The 1974 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship was the first staging of the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's secondary inter-county hurling tournament. The championship began on 12 May 1974 and ended on 23 June 1974.
On 23 June 1974, Kildare won the championship following a 1–26 to 3–13 defeat of Antrim in the All-Ireland final. This was their fourth All-Ireland title in hurling, following on from earlier successes in the intermediate and junior grades. The prize for the winners was a place in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
Kildare's Johnny Walsh was the championship's top scorer with 0-20.
Teams
General information Nine counties will compete in the championship: CountyLast Provincial TitleLast All-Ireland TitleAppearance Antrim1949—1st Down1942—1st Carlow——1st Hertfordshire——1st Kerry189118911st Kildare——1st Meath——1stWestmeath——1st Wicklow——1st LeinsterMunsterUlsterBritainCarlow Kildare Meath Westmeath WicklowKerryAntrim DownHertfordshire
Format
First round: (4 matches) These are four matches between the eight native participating teams. Four teams are eliminated at this stage. Two winning teams automatically qualify for the semi-final stage. Two other winning teams play off in a lone quarter-final.
Quarter-final: (1 match) This is a single match between two first round winners. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the semi-final.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The two winners of the first round join the winners of the lone quarter-final and British representatives Hertfordshire to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners are allowed to participate in a preliminary round for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship First round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Championship statistics Scoring
Widest winning margin: 13 points Kildare 3-18 : 2-8 Meath (All-Ireland quarter-final) Most goals in a match: 9 Hertfordshire 4-13 : 5-15 Antrim (All-Ireland semi-final replay) Most points in a match: 39 Kildare 1-26 : 3-13 Antrim (All-Ireland final) Most goals by one team in a match: 5 Antrim 5-15 : 4-13 Hertfordshire (All-Ireland semi-final replay) Most goals scored by a losing team: 4 Hertfordshire 4-13 : 5-15 Antrim (All-Ireland semi-final replay) Most points scored by a losing team: 13 Hertfordshire 4-13 : 5-15 Antrim (All-Ireland semi-final replay) Antrim 3-13 : 1-26 Kildare (All-Ireland final)
Overall Most goals scored - Antrim (14) Fewest goals scored - Wicklow, Kerry (0) Most goals conceded - Antrim (9) Most points scored - Kildare (58) Fewest points scored - Wicklow (4) Most points conceded - Antrim (52)
Top scorers Season Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Johnny WalshKildare0-202045.002Eddie DonnellyAntrim3-101944.753Willie RichmondKildare4-41644.004Séamus RichmondAntrim4-31543.75Ned WalshKildare3-61543.756Mick DeelyKildare2-81443.507Martin CuddyHertfordshire2-61226.00
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Séamus RichmondAntrim3-110HertfordshireJohnny WalshKildare0-1010Antrim3Mick DeelyKildare2-28Meath4Willie RichmondAntrim2-17KildareMartin CuddyHertfordshire2-17AntrimEddie DonnellyAntrim2-17WicklowRichie MeliaMeath1-47CarlowJohn CuddyHertfordshire1-47AntrimPat QuirkeCarlow0-77Meath10Willie RichmondAntrim2-06HertfordshireBrian GilmoreDown1-36WestmeathNed WalshKildare1-36WestmeathEddie DornanAntrim1-36HertfordshireJohnny WalsheKildare0-66Meath
See also
1974 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Sources
Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).