The Down Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Morgan Fuels Down GAA Senior Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Down SHC) is an annual hurling competition contested by top-tier Down GAA clubs. The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association has organised it since 1903. Ballycran won the 2021 championship defeating Portaferry in the Final after extra time.[1]
| Down Senior Hurling Championship | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition: 2023 Down Senior Hurling Championship | |
| Irish | Craobh Iomána Sinsearach an Dún |
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Region |  Down (GAA) |
| Trophy | Jeremiah McVeagh Cup |
| No. of teams | 5 |
| Title holders |  Portaferry (23rd title) |
| Most titles |  Ballycran (27 titles) |
| Sponsors | Morgan Fuels |
| Official website | Down GAA |
Portaferry are the title holders, defeating Ballycran by 0-20 to 0-16 in the 2023 final.
History edit
Faugh-a-Ballagh won the inaugural Down SHC in 1903.
The competition has been won by 10 teams, 9 of which have won it more than once. Ballycran is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 27 times. No team outside Ballycran, Portaferry and Ballygalget have won the title since Kilclief's 23rd victory in 1956.
Format edit
Introduced in 1903 as the Down Senior Hurling Championship, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to senior-ranking club teams, with its winner reckoned as the Down county champion. In its present format, four clubs play each other in a double round-robin system. The competition winner is determined through a group and knockout format. The top two teams proceed to the final match.
Teams edit
2023 teams edit
The following teams competed in the 2023 Down Senior Hurling Championship:
| Club | Location | Colours | Championship titles | Last championship title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballycran
|
Rubane | Black and amber | 27 | 2021 |
 Ballygalget
|
Ards Peninsula | Green and white | 21 | 2017 |
| Bredagh | Ballynafeigh | Maroon and white | 0 | — |
 Liatroim Fontenoys
|
Leitrim | Green, white and yellow | 2 | 1928 |
| Newry Shamrocks | Newry | 0 | — | |
 Portaferry
|
Portaferry | Blue and yellow | 23 | 2023 |
Honours edit
The Jeremiah McVeagh Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It was presented by nationalist Member of Parliament Jeremiah McVeagh to the Down County Board in 1913 and has been presented to the championship winners ever since..[2]
Traditionally, depending on the venue, the victory presentation takes place at a special rostrum in the main grandstand or on a podium on the pitch. The cup is decorated with ribbons in the colours of the winning team. During the game the cup actually has both teams' sets of ribbons attached and the runners-up ribbons are removed before the presentation. The winning captain accepts the cup on behalf of his team before giving a short speech. Individual members of the winning team then have an opportunity to come to the rostrum to lift the cup, which is held by the winning team until the following year's final.
In accordance with GAA rules, the County Board awards a set of gold medals to the championship winners.
The winners of the Down Senior Championship, as well as being presented with the Jeremiah McVeagh Cup, qualify to represent their county in the subsequent Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship.
List of finals edit
(r) = replay
(aet) = after extra time
- Notes
† The 1962 final was abandoned.
Roll of honour edit
| # | Club | Titles | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ballycran
|
27 | 1949, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 |
| 2 |  Kilclief
|
23 | 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1925, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1954, 1955, 1956 |
| Portaferry
|
23 | 1926, 1929, 1938, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2020, 2022, 2023 | |
| 4 | Ballygalget
|
21 | 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1982, 1983, 1990, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017 |
| 5 |  Ballela
|
7 | 1936, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1951, 1952 |
| 6 | Faugh-a-Ballagh | 6 | 1903, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1930 |
| 7 | Clann na Boirce
|
2 | 1905, 1906 |
| Liatroim Fontenoys
|
2 | 1927, 1928 | |
| Clann Uladh | 2 | 1934, 1946 | |
| 10 |  Ballyvarley
|
1 | 1910 |
Records and statistics edit
Final edit
Team edit
- Most wins: 27:
- Ballycran: (1949, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021.
- Most consecutive wins: 9:
- Kilclief: (1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920)
Teams edit
By decade edit
The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Down Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:
- 1900s: 5 for Faugh-a-Ballagh (1903-04-07-08-09)
- 1910s: 8 for Kilclief (1912-13-14-15-16-17-18-19)
- 1920s: 2 each for Kilclief (1920-25), Portaferry (1926-29) and Liatroim Fontenoys (1927–28)
- 1930s: 5 for Kilclief (1931-32-33-35-39)
- 1940s: 5 for Kilclief (1942-43-44-45-47)
- 1950s: 3 for Ballycran (1953-57-58) and Kilclief (1954-55-56)
- 1960s: 4 for Portaferry (1963-65-68-69)
- 1970s: 5 for Ballycran (1972-74-76-77-79)
- 1980s: 5 for Ballycran (1980-84-85-86-87)
- 1990s: 5 for Ballygalget (1990-92-97-98-99)
- 2000s: 4 each for Portaferry (2000-01-02-06) and Ballygalget (2003-04-05-08)
- 2010s: 4 each for Ballygalget (2010-13-16-17) and Ballycran (2011-15-18-19)
Gaps edit
Longest gaps between successive championship titles:
- 25 years: Portaferry (1938–1963)
- 21 years: Faugh-a-Ballagh (1909–1930)
- 12 years: Clann Uladh (1934–1946)
See also edit
- Down Intermediate Hurling Championship (Tier 2)
- Down Junior Hurling Championship (Tier 3)
References edit
- ^ Crossan, Brendan (28 September 2020). "Portaferry end their six-year wait for Down SHC title against gutsy Ballycran". The Irish News. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Who was your Irish MP in 1918? Here's a list of everyone elected in that historic election". The Journal. 14 December 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ "Down SHC: 'Ferry goals see them to title success". Hogan Stand. Lynn Group Media. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ^ "Down SHC final: Johnson 'magic' downs Portaferry". Hogan Stand. Lynn Group Media. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
- ^ "Down SHC final: 14-man Portaferry hold on". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ "Ballycran seal title with late flurry". Irish Independent. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ^ "McManus weathers the storm". Irish Independent. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ^ "Down SHC final: Coulter inspires 'Galget". Hogan Stand. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ^ "Woods brace earns crown". Irish Independent. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Down SHC final: Ballycran retain title with seven-point win". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
External links edit
- Official Down Website
- Down Club GAA