The Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship was an annual hurling tournament played between the senior hurling clubs in Connacht contested from 1970 until 2007 when it was discontinued due to a lack of meaningful opposition for the Galway champions. The Galway champions now qualify directly for the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-final.

Throughout the competition's existence the Galway champions automatically qualified for the final. In 2007, the competition's final year, this competition was won by Portumna from Galway. The competition had long since become a formality for the Galway teams.

The Mayo and Roscommon champions now compete in the Connacht Intermediate Club Hurling Championship. Sligo and Leitrim champions participate in the Connacht Junior Club Hurling Championship, again with the Galway side entering the competition at the final stage.

History

Given traditional lack of meaningful competition for Galway within the province, the competition was, save for a handful of occasions, a formality with one-sided games being the norm. Thus it was not taken seriously by many when considered in relation to the All-Ireland stage. While the competition was dominated by the Galway sides throughout its history, the title left the county three times in all, with Roscommon providing the winners on these occasions with Four Roads winning two titles in 1977 and 1988, while Tremane won their sole title in 1976. Tremane won their title courtesy of a shock win over Kiltormer on a scoreline of 2-7 to 1-9, and went on to play the well renowned Glen Rovers of Cork in the All-Ireland semi final.

Four Roads were awarded the 1977 championship as a result of Galway champions Kiltormer being handed a suspension by the Galway County Board for incidents which took place match involving the club when they were due to play in the decider. Four Roads went on to represent Connacht in that years All-Ireland semi final. Their second and final victory, won on the field of play, was a much more memorable occasion as the title was wrestled from the Galway champions Abbeyknockmoy at a time when Galway hurling was riding the crest of a wave, having just won back to back All-Ireland hurling titles in 1988. Like their previous All-Ireland semi final appearance, they were up against Wexford opposition, this time in the form of Buffers Alley, but lost out on a scoreline of 2-19 to 0-9.

Mayo side Toureen reached the final on numerous occasions, most recently in 1999 when they lost to eventual All-Ireland champions Athenry, while Ballina and Ballyhaunis made sole appearances for Mayo at the final stage. No Sligo or Leitrim side competed in a final throughout the competition's existence.

Teams

Qualification CountyChampionshipQualifying Team GalwayGalway Senior A Hurling ChampionshipChampion

2024 teams 16 clubs will compete in the 2024 Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship: CountyNo.Clubs competing in county championship Galway16Ardrahan, Cappataggle, Castlegar, Clarinbridge, Craughwell, Gort, Kilconieron, Killimordaly, Loughrea, Moycullen, Mullagh, Oranmore-Maree, Sarsfields, St Thomas', Tommy Larkin's, Turloughmore Note: Bold indicates title-holders.

Roll of honour

By club #ClubTitlesChampionships won 1 Athenry 8 1987, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 2 Sarsfields 7 1980, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2015 3 Castlegar 4 1972, 1973, 1979, 19844 Ardrahan 3 1974, 1975, 1978 Kiltormer 3 1982, 1990, 1991 Portumna 3 2003, 2005, 2007 7 Gort 2 1981, 1983 Four Roads 2 1977, 19889 Liam Mellows 1 1970 Tommy Larkin's 1 1971 Tremane 1 1976 Turloughmore 1 1985 Killimordaly 1 1986 Clarinbridge 1 2001 Loughrea 1 2006

By county CountyTitlesRunners-upTotalMost recent success Galway353382007 Roscommon322251988 Mayo01313—

