Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship

The Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Ulster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship, abbreviated as the Ulster Club SHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the champion hurling teams in the province of Ulster in Ireland. It is the most prestigious club competition in Ulster hurling.https://hoganstand.com/article/index/338518

Introduced in 1970, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open to the nine county club champion teams in Ulster. The competition currently retains the knockout format but features just four teams who represent the strongest hurling counties in Ulster.

In its current format, the Ulster Club Championship begins in October with the semi-finals. Entrants are not seeded. The two semi-final winners proceed to the final which is currently played in late October or early November. The winner of the Ulster Club Championship, as well as being presented with the Four Seasons Cup, qualifies for the subsequent All-Ireland Club Championship.

The competition has been won by 10 teams, 8 of which have won it more than once. Ruairí Óg, Cushendall is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 12 times. Slaughtneil are the reigning champions, having beaten St John's by 0-23 to 0-10 in the final.

Teams Qualification

CountyChampionshipQualifying team AntrimAntrim Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions DerryDerry Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions DonegalDonegal Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions DownDown Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions

2025 teams 28 clubs will compete in the 2025 Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship: CountyNo.Clubs competing in county championship Antrim8Cúchulainns, Dunloy, Loughgiel Shamrocks, McQuillan Ballycastle, O'Donovan Rossa, Ruairí Óg, St Enda's, St John's Derry8Ballinascreen, Banagher, Eoghan Rua, Kevin Lynch's, Lavey, Na Magha, Slaughtneil, Swatragh Donegal6Buncrana, Burt, Carndonagh, Seán MacCumhaills, Setanta, St Eunan's Down6Ballycran, Ballygalget, Bredagh, Carryduff, Liatroim Fontenoys, Portaferry Note: Bold indicates county representative.

List of finals

Legend The winners are listed in bold if they also won the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship.

List of Ulster SHC finals YearWinnersRunners-upCountyClubScoreCountyClubScore 2025 DER Slaughtneil 0-23 ANT St. John's 0-102024 DER Slaughtneil2-19 DOW Portaferry1-192023 ANT Cushendall0-20 DER Slaughtneil2-10 2022 ANT Dunloy 2-12 DER Slaughtneil 0-16 2021 DER Slaughtneil 1-14 DOW Ballycran 0-102020Cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games 2019 DER Slaughtneil 1-15 ANT Dunloy 0-10 2018 ANT Cushendall 1-15 DOW Ballycran 0-10 2017 DER Slaughtneil 2-21 DOW Ballygalget 1-12 2016 DER Slaughtneil 2-14 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 1-13 2015 ANT Cushendall 1-24 (aet) DER Slaughtneil 3-17 (aet) 2014 DOW Portaferry 1-16 ANT Cushendall 0-10 2013/14 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 3-14 DER Slaughtneil 1-15 2012/13 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 2-25 DOW Portaferry 0-12 2011/12 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 2-18 DOW Ballycran 0-08 2010/11 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 2-24 ARM Keady Lamh Dhearg 0-06 2009/10 ANT Dunloy 2-16 DOW Ballycran 2-11 2008/09 ANT Cushendall 1-14 DOW Ballygalget 1-13 2007/08 ANT Dunloy 2-14 DER Kevin Lynch's 2-08 2006/07 ANT Cushendall 1-13; 1-15 (R) DER Kevin Lynch's 2-10; 1-07 (R) 2005/06 DOW Ballygalget 1-18 ANT Cushendall 3-08 2004/05 ANT O'Donovan Rossa 0-16 DOW Ballygalget 0-14 2003/04 ANT Dunloy 3-19 DER Kevin Lynch's 0-09 2002/03 ANT Dunloy 0-12 DOW Portaferry 1-06 2001/02 ANT Dunloy 3-11 DER Lavey 1-07 2000/01 ANT Dunloy 4-11 DER Slaughtneil 0-09 1999/00 ANT Cushendall 1-12 DOW Ballygalget 1-8 1998–99 DOW Ballygalget 1-13; 1-14 (R) ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 3-07; 1-12 (R) 1997–98 ANT Dunloy 3-16 DER Lavey 4-10 1996–97 ANT Cushendall DOW Portaferry 1995–96 ANT Dunloy 2-18 DOW Ballycran 0-09 1994–95 ANT Dunloy 3-09 DER Lavey 1-12 1993–94 DOW Ballycran 2-10 ANT Cushendall 0-12 1992–93 ANT Cushendall 2-12 DOW Ballygalget 1-10 1991–92 ANT Cushendall 1-16 DOW Portaferry 0-05 1990–91 ANT Dunloy 0-17 DOW Ballygalget 2-04 1989–90 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 1-14 DOW Portaferry 2-09 1988–89 ANT O'Donovan Rossa 0-13 DER Lavey 0-11 1987–88 ANT Cushendall 3-10 DOW Ballycran 1-06 1986–87 ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 1-13 DER Lavey 1-08 1985–86 ANT Cushendall 0-19 DOW Ballycran 0-10 1984–85 ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 1-14 DOW Ballycran 1-03 1983–84 ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 4-12 DOW Ballygalget 2-03 1982–83 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 1-09 DOW Ballygalget 0-09 1981–82 ANT Cushendall 4-17 DOW Portaferry 0-09 1980–81 ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 1-20 DOW Ballycran 0-13 1979–80 ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 0-11 DOW Ballycran 0-08 1978–79 ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 2-14 DOW Portaferry 2-07 1977–78 ANT O'Donovan Rossa 1-13 DOW Ballycran 2-06 1976–77 DOW Ballycran 0-08 ANT O'Donovan Rossa 0-07 1975–76 DOW Ballygalget 4-06 ANT McQuillan Ballycastle 1-09 1974–75 DOW Ballycran 3-05 ANT Patrick Sarsfields 3-02 1973–74 ANT St. John's w/o DER Kevin Lynch's scr. 1972–73 ANT O'Donovan Rossa 2-08 DOW Ballycran 3-02 1971–72 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 3-08 DOW Portaferry 1-12 1970–71 ANT Loughgiel Shamrocks 6-14 DOW Ballygalget 2-05

