club who came close to matching their dominance was Causeway who won six championships between 1979 and 1987. The first two decades of the 21st century has seen the Kilmoyley-Ballyduff hegemony continue. Kilmoyley won their first title after a 30-year fallow period in 2001, before claiming seven more titles up to 2016. Ballyduff won five championships between 2006 and 2017. Kilmoyley won back to back titles in 2020-21 to give them ten titles in 20 years.

The 2022 final included a first, a live referee microphone for its national broadcast on TG4.[1] It was also the first time the Kerry County Hurling Final was shown on live national TV.[2]

Format

Group stage

The 9 clubs are divided into three groups of three. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed two group games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the group stage table by points gained, then scoring difference and then their head-to-head record. The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals.

Knockout stage

Following the completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each group are ranked (1-6) in terms of points accumulated and scoring difference. The two top-ranking teams receive byes to separate semi-finals.

Quarter-finals: Teams designated 3-6 contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.

Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and teams designated 1-2 contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the final.

Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

Relegation

The three bottom-placed teams from the group stage take part in a series of play-offs, with the losing team being relegated to the Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship.

Qualification

At the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.

Teams

2024 Teams (10)

TeamLocationColoursDivisionChampionship titlesLast championship title
AbbeydorneyAbbeydorneyBlack and amberNorth Kerry52024
BallyduffBallyduffGreen and whiteNorth Kerry252017
BallyheigueBallyheigueOrange and blackNorth Kerry52000
CausewayCausewayMaroon and whiteNorth Kerry92022
Crotta O'Neill'sKilflynnRed and greenNorth Kerry102023
Dr CrokesKillarneyBlack and amberEast Kerry0
KilmoyleyKilmoyleyGreen and goldNorth Kerry262021
LixnawLixnawGreen and goldNorth Kerry92018
St Brendan'sArdfertBlue and whiteNorth Kerry72013
Tralee ParnellsTraleeBlue and whiteTralee District21919

Trophy

The Neilus Flynn Cup is presented to the winners of the championship and is named after Neilus Flynn, who captained Causeway and St Brendan's (Div.) to County Championship successes in 1932 and 1936 respectively. The Flynn family donated both the original trophy (in 1987) and the new cup to the Kerry County Board. The current trophy, which was designed by silversmith Fintan Foley, was presented for the first time to the 2018 champions, Lixnaw.

Roll of honour

By club

TeamTitlesRunners-UpWinning yearsLosing years
1 Kilmoyley26161890, 1892, 1894, 1895, 1900*, 1901, 1905, 1907, 1910, 1914, 1948, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1971, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2020, 20211889, 1891, 1893, 1903, 1908, 1946, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965, 1983, 1988, 2007, 2014, 2018
2 Ballyduff25121891, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 20171890, 1892, 1912, 1938, 1949, 1981, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2016, 2022, 2024
3 Crotta O'Neill's10101939, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1968, 2023 1952, 1957, 1967, 1972, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1998, 1999, 2011
4 Lixnaw9211933, 1954, 1983, 1985, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2014, 20181894, 1896, 1901, 1907, 1914*, 1942, 1953, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1982, 1993, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2023
Causeway981932, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1998, 2019, 20221973, 1978, 1984, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2020
6 St Brendan's7121949, 1952, 1967, 1975, 1986, 1990, 20131937, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1992, 2009, 2015, 2021
7 Abbeydorney541893, 1896, 1913, 1974, 20241900*, 1954, 1971, 2005
Ballyheigue541946, 1992, 1996, 1997, 20001941, 1948, 1995, 2001
8 Kenmare Shamrocks491889, 1902, 1916*, 19421895, 1904, 1910, 1916, 1917, 1943, 1945, 1947, 1991
10 Kilgarvan351953, 1956, 19581918, 1919, 1944, 1959, 1975
Austin Stacks331928, 1929, 19311968, 1969, 1974
Tralee Mitchels301908, 1911, 1912
13Tralee Celtic211903, 19041902
Tralee Parnells211918, 19191911
Kilflynn Pearses201937, 1938
16Killarney1219691951, 1970
Tullig101916*
Tubrid101917
Tralee101925
St. Brendans[3] 101936
Banna101940
22Boherbee021928, 1929
Kilflynn021931, 1933
North Kerry011925
Rathmore011932
John Mitchels011936
Shannon Rovers011939
Dingle011940