List of finals

YearWinnersRunners-upCountyClubScoreCountyClubScore2008–presentGalway champions represent the province 2007 GAL Portumna 6-23 MAY Ballina 0-07 2006 GAL Loughrea 2-16 ROS Athleague 2-03 2005 GAL Portumna 2-22 ROS Four Roads 0-06 2004 GAL Athenry 2-16 MAY Ballyhaunis 0-07 2003 GAL Portumna 0-17 ROS Athleague 0-05 2002 GAL Athenry 1-19 ROS Four Roads 0-09 2001 GAL Clarinbridge 2-18 ROS Four Roads 1-06 2000 GAL Athenry 2-16 ROS Four Roads 1-07 1999 GAL Athenry 1-13 MAY Toureen 1-06 1998 GAL Athenry 3-25 MAY Tooreen 0-05 1997 GAL Sarsfields 5-15 MAY Tooreen 1-05 1996 GAL Athenry 1-15 ROS Four Roads 1-08 1995 GAL Sarsfields 2-17 MAY Tooreen 0-05 1994 GAL Athenry 3-20 ROS St Dominic's 2-03 1993 GAL Sarsfield's 5-12 ROS Four Roads 0-07 1992 GAL Sarsfields 2-15 ROS Oran 0-07 1991 GAL Kiltormer 2-09 ROS Four Roads 1-06 1990 GAL Kiltormer 5-11 ROS Oran 0-06 1989 GAL Sarsfields 5-14 MAY Tooreen 0-00 1988 ROS Four Roads 3-05 GAL Abbeyknockmoy 1-08 1987 GAL Athenry 4-18 ROS Pádraig Pearse's 0-07 1986 GAL Killimordaly 6-16 MAY Tooreen 1-04 1985 GAL Turloughmore 1-08 ROS Ballygar 2-04 1984 GAL Castlegar 2-14 MAY Tooreen 2-07 1983 GAL Gort 3-13 MAY Tooreen 1-05 1982 GAL Kiltormer 3-14 ROS Four Roads 0-06 1981 GAL Gort 8-13 MAY Tooreen 0-03 1980 GAL Sarsfields 4-12 ROS Tremane 0-05 1979 GAL Castlegar 1-16 ROS Tremane 1-09 1978 GAL Ardrahan 2-09 MAY Tooreen 1-07 1977 Kiltormer were suspended by the Galway CB as a result of incidents in an U21 Galway club final v Ardrahan ROS Four Roads w/o GAL Kiltormer (susp.) 1976 ROS Tremane 2-07 GAL Kiltormer 1-09 1975 GAL Ardrahan 2-14 ROS Athleague 1-04 1974 GAL Ardrahan 9-12 MAY Tooreen 1-06 1973 GAL Castlegar 7-08 ROS Tremane 1-07 1972 GAL Castlegar 7-12 ROS Tremane 2-07 1971 GAL Tommy Larkin's 7-14 ROS Four Roads 0-06 1970 GAL Liam Mellows 4-10 ROS Roscommon Gaels 2-05

Records and statistics By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Connacht Championship titles, is as follows:

1970s: 3 each for Castlegar (1972-73-79) and Ardrahan (1974-75-78) 1980s: 2 each for Sarsfields (1980–89) and Gort (1981–83) 1990s: 4 each for Sarsfields (1992-93-95-97) and Athenry (1994-96-98-99) 2000s: 3 each for Athenry (2000-02-04) and Portumna (2003-05-07)

Gaps

Top three longest gaps between successive championship titles:

11 years: Four Roads (1977-1988) 9 years: Sarsfields (1980-1989) 8 years: Kiltormer (1982-1990)

Top scorers Finals

FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal1992Peter KellySarsfields2-0061993John KeaneSarsfields3-01101994Joe RabbitteAthenry1-036Declan HigginsAthenry1995Aidan DonohueSarsfields1-0581996Cathal MoranAthenry0-0661997Joe CooneySarsfields2-039Aidan DonohueSarsfields1-061998Paschal HealyAthenry2-07131999Eugene CloonanAthenry0-0662000Eugene CloonanAthenry1-047Donal MoranAthenry0-072001David FordeClarinbridge1-0252002Eugene CloonanAthenry0-0892003Frank CanningPortumna0-0552004Eugene CloonanAthenry1-0692005Joe CanningPortumna1-09122006Michael HavertyLoughrea1-0362007Damien HayesPortumna4-0113

See also

Connacht Intermediate Club Hurling Championship (Tier 2) Connacht Junior Club Hurling Championship (Tier 3)

References