The 2021 Joe McDonagh Cup was the fourth staging of the Joe McDonagh Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2018.[1] The competition, which was delayed for a second successive year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games, began on 26 June 2021. The fixtures were published on 21 April 2021.[2]

2021 Joe McDonagh Cup
Dates26 June – 17 July 2021
Teams6
Champions Westmeath (1st title)
Cormac Boyle (captain)
Shane O'Brien (manager)
Runners-up Kerry
Paudie O'Connor (captain)
Fintan O'Connor (manager)
Relegated Kildare
Tournament statistics
Matches played8
Goals scored19 (2.38 per match)
Points scored351 (43.88 per match)
Top scorer(s) Jack Regan (1-36)
2020 (Previous) (Next) 2022

Antrim, winner of the 2020 final, were promoted to the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, while there was no relegation to or from the competition. Down and Kildare entered the competition from the Christy Ring Cup.[3]

On 17 July 2021, Westmeath won the Joe McDonagh Cup after a 2-28 to 1-24 win over Kerry in the final at Croke Park.[4] It was their first ever cup title having previously lost two finals.[5]

Meath's Jack Regan was the championship's top scorer with 1-36.

Team changes

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To Championship

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Relegated from the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

  • None

Promoted from the Christy Ring Cup

From Championship

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Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Relegated to the Christy Ring Cup

  • None

Teams

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General Information

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County Last Cup title Last Provincial title Last All-Ireland title Position in 2020 Championship Appearance
  Carlow 2018 4th 3rd
  Down 2001 Runners-up (Christy Ring Cup) 1st
  Kerry 1891 1891 Runners-up 4th
  Kildare Champions (Christy Ring Cup) 1st
  Meath 5th 3rd
  Westmeath 3rd 4th

Personnel and kits

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County Manager Captain(s) Sponsor
  Carlow Tom Mullally IT Carlow
  Down Ronan Sheehan EOS IT Solutions
  Kerry Fintan O'Connor Paudie O'Connor Kerry Group
  Kildare David Herity Brian Byrne Brady Family Ham
  Meath Nick Weir Glenveagh Properties
  Westmeath Shane O'Brien Cormac Boyle Renault

Group stage

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Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L SF SA Diff Pts Qualification
1   Westmeath 2 2 0 0 2-42 1-39 6 4 Advance to Knockout Stage
2   Carlow 2 1 0 1 2-40 3-39 -2 2
3   Kildare 2 0 0 2 4-37 4-41 -4 0 Advance to Relegation playoff

Group A round 1

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26 June 2021 Round 1 Kildare   3-16 - 2-22   Carlow St. Conleth's Park
J Burke 2-2, J Sheridan 0-5f, B Byrne 0-4f, C Smith 1-0, D Flaherty, K Whelan, C Dowling, C Derivan, S Ryan 0-1 each. Report C Nolan 0-10 (0-6f), K McDonald 2-2, D English 0-3f, JM Nolan (0-1 sideline), J Nolan, J Doyle 0-2 each, R Coady 0-1. Referee: C Cunning (Antrim)

Group A round 2

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3 July 2021 Round 2 Carlow   0-18 - 0-23   Westmeath Netwatch Cullen Park
C Nolan 0-11 (0-7f), Jon Nolan 0-3, T Joyce 0-2, JM Nolan & D English 0-1 each. Report N O’Brien and K Doyle 0-6 (0-4f) each, J Boyle 0-3, N Mitchell & C Doyle 0-2 each, A Clarke, A Cox, J Coll & D Clinton 0-1 each. Referee: R McGann (Antrim)

Group A round 3

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10 July 2021 Round 3 Westmeath   2-19 - 1-21   Kildare TEG Cusack Park
K Doyle 0-8 (0-4f), N O’Brien 0-5 (0-4f), N Mitchell 1-1, C Doyle 1-0, J Coll 0-2, R Greville, D Glennon & D McNicholas 0-1 each. Report J Sheridan 1-5 (0-4f), B Byrne 0-6 (0-4f, 0-1 65), P Divilly 0-3, J Burke & D Slattery 0-2 each, C Dowling, K Whelan & J Byrne 0-1 each. Referee: C McAllister (Cork)

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L SF SA Diff Pts Qualification
1   Kerry 2 1 0 1 3-45 1-49 2 2 Advance to Knockout Stage
2   Down 2 1 0 1 2-48 4-40 2 2
3   Meath 2 1 0 1 2-44 2-28 -4 2 Advance to Relegation playoff

Group B round 1

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26 June 2021 Round 1 Kerry   2-24 - 1-21   Down Austin Stack Park
S Conway ( 1-8, 0-4F, 0-1 65), S Nolan (0-4, 0-1F)), M Boyle, P Boyle (0-4 each), B Mahony ( 0-3), C Hussey (1-0), F OSullivan ( 0-1) Report D Sands (1-2), P Sheehan (0-5, 0-4F), O McManus (0-4F), P Óg McCrickard (0-3), D Hughes ( 0-2), C Woods (0-1 65), R McCusker, T Prender, P Savage, and E Sands (0-1 each) Referee: C McAllister (Cork)

