The 2005 Christy Ring Cup is the inaugural edition of the Christy Ring Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association and is the second-tier of Hurling for senior county teams (the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is the first-tier trophy). It is contested by ten GAA county teams ranked 13–22 in the 2005 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

Competing teams, from Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster were divided into two groups of five, in which teams played each other only once, meaning two home games and two away games per team. The top two teams of each group qualified for the knock-out stages.

On 14 August 2005, Westmeath won the Christy Ring Cup following a 1-23 to 2-18 defeat of Down in the final.

Kildare's Mattie Dowd was the Christy Ring Cup top scorer with 2-39.

Team changes

To Championship Relegated from the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Carlow Kildare Meath Westmeath Wicklow

Relegated from the Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Kerry

Relegated from the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship (Continued to compete in Ulster)

Derry Down

Promoted from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

Mayo Roscommon

Teams

General Information CountyLast Provincial titleLast All-Ireland titlePosition in 2004 ChampionshipAppearance Carlow——Leinster preliminary round1st Derry2001—Ulster semi-final1st Down1997—Qualifiers round 11st Kerry18911891Munster quarter-final1st Kildare——Leinster first round1st Mayo1909—All Ireland senior b Runners-up1st Meath——Leinster first round1st Roscommon1913——1st Westmeath——Leinster quarter-final1st Wicklow——Leinster preliminary round1st

Personnel and kits CountyManagerCaptain(s)Sponsor Carlow Derry Down Kerry Kildare Mayo Meath Roscommon Westmeath Wicklow

Group A

Table

TeamQualification1 Westmeath430110-648-49+216Advance to Knockout Stage2 Down430114-729-57+3063 Meath42119-677-52+2154 Roscommon41034-4613-83-642Advance to Relegation Playoffs5 Derry40137-497-57-81

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Group B Table

TeamQualification1 Carlow43015-505-53-36Advance to Knockout Stage2 Kildare430111-547-50+1663 Kerry421112-598-46+2554 Wicklow41128-5510-49+03Advance to Relegation Playoffs5 Mayo40047-4113-61-380

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Relegation Playoffs

Knockout stage

Bracket

Semi-finals

Christy Ring Cup Final

Stadia and locations

CountyLocationProvinceStadium(s)CapacityNeutral venueDublinLeinsterCroke Park82,300 CarlowCarlowLeinsterDr Cullen Park11,000 DerryDerryUlsterCeltic Park22,000 DownNewryUlsterPáirc Esler20,000 KerryTraleeMunsterAustin Stack Park12,000 KildareNewbridgeLeinsterSt Conleth's Park8,200 MayoCastlebarConnachtMacHale Park25,369 MeathNavanLeinsterPáirc Tailteann11,000 RoscommonRoscommonConnachtDr Hyde Park25,000 WestmeathMullingarLeinsterCusack Park11,000 WicklowAughrimLeinsterAughrim County Ground7,000

Championship Statistics

Top Scorers Overall Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Mattie DowdKildare2-394559.002Martin CoulterDown2-354166.833Pat CoadyCarlow0-373757.40

Scoring events

Widest winning margin: 26 points Down 5-25 - 2-08 Roscommon (Round 3) Most goals in a match: 8 Kildare 4-17 - 4-04 Mayo (Round 3) Westmeath 7-14 - 1-12 Kildare (Semi-finals) Most points in a match: 49 Wicklow 2-27 - 3-22 Derry (Relegation playoff semi-final) Most goals by one team in a match: 7 Westmeath 7-14 - 1-12 Kildare (Semi-finals) Most points by one team in a match: 27 Wicklow 2-27 - 3-22 Derry (Relegation playoff semi-final) Highest aggregate score: 64 points Wicklow 2-27 - 3-22 Derry (Relegation playoff semi-final) Lowest aggregate score: 28 points Carlow 1-12 - 0-13 Mayo (Round 2)

Miscellaneous

Westmeath won their 1st championship in 14 years, winning the 1991 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship. Westmeath became the first county to win the Christy Ring Cup.

See also

2005 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2005 Munster Senior Hurling Championship 2005 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship 2005 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship 2005 Nicky Rackard Cup (Tier 3)

References