Cavan Senior Hurling Championship

The Cavan Senior Hurling Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition between the top hurling clubs in Cavan. The winners of the Cavan Championship qualify to represent their county in the Ulster Junior Club Hurling, the winners of which go on to the All-Ireland Junior Club Hurling Championship. This championship has never been played on a consistent basis, and has frequently not been completed. Cootehill Celtic are the 2026 title holders, having beaten East Cavan Gaels by 3-23 to 3-08 at Kingspan Breffni Park in August 2026.

History 20th century The first recorded Cavan county championship final was played between Cavan Slashers and Belturbet in 1908. Belturbet reportedly won the game by 2–8 to 1–3. The next recorded county competition was in 1922, and GAA records indicate that Cavan Slashers were 1922 champions. The championship was held inconsistently over the coming decades, until "hurling again vanished from the Cavan G.A.A. scene in 1954". Senior county hurling finals were not held again in Cavan, with any consistency, until the 1980s. The Cavan Senior Hurling Championship has been won once by a club from outside the county - Granard hurling club from County Longford won the title in 1950.

21st century Mullahoran won 21 back-to-back titles in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, until 2011 when that run was ended in a defeat to Ballymachugh in the 2011 final. Cootehill Celtic and Mullahoran were the two main clubs in the competition during the second decade of the 21st century, meeting in the final in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

In the 2014 competition, Mullahoran (the defending champions) were defeated in the group stage. Cootehill Celtic won the title for only their third time ever and the first time since 1965 following a 5–7 to 1–6 defeat of Ballymachugh in a replay of the final.

In 2015, Cootehill Celtic successfully defended their title, becoming champions for the 4th time. On 27 September 2015, in a final held at Kingspan Breffni Park, Mullahoran made a comeback to force a draw and a replay. Cootehill Celtic won the replayed final, held on 30 September 2015, on a scoreline of 0–7 to 0–4.

Cootehill were "fancied to defend" their title in the 2016 final, which was held on 25 September 2016. In the game, Mullahoran St Joseph's beat Cootehill Celtic by 2–7 to 2–6. However, Cootehill were later awarded the title (their 5th title) as Mullahoran were adjudged to have fielded an ineligible player.

The 2020 championship was held in September 2020, involving four teams representing Cootehill Celtic GAA, Mullahoran GAA, East Cavan Gaels and Pearse Óg GAA club. Mullahoran won the 2020 final, beating Cootehill Celtic by 2–09 to 1–11. Cootehill Celtic won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.

Teams The three teams that contested the 2025 championship included: ClubLocationChampionship titlesLast championship title Cootehill CelticCootehill102026 East Cavan GaelsBailieborough, Kingscourt, Shercock, Mullagh, Virginia12024 MullahoranMullahoran262020

Roll of honour

#ClubTitlesChampionship wins 1 Mullahoran 26 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 2 Cootehill Celtic 10 1932, 1965, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026 3 Cavan Slashers 8 1922, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 4 Bailieborough Shamrocks 5 1966, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1984 5 Cavan Gaels 4 1973, 1974, 1983, 1985 Ballyhaise 4 1925, 1926, 1947, 1948 7 Woodford Gaels 3 1986, 1987, 19888 Belturbet 1 1908 Kill 1 1930 Granard (Longford) 1 1950 Ballymachugh 1 2011 East Cavan Gaels12024

List of finals

Legend

– Ulster junior club champions – Ulster junior club runners-up

List of Cavan SHC finals YearWinnersRunners-up#ClubScoreClubScore2026Cootehill3-24East Cavan Gaels3-08 2025 Cootehill 0-17 East Cavan Gaels 0-13 2024 East Cavan Gaels 0-15 Cootehill 1-09 2023 Cootehill 2-19 East Cavan Gaels 3-14 2022 Cootehill 1-16 Mullahoran 0-9 2021 Cootehill 2-12 Pearse Og 2-11 2020 Mullahoran 2-09 Cootehill 1-11 2019 Mullahoran 2-09 Pearse Og 0-12 2018 Mullahoran W/O Pearse Og 2017 Mullahoran 4-19 Cootehill 0-05 2016 Mullahoran 2-07 Cootehill 2-06(Cootehill awarded title) 2015 Cootehill 3-11 (0-07) Mullahoran 4-08 (0-04) (Cootehill win replay) 2014 Cootehill 5-07 Ballymachugh 1-06 2013 Mullahoran 0-13 Cootehill 0-04 2012No Championship 2011 Ballymachugh 4-08 Mullahoran 1-06 2010 Mullahoran 3-15 Woodford Gaels 0-03 2009 Mullahoran 2-10 Ballymachugh 2-07 2008 Mullahoran 4-15 Ballymachugh 0-02 2007 Mullahoran 2-13 Woodford Gaels 1-05 2006 Mullahoran Woodford Gaels 2005 Mullahoran Ballymachugh 2004 Mullahoran Cavan Gaels 2003 Mullahoran Cavan Gaels 2002 Mullahoran 2001 Mullahoran 2000 Mullahoran 1999 Mullahoran 1998 Mullahoran 1997 Mullahoran 1996 Mullahoran 1995 Mullahoran 1994 Mullahoran Bailieborough Shamrocks 1993 Mullahoran Bailieborough Shamrocks 1992 Mullahoran Bailieborough Shamrocks 1991 Mullahoran Bailieborough Shamrocks 1990 Mullahoran Woodford Gaels 1989 No Championship 1988 Woodford Gaels 1987 Woodford Gaels 1986 Woodford Gaels 6-09 Cavan Gaels 2-07 1985 Cavan Gaels 1984 Bailieborough Shamrocks 1983 Cavan Gaels 1982 Bailieborough Shamrocks 1978–1981 No Championship 1977 Bailieborough Shamrocks 1976 Bailieborough Shamrocks 1975 No Championship 1974 Cavan Gaels Woodford Gaels 1973 Cavan Gaels 1968–1972 No Championship 1967 Stradone Gaa 1966 Bailieborough Shamrocks 1965 Cootehill 1964 No Championship 1963 Stradone Gaa 1951–1962 No Championship 1950 Granard (Longford) 5-03 Ballyhaise 1-01 (Longford Club) 1949 No Championship 1948 Ballyhaise 1947 Ballyhaise 1937–1946 No Championship 1936 Cavan Slashers 1935 Cavan Slashers 1934 Cavan Slashers 1933 Cavan Slashers 1932 Cootehill 1931 No Championship 1930 Kill 1929 No Championship 1928 Cavan Slashers 1927 Cavan Slashers 1926 Ballyhaise 1925 Ballyhaise 1924 Cavan Slashers 1923 No Championship 1922 Cavan Slashers 1909–1921 No Championship 1908 Belturbet Cavan

Cavan Senior Hurling Championship

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