The 1997 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship was the 96th staging of the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Kerry County Board in 1889. The draw for the opening round fixtures took place on 27 February 1997. The championship ran from 18 July to 21 September 1997.
Ballyheigue were the defending champions.
The final was played on 21 September 1997 at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, between Ballyheigue and Causeway, in what was their first ever meeting in the final. Ballyheigue won the match by 0–13 to 0–05 to claim their fourth championship title overall and a second title in succession.
Kilmoyley's Maurice Murnane was the championship's top scorer with 2-28.
Results Preliminary round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Championship statistics Top scorers
Overall
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Maurice MurnaneKilmoyley2-283448.502John Mike DooleyCauseway5-183356.603Johnny O'ConnellLixnaw1-131628.004Mike SlatteryBallyheigue2-081434.66Brendan O'SullivanBallyheigue1-111434.66
Single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1John Mike DooleyCauseway3-0514KilmoyleyMaurice MurnaneKilmoyley2-0814Lixnaw3Paul McElligottAbbeydorney3-0312St Pat's4Mike SlatteryBallyheigue2-0511Crotta O'Neill'sJohnny O'ConnellLixnaw1-0811Kilmoyley6Maurice MurnaneKilmoyley0-099Lixnaw7John Mike DooleyCauseway1-058St Brendan'sBrendan O'SullivanBallyheigue0-088Causeway9Ian MaunsellAbbeydorney1-047St Pat'sTony MaunsellAbbeydorney1-047St Pat's
Miscellaneous
Austin Stacks were thrown out of the championship after objecting to the venue choice for their quarter-final game against Ballyduff. Ballyheigue retain the title for the first, and to date only, time. * Ballyheigue and Causeway face each other in the final for the first time.
References