The 2017 Christy Ring Cup was the 13th staging of the Christy Ring Cup hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2005. The competition began on 22 April 2017 and ended on 10 June 2017.
Meath were the 2016 champions and were promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Mayo returned to the Christy Ring Cup after gaining promotion from the Nicky Rackard Cup.
On 10 June 2017, Carlow won the Christy Ring Cup following a 5-23 to 4-15 defeat of Antrim. This was their third Christy Ring Cup title, their first in eight seasons.
Format
The 2017 Christy Ring Cup begins in a double-elimination format which ensures that each team plays at least two games before being eliminated, and at least three games in total (including the relegation play-off). At the quarter-final stage, the competition becomes straight knockout. For clarity, the fixtures and draw details are explained in the section for each round below.
Team changes
To Championship Relegated from the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Carlow
Promoted from the Nicky Rackard Cup
Mayo
From Championship Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Meath
Relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup
Derry
Teams General Information CountyCup Titles Last Cup TitlePosition in 2016 championship Antrim 12006Runners-up Carlow 22009Group Stage (Leinster Senior Hurling Championship) Down 12013Semi-finals Kildare 12014Semi-finals London 12012Quarter-finals Mayo 0 -Champions (Nicky Rackard Cup) Roscommon 0 -Quarter-finals Wicklow 0 -Round 2 Personnel and kits County ManagerCaptain(s) Sponsor Antrim Dominic McKinleyTerence McNaughtonCreagh Concrete Carlow Colm Bonnartickets.ie Down Michael Johnston Kildare Joe QuaidBrady Family London Mayo J. P. CoenIntersport Elvery's Roscommon John Doorly Wicklow Round 1
All eight teams play in Round 1.
Round 2
Round 2A
Contested by the four winners of Round 1. The winning teams advance to the semi-finals, the losing teams to the 'official' quarter-finals.
Round 2B
Contested by the four losers of Round 1. The winning teams advance to the quarter-finals, The two losing teams contest the Relegation Playoff.
Quarter-finals
The two losers of round 2A (who won a match and lost a match) play the two winners of round 2B (who lost a match and won a match). These two matches are referred to as quarter-finals, with the winners playing the winners of round 2A in the semi-finals.
Semi-finals
The winners of round 2A play the winners of the two quarter-finals.
Final
The winners of this year's Christy Ring Cup (tier 2) enter this year's All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in the preliminary round of the All-Ireland qualifiers (passed at GAA congress in February 2017). They are also promoted to play in the qualifier group of next year's Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.See motion 24 passed at 2015 GAA Annual Congress 28 February 2015
Bracket
Relegation playoff
Contested by the two losing teams from round 2B. Both these teams lost their first two matches. Normally Roscommon would have been relegated as they lost this play-off match. Due to the major reorganisation of hurling in September 2018, Roscommon remained in the Christy Ring Cup.
Stadiums and locations
CountyLocationProvinceStadiumCapacity AntrimCushendallUlsterPáirc Mhuire CarlowCarlowLeinsterDr Cullen Park DownBallycranUlsterMcKenna Park KildareNewbridgeLeinsterSt Conleth's Park LondonSouth RuislipBritainMcGovern Park MayoBallinaConnachtJames Stephens Park RoscommonAthleagueConnachtAthleague Sportsfield WicklowAughrimLeinsterJoule Park
Championship statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total1Denis MurphyCarlow0-45452Ciarán ClarkeAntrim6-25433James DoyleCarlow7-05264Marty KavanaghCarlow4-1325Neil McManusAntrim2-19256Kevin O'LoughlinLondon1-2124David ReidyKildare0-24248Kenny FeeneyMayo1-17209Christy MoorehouseWicklow0-191910Paul SheehanDown0-1616
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition1Denis MurphyCarlow0-1616Antrim2Ciarán ClarkeAntrim2-0915CarlowPaul SheehanDown0-1515Roscommon4Neil McManusAntrim1-1114Carlow5James DoyleCarlow4-0113AntrimCiarán ClarkeAntrim2-0713DownDavid ReidyKildare0-1313Mayo8David ReidyKildare0-1111WicklowDenis MurphyCarlow0-1111AntrimKenny FeeneyMayo0-1111Roscommon
References