The 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup was the second staging of the Joe McDonagh Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2018. The fixtures were announced on 11 October 2018. The competition began on 11 May 2019 and ended on 30 June 2019.
On 30 June 2019, Laois won the Joe McDonagh Cup following a 3-26 to 1-21 defeat of Westmeath in the final at Croke Park. This was their first ever Joe McDonagh Cup title.
Offaly were relegated from the Joe McDonagh Cup after losing all of their group stage games.
Westmeath's Killian Doyle was the competition's top scorer with 3-61.
Laois's Paddy Purcell was Player of the Year. For the first time in 2019, Joe McDonagh Cup competitors were eligible for All Stars and two received nominations. This was discontinued from 2020 onwards.
Team changes
To Championship Relegated from the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Offaly
Promoted from the Christy Ring Cup
None
From Championship Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Carlow
Relegated to the Christy Ring Cup
Meath
Teams
General Information CountyLast Provincial titleLast All-Ireland titlePosition in 2018 ChampionshipAppearance Antrim2017—5th2nd Kerry189118913rd2nd Laois194919154th2nd Offaly199519985th (Leinster Senior Hurling Championship)1st Westmeath——Runners-up2nd
Personnel and kits CountyManagerCaptain(s)SponsorAntrimNeal Peden Conor McCannFona CabKerryFintan O'Connor Martin Stackpoole Kerry GroupLaoisEddie BrennanPatrick PurcellMW Hire ServicesOffalyKevin Martin (to 20 May) and Joachim Kelly (from 20 May) Pat Camon Carroll CuisineWestmeathJoe QuaidAonghus ClarkeRenault
Competition format
Initially each of the five teams play the other four teams in single round-robin matches. The top two teams after the round robin games play the third-placed teams in the Leinster and Munster championships in the two All-Ireland preliminary quarter finals with the Joe McDonagh Cup teams having home advantage. The top two teams also compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup final.
Promotion to Leinster or Munster SHC
If the Joe McDonagh champions are a non-Munster team, they are automatically promoted to the following year's Leinster Championship and the bottom-placed team in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship are automatically relegated to the following year's Joe McDonagh Cup. If the champions are a Munster team, they must win a play-off with the bottom-placed team in the Munster Championship to gain promotion to the following year's Munster Championship.
Relegation
The bottom-placed team in the Joe McDonagh Cup, Offaly are automatically relegated to the following year's Christy Ring Cup and are replaced by the 2019 Christy Ring Cup Champions, Meath.
Group Stage
Table TeamQualification1 Laois431012-856-83+207Advance to Final and All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals2 Westmeath42116-852-78+1953 Antrim42027-826-85044 Kerry42023-7411-68-1845 Offaly40048-6911-81-210Relegated to Christy Ring Cup
Rounds 1 to 5
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Final
Laois are promoted to the 2020 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.
Stadia and locations
Five teams competed in the 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup - a reduction from six that competed in the inaugural competition. TeamLocationProvinceStadiumCapacity AntrimBallycastlePáirc Mac Uílín KerryTraleeAustin Stack Park LaoisPortlaoiseO'Moore Park OffalyTullamoreO'Connor Park WestmeathMullingarCusack Park
Statistics
Top scorers
Overall
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Killian DoyleWestmeath3-6170514.002Shane ConwayKerry0-4444411.003Neil McManusAntrim1-303348.254Mark KavanaghLaois0-3030310.005Joe BerginOffaly1-262947.256Cha DwyerLaois2-131944.757Ross KingLaois2-091553.00Aaron DunphyLaois2-091553.008Oisín KellyOffaly4-051744.259Keelan MolloyAntrim2-071343.25Pádraig BoyleKerry2-071344.25Stephen MaherLaois0-131334.33
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Killian DoyleWestmeath0-1717Antrim2Killian DoyleWestmeath1-1215Offaly3Killian DoyleWestmeath1-1114KerryKillian DoyleWestmeath1-1114Laois4Neil McManusAntrim0-1313WestmeathShane ConwayKerry0-1313Westmeath5Mark KavanaghLaois0-1212Westmeath6Joe BerginOffaly0-1111LaoisMark KavanaghLaois0-1111OffalyShane ConwayKerry0-1111Offaly
Scoring Events
Widest winning margin: 14 points Antrim 3-19 - 0-14 Kerry (Round 1) Most goals in a match: 7 Offaly 3-21 - 4-22 Laois (Round 1) Offaly 4-18 - 3-23 Antrim (Round 3) Most points in a match: 50 Antrim 0-21 - 0-29 Westmeath (Round 4) Most goals by one team in a match: 5 Kerry 1-21 - 5-17 Laois (Round 4) Most points by one team in a match: 29 Antrim 0-21 - 0-29 Westmeath (Round 4) Highest aggregate score: 64 points Offaly 3-21 - 4-22 Laois (Round 1) Lowest aggregate score: 40 points Kerry 1-18 - 1-16 Offaly (Round 5)
Miscellaneous
Westmeath become the first county to contest consecutive Joe McDonagh Cup finals. Laois won their 1st championship in 17 years, winning the 2002 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship. Offaly hold the dubious distinction of being the only team to be relegated to hurling's third-tier, having previously been relegated from the tier-one Leinster championship, in successive seasons. First-time Joe McDonagh Cup meetings: Offaly v Laois (Round 1) Westmeath v Offaly (Round 2) Offaly v Antrim (Round 3) Kerry v Offaly (Round 5)
References