The 2020 Christy Ring Cup was the 16th staging of the Christy Ring Cup hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2005. It is the third tier of hurling as of 2020.
London were scheduled to compete in the Christy Ring Cup but didn't due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games. The championship was scheduled to begin in May 2020 but was delayed until 24 October 2020.
The rise in COVID-19 cases affected the tournament, with two first-round games conceded due to positive tests.
were the winners, defeating in the final following earlier wins against and . Both finalists were promoted to the Joe McDonagh Cup for 2021.
The competition featured the first ever inter-county hurling penalty shootout, with Down qualifying for the final by causing an upset through knocking Offaly out in the semi-final.
Team changes
To Championship Relegated from the Joe McDonagh Cup
Offaly
Promoted from the Nicky Rackard Cup
Sligo
From Championship Promoted to the Joe McDonagh Cup
Meath
Relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup
Donegal
Format
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the normal structure of eight teams competing in two groups of four was abandoned. Seven teams competed in the 2020 Christy Ring Cup. London did not compete as the quarantine restrictions on travel meant that their participation was not feasible.
The 2020 championship had a "back-door" structure designed to ensure that each team had at least two games. Offaly and Sligo conceded their round one games due to rising cases of COVID-19 and Sligo only managed to play one game before being eliminated.
Six teams play each in the three Round 1 games. One team receives a bye to Round 2A. The three Round 1 winners, plus the team that received a bye, play in Round 2A. The two Round 2A winners advance to the semi-finals. The losers of the game between a Round 1 winner and the bye-receiving team goes into Round 2B. The three Round 1 losers and one of the Round 2A losers play in Round 2B. The Round 2B winners advance to the semi-finals. The semi-finals are played between the two Round 2A winners and the two Round 2B winners. The final is between the two semi-final winners.
Round 1 Winners advance to Round 2A. Losers advance to Round 2B.
Down received a bye in this round.
Round 2
Round 2A
The Round 1 winners and Down, who received a bye, competed in this round. Winners advance to Semi-Finals.
Round 2B The Round 1 loser and one 'lucky loser' from round 2A, Derry entered this round. Winners advance to Semi-Finals.
Semi-finals The Round 2A winners play the Round 2B winners. The winners advance to the final and were both promoted to the 2021 Joe McDonagh Cup.
Final
Down and Kildare are promoted to the 2021 Joe McDonagh Cup.
Bracket
Statistics
Top scorers
Overall
Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Cathal DolanRoscommon2-2531310.332Eoghan CahillOffaly0-2727213.503Christy MoorehouseWicklow2-1824212.004Jack SheridanKildare4-0921210.505Cormac O'DohertyDerry0-141427.00Oisín MacManusDown0-141427.006Gerard O'Kelly-LynchSligo0-1212112.00Brian ByrneKildare0-121226.00
In a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Eoghan CahillOffaly0-1717Derry2Christy MoorehouseWicklow2-0915Roscommon3Cathal DolanRoscommon0-1313Sligo4Cathal DolanRoscommon2-0612WicklowJack SheridanKildare2-0612RoscommonGerard O'Kelly-LynchSligo0-1212Roscommon5Eoghan CahillOffaly0-1010Down6Jack SheridanKildare2-039WicklowChristy MoorehouseWicklow0-099Kildare7Cormac O'DohertyDerry0-088OffalyBrian ByrneKildare0-088Offaly
References