Roll of honour

By county CountyTitlesRunners-upTotal Antrim 421052 Down 73037 Derry61420 Armagh011

By club ClubCountyTitlesChampionships won Ruairí ÓgAntrim 12 1981, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2015, 2018, 2023 DunloyAntrim 11 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2022 Loughgiel ShamrocksAntrim 8 1970, 1971, 1982, 1989, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 McQuillan BallycastleAntrim 6 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986 SlaughtneilDerry 6 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025 O'Donovan RossaAntrim 4 1972, 1977, 1988, 2004 BallycranDown 3 1974, 1976, 1993 BallygalgetDown 3 1975, 1998, 2005 St John'sAntrim 1 1973 PortaferryDown 1 2014

Records and statistics

County representatives and provincial champions by year Provincial winners are shaded in gold. YearAntrimArmaghDerryDownFermanaghDonegal2025St John'sN / A SlaughtneilPortaferryN / ASetanta2024Ruairí ÓgN / A SlaughtneilPortaferryN / AN / A2023 Ruairí ÓgN / ASlaughtneilPortaferryN / AN / A2022 DunloyN / ASlaughtneilPortaferryN / AN / A2021DunloyN / A SlaughtneilBallycranN / AN / A2020No championship2019DunloyMiddletown SlaughtneilBallycranN / AN / A2018 Ruairí ÓgN / ASlaughtneilBallycranN / AN / A2017DunloyN / A SlaughtneilBallygalgetLisbellaw St Patrick'sN / A2016Loughgiel ShamrocksMiddletown SlaughtneilBallygalgetLisbellaw St Patrick'sN / A2015 Ruairí ÓgMiddletownSlaughtneilBallycranLisbellaw St Patrick'sN / A2014Ruairí ÓgN / ASlaughtneil PortaferryLisbellaw St Patrick'sN / A

Teams

By decade

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

1970s: 2 each for Loughgiel Shamrocks (1970–71), O'Donovan Rossa (1972–77), Ballycran (1974–76), Ballycastle McQuillan (1978–79) 1980s: 4 for Ballycastle McQuillan (1980-83-84-86) 1990s: 4 each for Dunloy (1990-94-95-97) and Ruairí Óg (1991-92-96-99) 2000s: 6 for Dunloy (2000-01-02-03-07-09) 2010s: 4 for Loughgiel Shamrocks (2010-11-12-13)

Gaps

Top five longest gaps between successive championship titles: 23 years: Ballygalget (1975-1998) 21 years: Loughgiel Shamrocks (1989-2010) 17 years: Ballycran (1976-1993) 16 years: O'Donovan Rossa (1988-2004) 11 years: O'Donovan Rossa (1977-1988)

Top scorers By year

YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal2006Geoffrey McGonagleKevin Lynch's4-07192007Gregory O'KaneDunloy0-21212008Martin Óg CoulterBallygalget2-11172009Simon WilsonBallycran1-14172010Liam WatsonLoughgiel Shamrocks1-13162011Liam WatsonLoughgiel Shamrocks1-07102012Paul BraniffPortaferry0-18182013Liam WatsonLoughgiel Shamrocks0-13132014Neil McManusRuairí Óg1-19222015Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-16192016Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-16192017Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-21242018Scott NicholasonBallycran0-099Neil McManusRuairí ÓgColum McManusBallycran2019Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-1518

In finals

FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal1999Jackie CarsonRuairí Óg, Cushendall1-0472000Séamus McMullanDunloy1-0362001Paddy RichmondDunloy2-0392002Gregory O'KaneDunloy0-0772003Geoffrey McGonigleKevin Lynch's0-0882004Johnny McGrattanBallygalget0-0772005Johnny McGrattanBallygalget1-08112006Geoffrey McGonigleKevin Lynch's2-04102007Gregory O'KaneDunloy0-0772008Martin Óg CoulterBallygalget0-10102009Simon WilsonBallycran1-0692010Eddie McCloskeyLoughgiel Shamrocks0-0772011Eddie McCloskeyLoughgiel Shamrocks1-0252012Liam WatsonLoughgiel Shamrocks1-058Eddie McCloskeyLoughgiel Shamrocks0-082013Eddie McCloskeyLoughgiel Shamrocks2-0282014Eoghan SandsPortaferry1-036Paul BraniffPortaferry0-062015Neil McManusRuairí Óg, Cushendall0-13132016Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-08112017Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-10132018Neil McManusRuairí Óg, Cushendall0-0992019Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1-0418Conall CunningDunloy0-07

See also

Ulster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship Ulster Junior Club Hurling Championship

References