Group B round 2

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3 July 2021 Round 2 Down   1-27 - 2-16   Meath McKenna Park
P Sheehan 0-11, nine frees; R McClusker 1-1; T Prenter 0-3; D Sands 0-2; E Sands 0-2; P Savage 0-2; L Savage 0-1; C Egan 0-1; R Costello 0-1; J Doran 0-1, C Woods 0-1; O MacManus 0-1. Report J Regan 1-8, five frees; A Douglas 1-0; A Gannon 0-2; D Kelly 0-2; J Toher 0-2; I Bermingham 0-1; P Conneely 0-1. Referee: P Murphy (Carlow)

Group B round 3

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10 July 2021 Round 3 Meath   0-28 - 1-21   Kerry Páirc Tailteann
J Regan 0-11 (0-5f, 0-2 65, 0-1 sideline), P Conneely 0-6, A Douglas 0-3, P O'Hanrahan 0-2, S Quigley 0-2, I Birmingham 0-1, J Toher 0-1, A Gannon 0-1, M O'Sullivan 0-1. Report S Conway 0-10 (0-8f, 0-1 65), C Hussey 1-1, P Boyle 0-4 (0-1f), S Nolan 0-2, D Collins 0-1, M Boyle 0-1, M O'Connor 0-1, M Leane 0-1. Referee: S Hynes (Galway)

Knockout stage

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Final

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17 July 2021 Final Westmeath   2-28 - 1-24   Kerry Croke Park
N Mitchell 1-4, K Doyle 0-6 (3fs), D Glennon 0-5, C Doyle 1-2, R Greville 0-4, N O’Brien (1f), A Clarke 0-2 each, J Boyle, A Craig, D McNicholas (f) 0-1 each. Report P Boyle 0-7 (3fs), M Boyle 1-3, S Conway 0-4 (2fs, 1 sideline), C Hussey 0-3, S Nolan, B O’Mahony 0-2 each, J Diggins, C O’Keeffe, D Collins 0-1 each. Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny)

Westmeath are promoted to the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

Relegation Playoff

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17 July 2021 Playoff Kildare   1-15 - 0-28   Meath Parnell Park
J Sheridan 1-5 (4 frees), B Byrne 0-2 (65, 1 free), P Divilly 0-2, J Travers 0-2, J Byrne 0-1 Conor Dowling 0-1, S Ryan 0-1, G Keegan 0-1. Report J Regan 0-17 (13 frees), E Ó Donnchadha 0-4, S Morris 0-2, J Toher 0-2, M O’Sullivan 0-2, A Gannon 0-1. Referee: C Cunning (Antrim)

Kildare are relegated to the 2022 Christy Ring Cup.

Stadia and locations

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County Location Province Stadium Capacity
  Carlow Carlow Leinster Netwatch Cullen Park 21,000
  Down Newry Ulster Páirc Esler 20,000
  Kerry Tralee Munster Austin Stack Park 12,000
  Kildare Newbridge Leinster St. Conleth's Park 8,200
  Meath Navan Leinster Páirc Tailteann 17,000
  Westmeath Mullingar Leinster Cusack Park 11,000

Statistics

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Top scorers

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Top scorer overall

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Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average
1 Jack Regan Meath 1-36 39 3 13.00
2 Shane Conway Kerry 1-22 25 3 8.33
3 Jack Sheridan Kildare 2-18 24 3 8.00
4 Chris Nolan Carlow 0-21 21 2 10.50
5 Killian Doyle Westmeath 0-20 20 3 6.66
6 Paul Sheehan Down 0-16 16 2 8.00
7 Pádraig Boyle Kerry 0-15 15 3 4.00
8 Niall Mitchell Westmeath 2-07 13 3 4.33
Niall O'Brien Westmeath 0-13 13 3 4.33
10 Brian Byrne Kildare 0-12 12 3 4.00

In a single game

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Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition
1 Jack Regan Meath 0-17 17 Kildare
2 Jack Regan Meath 1-08 11 Down
Jack Regan Meath 0-11 11 Kerry
Shane Conway Kerry 1-08 11 Down
Chris Nolan Carlow 0-11 11 Westmeath
Paul Sheehan Down 0-11 11 Meath
7 Chris Nolan Carlow 0-10 10 Kildare
Shane Conway Kerry 0-10 10 Meath
9 Kevin McDonald Carlow 2-02 8 Kildare
James Burke Kildare 2-02 8 Carlow
Jack Sheridan Kildare 1-05 8 Westmeath
Jack Sheridan Kildare 1-05 8 Kildare
Killian Doyle Westmeath 0-08 8 Kildare

Scoring Events

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Miscellaneous

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References

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  1. ^ Moran, Seán (30 September 2017). "GAA Congress approve round-robin provincial hurling championships". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  2. ^ "2021 McDonagh, Ring, Rackard, and Meagher Cup draws". Hogan Stand. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  3. ^ Team, The42 (22 November 2020). "Herity guides Kildare to Christy Ring Cup triumph over Down in Croke Park decider". The42.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Westmeath end Joe McDonagh Cup hoodoo with victory over Kerry at Croke Park". Irish Independent. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Westmeath storm past Kingdom to win Joe McDonagh Cup". The 42. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.