The 2015–16 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 46th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship since it began in the 1970–71 season. It is the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county club hurling tournament. The winners receive the Tommy Moore Cup.
The championship began on 4 October 2015 and ended on 17 March 2016.
Ballyhale Shamrocks were the defending champions but were defeated by O'Loughlin Gaels in the Kilkenny championship. Cuala, Glen Rovers and Sarsfields returned to the championship after prolonged absences.
On 17 March 2016, Na Piarsaigh won the championship following a 2–25 to 2–14 defeat of Ruairí Óg, Cushendall in the All-Ireland final. This was their first All-Ireland title and a first title for a Limerick club.
Ruairí Óg, Cushendall's Neil McManus was the championship's top scorer with 2–29.
Format
County Championships
Ireland's counties play their county championships between their senior hurling clubs. Each county decides the format for determining their county champions. The format can be knockout, double-elimination, league, etc or a combination.
Provincial Championships
Leinster, Munster and Ulster organise a provincial championship for their participating county champions. Connacht do not organise a provincial championship and are represented in the All-Ireland semi-finals by the Galway champions. All matches are knock-out and extra time is played if it's a draw at the end of normal time.
All-Ireland
The two semi-finals are played in early February. The All-Ireland final is traditionally played in Croke Park on St. Patrick's Day, the 17th of March. All matches are knock-out. If it's a draw at the end of normal time in the semi-finals, extra time is played. If the final ends in a draw the match is replayed.
Initial Schedule
County championships April 2015 to November 2015 Provincial championships October 2015 to December 2015 All-Ireland semi-finals early February 2016 All-Ireland final 17 March 2016
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
Quarter-final
Semi-finals
Final
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
All-Ireland Draw
All-Ireland Semi-Finals
All-Ireland final
Top scorers
Overall Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Neil McManusRuairí Óg2–293548.752Shane DowlingNa Piarsaigh1–283156.203David TreacyCuala0–282839.334Cormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1–161929.50Nicky KirwanOulart–The Ballagh0–191936.336Brian O'SullivanBallygunner1–151829.007Ryan GaffneyMiddletown0–171728.508Peter CaseyNa Piarsaigh2–91553.009Kevin DownesNa Piarsaigh2–81443.5010Adrian BreenNa Piarsaigh2–71352.60
Single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Neil McManusRuairí Óg0–1313Slaughtneil2David TreacyCuala0–1212Coolderry3Keith HoganClara0–1212Cuala4Ryan GaffneyMiddletown0–1111Lisbellaw5Neil McManusRuairí Óg1–710Na PiarsaighCormac O'DohertySlaughtneil1–710BallycranNeil McManusRuairí Óg1–710SarsfieldsDavid TreacyCuala0–1010Oulart–The BallaghNicky KirwanOulart–The Ballagh0–1010Na Piarsaigh10Seán CorriganLisbellaw1–69MiddletownBrian O'SullivanBallygunner1–69Na PiarsaighCormac O'DohertySlaughtneil0–99Ruairí ÓgBrian O'SullivanBallygunner0–99Glen Rovers
Miscellaneous
After losing six provincial finals between 1994 and 2013, Oulart–The Ballagh finally won the Leinster title by defeating Cuala 2–13 to 0–13.
Team Summaries
TeamCountyCaptain(s)ManagerMost recent successAll-IrelandProvincialCountyBallycranDown19932011BallygunnerWaterfordDavid O'SullivanDenis Walsh20012014ClaraKilkennyKeith HoganMick Purcell2013ClonkillWestmeathPaddy DowdallDavid O'Reilly2012Clough/BallacollaLaoisDarren MaherKevin Martin2011CoolderryOffalyBrian CarrollJohnny Kelly20112011CualaDublinMattie Kenny1994Glen RoversCorkGraham CallinanRichie Kelleher197719761989LisbellawFermanaghAdie Phillips2013MiddletownArmaghArthur Hughes2012Na PiarsaighLimerickCathal KingShane O'Neill20132013Oulart–The BallaghWexfordBarry KehoeFrank Flannery2013Ruairí Óg, CushendallAntrimSeán DelargyArron GraffinJohn McKillop20152015SarsfieldsGalwayJoe CooneyCathal Murray199419971997SixmilebridgeClareCaimin MoreyJohn O'Meara199620002013SlaughtneilDerryMichael McShane2014St Mullin'sCarlowPaudie Kehoe2014Thurles SarsfieldsTipperaryPádraic MaherPaddy McCormack20122014
References