The 2018–19 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 49th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county club hurling tournament. The competition began on 28 October 2018 and ended on 17 March 2019.
The defending champion was Cuala of Dublin; however, Kilmacud Crokes eliminated that club in the 2018 Dublin SHC semi-final.
Ballyhale Shamrocks defeated St Thomas' by 2–28 to 2–11 in the final on 17 March 2019 to win the competition. This was the club's seventh title, as well as a first since 2015.
Pauric Mahony of Ballygunner was the competition's top scorer, finishing with 1–42.
Format
County Championships
The top hurling teams in Ireland's counties compete in their senior club championship. Each county decides the format for determining their county champions – it can be knockout, double-elimination, league, etc or a combination.
Only single club teams are allowed to enter the All-Ireland Club championship. If a team which is an amalgamation of two or more clubs, a divisional team or a university team wins a county's championship, a single club team will represent that county in the provincial championship as determined by that county's championship rules. Normally it is the club team that exited the county championship at the highest stage.
Provincial Championships
Leinster, Munster and Ulster organise a provincial championship for their participating county champions. Connacht discontinued their senior club championship after 2007 but they do organise intermediate and junior championships. The Galway champions represent Connacht in the All-Ireland senior club semi-finals as Galway club hurling is at higher level than the hurling in the other four Connacht counties.
Some Leinster, Munster and Ulster counties also enter their senior champions in the All-Ireland intermediate club championship (tier 2) as it is recognised that club hurling is weak in those counties.
All matches are knock-out. Two ten minute periods of extra time are played each way if it's a draw at the end of normal time in all matches including the final. If the score is still level after extra time the match is replayed.
All-Ireland
The two semi-finals are usually played on a Saturday in early February. The All-Ireland Club SHC final is traditionally played at Croke Park on 17 March (St Patrick's Day).
All matches are knock-out. Two ten minute periods of extra time are played each way if it's a draw at the end of normal time in the semi-finals or final. If the score is still level after extra time the match is replayed.
Initial Schedule
County championships April 2018 to November 2018 Provincial championships October 2018 to December 2018 All-Ireland semi-finals early February 2019 All-Ireland final 17 March 2019
County Finals
Connacht County Finals
Galway Senior Hurling Championships:
St Thomas' 2–13
Liam Mellows 0–10
Leinster County Finals
Carlow Senior Hurling Championships:
Mount Leinster Rangers 3–10
St Mullin's 1–13
Dublin Senior Hurling Championships:
Kilmacud Crokes 1–20 R 1–15
Ballyboden St Enda's 2–17 R 2–15
Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championships:
Ballyhale2–20
Bennettsbridge 2–17
Laois Senior Hurling Championships:
Rathdowney–Errill 0–19
Camross 2–15
Offaly Senior Hurling Championships:
Coolderry 2–17
Kilcormac–Killoughey 0–17
Westmeath Senior Hurling Championships:
Clonkill 1–13
Raharney 2-09
Wexford Senior Hurling Championships:
St Martin's 0–13
Naomh Éanna, Gorey 2–11
Munster County Finals
Cork Senior Hurling Championships:
As Imokilly are a divisional team, Midleton proceeded to the Munster Club Championship.
Imokilly 4–19
Midleton 1–18
Clare Senior Hurling Championships:
Ballyea 1–20
Cratloe 1–14
Limerick Senior Hurling Championships:
Na Piarsaigh 2–22
Doon 3–10
Tipperary Senior Hurling Championships:
Nenagh Éire Óg 2–13
Clonoulty–Rossmore 0–23
Waterford Senior Hurling Championships:
Ballygunner 2–19
Abbeyside 0–13
Ulster County Finals
Antrim Senior Hurling Championships:
Ruairí Óg, Cushendall
Loughgiel Shamrocks
Derry Senior Hurling Championships:
Slaughtneil 2–18
Banagher 0–14
Down Senior Hurling Championships:
Ballycran 2–13
Portaferry 1–14
Team summaries
TeamCountyCaptainManager(s)Most recent successAll-IrelandProvincialCounty Ballyboden St Enda's DublinSimon LambertJoe Fortune2013 Ballycran DownMichael HughesGary SavageGary Gordon19932015 Ballyea ClareTony KellyKevin Sheehan20162016 Ballygunner WaterfordStephen O'KeeffeShane O'SullivanFergal Hartley20012017 Ballyhale Shamrocks KilkennyMichael FennellyHenry Shefflin201520142014 Camross LaoisNiall HolmesDanny Owens19962017 Clonkill WestmeathBrendan MurtaghKevin O'Brien2015 Clonoulty–Rossmore TipperaryJohn O'KeeffeJohn Devane1997 Coolderry OffalyKevin ConnollyJoachim Kelly20112015 Midleton CorkLuke O'FarrellPaddy Fitzgerald198819872013 Mount Leinster Rangers CarlowGary KellyBrendan Fennelly20132017 Na Piarsaigh LimerickWilliam O'DonoghuePaul Beary201620172017 Naomh Éanna WexfordBrendan TraversLouis Cullen Ruairí Óg AntrimPaddy BurkeEamon Gillan20152015 Slaughtneil DerryMichael McShane20172017 St Thomas' GalwayConor CooneyJohn Burke20132016
Leinster
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Munster
Quarter-final
Semi-finals
Final
Ulster
Semi-final
Final
Semi-finals The Leinster, Munster and Ulster champions qualify for the All-Ireland semi-finals. The Galway champions represent Connacht and enter the competition at the semi-final stage.
Final
Statistics
Top scorers
Top scorer overall
Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Pauric MahonyBallygunner1–4245411.252Paul RyanBallyboden St Enda's0–3434311.333Brian CarrollCoolderry3–2130215.004Colin FennellyBallyhale Shamrocks6–102847.00T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks0–282847.005Neil McManusRuairí Óg1–151829.006Adrian MullenBallyhale Shamrocks2–111744.257Niall DeasyBallyea2–1016116.00Eoin CodyBallyhale Shamrocks2–101644.008Pádraig DoyleNaomh Éanna0–151527.50
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Score Total Opposition1Brian CarrollCoolderry2–1622Ballyboden St. Enda's2Colin FennellyBallyhale Shamrocks4-0416Naomh ÉannaNiall DeasyBallyea2–1016Ballygunner3Paul RyanBallyboden St Enda's0–1515Clonkill4Pauric MahonyBallygunner0–1414BallyeaPaul RyanBallyboden St Enda's0–1414Coolderry5Colm BasquelBallyboden St Enda's3-0312CoolderryPauric MahonyBallygunner0–1212Midleton6Zane KeenanCamross1-0811Naomh ÉannaBrendan MurtaghClonkill0–1111Ballyboden St Enda's
Miscellaneous Ruairí Óg, Cushendall became the most successful team in Ulster Club SFC history when winning an 11th title by defeating Ballycran in the final. Na Piarsaigh suffered a first ever defeat in the Munster Club SFC when losing to Ballygunner. Ballygunner won the Munster Club SFC title for the first time since 2001.
Awards
Team of the Year Stephen O'Keeffe Eoghan Campbell Joey Holden Ian Kenny Philip Mahony Michael Fennelly Fintan Burke Shane O'Sullivan Neil McManus Adrian MullenHOTY T. J. Reid Pauric Mahony Eoin Cody Colin Fennelly Brian Carroll
Hurler of the Year Adrian Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks) Also nominated: PLAYER NAME (Club) & PLAYER NAME (Club)
References