Roll of honour notes

List of Finals

Legend

List of Kerry SHC finals

YearWinnersRunners-up
ClubScoreClubScore
20241-17Ballyduff1-10
20230-15Lixnaw1-09
2022[4] Causeway2-15Ballyduff0-16
2021Kilmoyley1-14St Brendan's, Ardfert1-11
2020Kilmoyley2-12Causeway1-14
2019[5] Causeway2-13Lixnaw1-13
2018[6] Lixnaw1-16 Kilmoyley2-11
2017[7] [8] Ballyduff4-13Lixnaw1-19
2016[9] [10] Kilmoyley1-17, 1-18 (R)Ballyduff2-14, 2-13 (R)
2015[11] Kilmoyley3–15St Brendan's, Ardfert1–13
2014[12] Lixnaw1–12Kilmoyley0–12
2013[13] [14] St Brendan's, Ardfert0–13, 0–13 (R)Lixnaw1–10, 0–08 (R)
2012[15] Ballyduff1–15Lixnaw1–09
2011[16] Ballyduff2–11Crotta O'Neill's0–15
2010[17] Ballyduff2–18Lixnaw2–09
2009[18] Kilmoyley1–19St Brendan's, Ardfert2–08
2008[19] Kilmoyley2–18Causeway0–08
2007[20] Lixnaw1–15Kilmoyley2–06
2006[21] Ballyduff1–17Causeway1–11
2005[22] Lixnaw0–17 (replay)Abbeydorney0–06
2004[23] Kilmoyley2–15Causeway2–09
2003[24] Kilmoyley2–10Lixnaw1–05
2002[25] Kilmoyley1–16Lixnaw2–07
2001Kilmoyley2–08Ballyheigue2–07
2000[26] Ballyheigue1–06Ballyduff0–08
1999Lixnaw0–09 (replay)Crotta O'Neill's1–05
1998Causeway1-14Crotta O'Neill's2-10
1997Ballyheigue0-13Causeway0-05
1996Ballyheigue2-09Ballyduff0-07
1995Ballyduff3-09Ballyheigue2-05
1994Ballyduff2-07Lixnaw0-10
1993Ballyduff2-10Lixnaw0-08
1992Ballyheigue1-10St. Brendan's, Ardfert1-09
1991Ballyduff0–11Kenmare0–07
1990St Brendan's, Ardfert3–08Ballyduff0–14
1989Ballyduff1–12St Brendan's, Ardfert0–06
1988Ballyduff1-05Kilmoyley1-04
1987Causeway2-11St Brendan's, Ardfert1-09
1986St Brendan's, Ardfert3-11Crotta O'Neill's2-04
1985Lixnaw2-11Crotta O'Neill's0-11
1984Ballyduff3-08Causeway2-03
1983Lixnaw1-09 Kilmoyley1-06
1982Causeway2-11Lixnaw0-09
1981Causeway2-11Ballyduff1-10
1980Causeway0-11St Brendan's, Ardfert0-05
1979Causeway4-06Crotta O'Neill's1-12
1978Ballyduff0-09Causeway0-06
1977Ballyduff4-06St Brendan's, Ardfert1-00
1976Ballyduff2-08St Brendan's, Ardfert2-06
1975St Brendan's, Ardfert5-07Kilgarvan3-06
1974Abbeydorney3-08Austin Stacks1-04
1973Ballyduff1-14Causeway1-06
1972Ballyduff2-09Crotta O'Neill's0-07
1971Kilmoyley2-12Abbeydorney1-12
1970Kilmoyley2-12Killarney4-04
1969Killarney2-06Austin Stacks2-05
1968Crotta O'Neill's1-06Austin Stacks1-05
1967St Brendan's, Ardfert1-08Crotta O'Neill's1-06
1966Ballyduff3-08Lixnaw3-07
1965Ballyduff2-11Kilmoyley2-03
1964Kilmoyley4-14Lixnaw5-05
1963KilmoyleyW/OSt Brendan's, Ardfert
1962Kilmoyley7-10St Brendan's, Ardfert4-03
1961Ballyduff5-07St Brendan's, Ardfert4-04
1960Ballyduff1-07Lixnaw1-05
1959Ballyduff3-05Kilgarvan2-02
1958Kilgarvan2-05Kilmoyley0-03
1957Ballyduff5-05Crotta O'Neill's2-00
1956Kilgarvan6-06Kilmoyley2-03
1955Ballyduff3-01Kilmoyley1-02
1954Lixnaw5-04 Abbeydorney1-01
1953Kilgarvan4-04Lixnaw2-01
1952St Brendan's, Ardfert3-04Crotta O'Neill's2-02
1951Crotta O'Neill's3-03Killarney2-01
1950Crotta O'Neill's6-02Kilmoyley4-01
1949St Brendan's, Ardfert4-02Ballyduff2-04
1948Kilmoyley5-02Ballyheigue3-06
1947Crotta O'Neill's4-07 Kenmare1-03
1946Ballyheigue2-01Kilmoyley0-02
1945Crotta O'Neill's5-07Kenmare2-05
1944Crotta O'Neill's9-05Kilgarvan2-02
1943Crotta O'Neill's3-03Kenmare1-03
1942Kenmare2-04Lixnaw2-02
1941Crotta O'Neill's4-03Ballyheigue2-03
1940Banna5-03Dingle2-03
1939Crotta O'Neill's8-06Shannon Rovers6-00
1938Kilflynn Pearses4-03Ballyduff4-01
1937Kilflynn Pearses7-01St Brendan's, Ardfert3-01
1936St. Brendan's (Div)5-01 John Mitchels1-01
1935Not Played
1934Not Completed
1933Lixnaw2-01 Kilflynn0-03
1932Causeway3-07Rathmore2-02
1931Rock Street8-02Kilflynn7-03
1930Abandoned
1929Rock Street5-02Boherbee0-06
1928Rock Street4-02Boherbee0-02
1927Championship Not Held
1926Championship Not Held
1925Tralee8-05North Kerry2-03
1924Abandoned
1923Not Played
1922Not Completed
1921Not Played
1920Abandoned
1919Tralee ParnellsW/OKilgarvan
1918Tralee Parnells1-10Kilgarvan4-00
1917Tubridy(game abandoned)Kenmare
1916Tullig Gamecocks2-04Kenmare2-01
1915Not Played
1914KilmoyleyW/OLixnaw Davis'
1913Run on a league basis
1912Tralee Mitchels5-01Ballyduff5-00
1911Tralee Mitchels5-03Tralee Parnells1-02
1910Kilmoyley4-04Kenmare0-02
1909Not held
1908Tralee Mitchels2-10 Kilmoyley0-06
1907Kilmoyley1-00Lixnaw0-01
1906Not held
1905KilmoyleyRun on league basis
1904Tralee Celtic2-10Kenmare0-05
1903Tralee Celtic2-05Kilmoyley1-00
1902Kenmare2-02Tralee Celtic0-03
1901Kilmoyley2-09 Lixnaw1-04
1900Kilmoyley A3-07Abbeydorney B1-02
1898-99Not held
1897No record of championship
1896Abbeydorney1-03Lixnaw0-04
1895Kilmoyley1-10Kenmare0-03
1894Kilmoyley3-07Lixnaw1-04
1893AbbeydorneyW/O Kilmoyley
1892KilmoyleyW/O Ballyduff
1891Ballyduff1-00Kilmoyley0-02
1890Kilmoyley2-02Ballyduff0-00
1889Kenmare1-00Kilmoyley0-03

