The Waterford Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1897 for the top hurling teams in the county of Waterford in Ireland.
| Waterford Senior Hurling Championship | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition: 2024 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship | |
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Region |  Waterford (GAA) |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Title holders | Ballygunner (23rd title) |
| Most titles | Mount Sion (35 titles) |
| Sponsors | JJ Kavanagh & Sons |
| TV partner(s) | TG4 (final only) |
| Official website | http://www.waterfordgaa.ie/ |
The series of games are played during the spring, summer and autumn months with the county final currently being played at Walsh Park in October. Initially played as a knock-out competition, the championship currently features a group stage followed by a knock-out stage. The Waterford County Championship is an integral part of the wider Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship. The winners of the Waterford county final join the champions of the other hurling counties to contest the provincial championship. Twelve teams currently participate in the Waterford County Championship. The title has been won at least once by 23 different teams. The all-time record-holders are Mount Sion, who have won a total of 35 titles. Ballygunner are the title-holders after defeating Abbeyside by 2–28 to 2–10 in the 2024 championship final.[1]
Format
editCurrent format
editGroup stage: The 12 teams are divided into four groups of three. Each team plays each other once. The top team in each group advance to the quarter final stage and are seeded. The second placed teams from each group are drawn against third placed teams in each group in a preliminary quarter final. The winners advance to the quarter finals whilst the losers are summoned to relegation semi-finals and finals, with one team being relegated to the premier intermediate grade.
Preliminary quarter-finals: 8 teams contest this round. The 4 winning teams advance to the Quarter-finals. The 4 losing teams advance to the relegation play-offs.
Relegation play-off: 4 teams contest this round. The losing team are relegated to the Waterford Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship.
Quarter-finals: 8 teams contest this round. The 4 winning teams advance to the Semi-finals. The 4 losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Semi-finals: 4 teams contest this round. The 2 winning teams advance to the Semi-finals. The 2 losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Final: The final is contested by the two semi-final winners.
Teams
edit2025 teams
editThe following 12 teams will contest the 2025 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship:
| Team | Location | Colours | Division | Position in 2024 | In championship since | Championship titles | Last championship title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Abbeyside
|
Abbeyside | Blue and orange | West | Runners-up | 2004 | 0 | — |
 Ballygunner
|
Ballygunner | Red and black | East | Champions | ? | 23 | 2024 |
 Brickey Rangers
|
Dungarvan | Amber and black | West | Waterford PIHC winners | 2025 | 0 | — |
 Clonea
|
Rathgormack | Red and green | East | Relegation playoff winners | 2019 | 5 | 1952 |
 De La Salle
|
Waterford | Red and white | East | Quarter-finals | ? | 3 | 2012 |
 Dungarvan
|
Dungarvan | Blue and white | West | Quarter-finals | 2010 | 6 | 1941 |
 Ferrybank
|
Ferrybank | Green and white | East | Quarter-finals | 2024 | 3 | 1919 |
| Fourmilewater
|
Ballymacarbry | Blue and white | West | Preliminary quarter-finals | 2002 | 0 | — |
| Lismore
|
Lismore | Yellow and black | West | Preliminary quarter-finals | 2017 | 3 | 1993 |
| Mount Sion
|
Waterford | Blue and white | East | Semi-finals | ? | 35 | 2006 |
| Passage
|
Passage East | Red and white | East | Semi-finals | ? | 1 | 2013 |
| Roanmore
|
Waterford | Blue and white | East | Quarter-finals | 2011 | 2 | 1990 |
Qualification for subsequent competitions
editThe Waterford Senior Hurling Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship.
Managers
editManagers in the Waterford Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches.
| Manager | Team | Wins | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Greene | Mount Sion | 3 | 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| Fergal Hartley | Ballygunner | 3 | 2014, 2017, 2018 |
| Darragh O'Sullivan | Ballygunner | 3 | 2019 (j), 2020 (j), 2021 |
