The 2002–03 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 33rd staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county club hurling tournament. The championship began on 20 October 2002 and ended on 17 March 2002.
Birr were the defending champions.
On 17 March 2003 Birr won the championship following a 1–19 to 0–11 defeat of Dunloy in the All-Ireland final. This was their fourth All-Ireland title and their second title in succession.
Athenry's Eugene Cloonan was the championship's top scorer with 4–23.
Pre-championship The build-up to the opening of the championship was dominated by Birr and the possibility that they would retain their All-Ireland title and lead the all-time club roll of honour with four championships. Having secured their fourth successive county championship title, Birr were favourites to retain their provincial title for a second year-in-a-row. This would leave them only two wins away from hurling immortality.
Results
Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship
Quarter-finals
Semi-final
Final
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
First round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship
Semi-finals
Final
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
Quarter-final
Semi-finals
Final
Championship statistics
Scoring statistics
Overall
Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Eugene CloonanAthenry4–2335310.662Simon WhelehanBirr2–263256.403Ken McGrathMount Sion0–313147.754D. J. CareyYoung Irelands4–102237.335Gregory O'KaneDunloy0–212145.256Pat CoadySt. Mullin's0–191936.337Paul BraniffPortaferry0–151527.508Séamus LyonsCastletown2-081434.669Shane BrickKilmoyley1–1013113.0010Rory HanniffyBirr2-061252.40Paul CoddRathnure0–121226.00
Single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Eugene CloonanAthenry4–1022Seán Treacy's2Shane BrickKilmoyley1–1013Blackrock3D. J. CareyYoung Irelands2-0511KilmessanPaul BraniffPortaferry0–1111Keady Lámh Dhearg4D. J. CareyYoung Irelands2-0410Rathnure5Ken McGrathMount Sion0-099MullinahoneKen McGrathMount Sion0-099Sixmilebridge6Joe MannionFour Roads1-058BallyhaunisEugene CloonanAthenry0-088Four RoadsKen McGrathMount Sion0-088AdareEoin KellyMullinahone0-088Mount SionOllie CollinsLavey0-088DunloySimon WhelehanBirr0-088Dunloy
Miscellaneous
St. Mullin's qualified for the Leinster semi-finals for only the second time in their history. Birr inscribed their names into the GAA's history books by becoming the first club to win four All-Ireland titles.
References