Player records

Winning captains

Team records and statistics

Teams

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Kerry Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:

Gaps

Longest gaps between successive championship titles:

Active gaps

Longest active gaps since last championship title:

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: TG4 feature live referee mic for first time in Kerry SHC final. Hogan Stand. 8 August 2022.
  2. Web site: Kerry hurling final to be broadcast live by TG4 in a first for the competition. Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 8 July 2022. 8 July 2022. Damian. Stack.
  3. Kerry County Board records
  4. News: Causeway regain Kerry SHC title with win over Ballyduff . 9 August 2022 . . 8 August 2022.
  5. News: Harty the giant for Causeway as they dethrone champions Lixnaw. 27 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Conway is star man for Lixnaw on day referee requires Garda escort at finale. 31 August 2018 . . 27 August 2018.
  7. Web site: Kerry SHC final: Conway comes to Lixnaw's rescue . 10 October 2017 . . 8 October 2017.
  8. News: Kerry SHC final replay: Boyle is Ballyduff's hat-trick hero. Hogan Stand. 19 October 2017. 15 September 2017.
  9. News: Kerry SHC final: Boyle forces replay. Hogan Stand. 12 September 2016. 11 September 2016.
  10. Web site: Kilmoyley survive fightback in Kerry replay . 26 September 2016 . . 26 September 2016.
  11. Web site: Kilmoyley kingpins for 23rd time . 28 September 2015 . . 28 September 2015.
  12. Web site: Kerry SHC final replay: Eighth title for Lixnaw . 12 October 2014 . . 11 October 2014 .
  13. Web site: Egan saves Saints with dramatic late equaliser . 14 October 2013 . . 14 October 2013.
  14. Web site: Famine over for Brendan's . 28 October 2013 . . 28 October 2013.
  15. News: Ballyduff land 24th title . 8 October 2012 . . 8 October 2012.
  16. Web site: Kerry SHC: Ballyduff battle back to deny O'Neill's . 20 April 2012 . .
  17. Web site: Kerry SHC: Ballyduff power to 22nd title . 20 April 2012 . .
  18. Web site: Kerry SHC: Kilmoyley win record 22nd title . 20 April 2012 . .
  19. Web site: Kerry SHC final: Daly's Kilmoyley cruise to victory . 20 April 2012 . . 20 October 2008.
  20. News: Lixnaw take the title in surprise win . 11 December 2008 . . 8 October 2007.
  21. Web site: Ballyduff triumph in Kerry hurling decider . 20 April 2012 . .
  22. Web site: Lixnaw capture SHC title . 20 April 2012 . . 17 October 2005.
  23. Web site: Four in-a-row for Kilmoyley . 20 April 2012 . . 4 October 2004.
  24. Web site: Three-in-a-row for Kilmoyley . 20 April 2012 . . 6 October 2003.
  25. Web site: Kilmoyley retain Kerry SHC crown . 20 April 2012 . . 30 September 2002.
  26. Web site: Fifth title for Ballyheigue . 20 April 2012 . .