| Denis Walsh | Ballygunner | 2 | 2015, 2016 |
| David Franks | Ballygunner | 2 | 2019 (j), 2020 (j) |
| Michael Gaffney | Ballygunner | 1 | 1999 |
| Kevin Ryan | Mount Sion | 1 | 2000 |
| Gordon Ryan | Ballygunner | 1 | 2001 |
| John Fitzpatrick | Ballygunner | 1 | 2005 |
| Páraic Fanning | Mount Sion | 1 | 2006 |
| Morris Geary | Ballyduff Upper | 1 | 2007 |
| Owen Dunphy | De La Salle | 1 | 2008 |
| Ger Cunningham | Ballygunner | 1 | 2009 |
| Michael Ryan | De La Salle | 1 | 2010 |
| Niall O'Donnell | Ballygunner | 1 | 2011 |
| Derek McGrath | De La Salle | 1 | 2012 |
| Peter Queally | Passage | 1 | 2013 |
List of finals
editLegend
edit- Gold – Munster senior club champions
- Silver – Munster senior club runners-up
List of Waterford SHC finals
edit| Year | Winners | Runners-up | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Score | Club | Score | |
| 2024 | Ballygunner | 2-28 | Abbeyside | 2-10 |
| 2023 | Ballygunner | 2-26 | De La Salle | 0-21 |
| 2022 | Ballygunner | 2-11 | Mount Sion | 0-08 |
| 2021 | Ballygunner | 2-27 | Roanmore | 0-13 |
| 2020[2] | Ballygunner | 1-23 | Passage | 0-09 |
| 2019[3] | Ballygunner | 1-24 | De La Salle | 1-15 |
| 2018[4] | Ballygunner | 2-19 | Abbeyside | 0-13 |
| 2017[5] | Ballygunner | 2-18 | De La Salle | 0-16 |
| 2016[6] | Ballygunner | 4-20 | Passage | 1-12 |
| 2015[7] | Ballygunner | 0-16 | Tallow | 0-12 |
| 2014[8] | Ballygunner | 2-16 | Mount Sion | 0-09 |
| 2013[9] | Passage | 3-16 | Ballygunner | 3-13 |
| 2012[10] | De La Salle | 1-21 | Dungarvan | 0-12 |
| 2011 | Ballygunner | 1-19 | Tallow | 0-06 |
| 2010[11] | De La Salle | 3-13 | Ballygunner | 1-11 |
| 2009 | Ballygunner | (4-12) 1-17 | Lismore | (2-18) 0-19 |
| 2008 | De La Salle | 0-11 | Abbeyside | 0-09 |
| 2007 | Ballyduff Upper | 1-18 | Ballygunner | 1-14 |
| 2006 | Mount Sion | 2-13 | Ballygunner | 0-12 |
| 2005 | Ballygunner | 2-10 | De La Salle | 1-12 |
| 2004 | Mount Sion | 4-14 | Ballygunner | 4-07 |
| 2003 | Mount Sion | 1-14 | Ballygunner | 1-10 |
| 2002 | Mount Sion | 1-19 | Ballygunner | 2-14 |
| 2001 | Ballygunner | 4-12 | Lismore | 1-16 |
| 2000 | Mount Sion | 1-20 | Ballygunner | 0-09 |
| 1999 | Ballygunner | 1-18 | Mount Sion | 2-10 |
| 1998 | Mount Sion | 3-19 | Ballyduff Upper | 0-10 |
| 1997 | Ballygunner | 2-17 | Passage | 1-14 |
| 1996 | Ballygunner | 3-13 | Lismore | 1-12 |
| 1995 | Ballygunner | (1-08) 3-13 (R) | Mount Sion | (1-08) 1-17 (R) |
| 1994 | Mount Sion | 2-13 | Passage | 1-11 |
| 1993 | Lismore | 0-08 | Passage | 0-07 |
| 1992 | Ballygunner | 1-12 | Mount Sion | 2-07 |
| 1991 | Lismore | 5-07 | Mount Sion | 1-05 |
| 1990 | Roanmore | 3-13 | Ballyduff Upper | 2-06 |
| 1989 | Roanmore | 3-08 | Ballyduff Upper | 2-07 |
| 1988 | Mount Sion | 2-15 | Ballygunner | 3-08 |
| 1987 | Ballyduff Upper | 4-07 | Roanmore | 2-11 |
| 1986 | Mount Sion | 0-16 | Lismore | 0-10 |
| 1985 | Tallow | 3-08 | Ballyduff Upper | 2-08 |
| 1984 | Tallow | 2-12 | Portlaw | 2-01 |
| 1983 | Mount Sion | 5-11 | Ballyduff Upper | 2-06 |
| 1982 | Ballyduff Upper | 0-20 | Dunhill | 1-11 |
| 1981 | Mount Sion | 4-13 | Dunhill | 1-14 |
| 1980 | Tallow | 1-07 | Dunhill | 1-06 |
| 1979 | Dunhill | 2-17 | Ballyduff Upper | 2-08 |
| 1978 | Dunhill | 2-16 | Mount Sion | 4-08 |
| 1977 | Portlaw | 4-10 | Ballyduff Upper | 2-10 |
| 1976 | Portlaw | 7-12 | Tallow | 1-05 |
| 1975 | Mount Sion | 6-04 | Portlaw | 2-07 |
| 1974 | Mount Sion | 3-08 | Portlaw | 2-10 |
| 1973 | Portlaw | 2-11 | Mount Sion | 2-07 |
| 1972 | Mount Sion | 2-10 | Dunhill | 2-08 |
| 1971 | Portlaw | 1-13 | St. Mollerans | 2-08 |
| 1970 | Ballyduff Lower/Portlaw (awarded title) | |||
| 1969 | Mount Sion | 7-11 | Abbeyside | 2-13 |
| 1968 | Ballygunner | 2-10 | Mount Sion | 3-02 |
| 1967 | Ballygunner | 2-10 | Ballyduff Lower/Portlaw | 3-05 |
| 1966 | Ballygunner | 2-06 | Mount Sion | 2-03 |
| 1965 | Mount Sion | 3-02 | Ballygunner | 2-04 |
| 1964 | Mount Sion | 3-06 | Abbeyside | 1-06 |
| 1963 | Mount Sion | 4-06 | Ballygunner | 3-04 |
| 1962 | Erin's Own | 5-07 | Mount Sion | 1-04 |
| 1961 | Mount Sion | 2-14 | Erin's Own | 2-04 |
| 1960 | Mount Sion | 5-09 | Erin's Own | 2-05 |
| 1959 | Mount Sion | 5-05 | Erin's Own | 5-04 |
| 1958 | Mount Sion | 6-10 | Faughs | 1-08 |
| 1957 | Mount Sion | 2-10 | Abbeyside | 1-02 |
| 1956 | Mount Sion | 7-07 | Cappoquin | 2-06 |
| 1955 | Mount Sion | 2-10 | Abbeyside | 3-04 |
| 1954 | Mount Sion | 3-14 | Erin's Own | 5-02 |
| 1953 | Mount Sion | 7-11 | Tourin | 1-01 |
| 1952 | Clonea | 1-10 | T. F. Meaghers | 2-01 |
| 1951 | Mount Sion | 7-08 | Dungarvan | 0-09 |
| 1950 | Tourin | 3-07 | Mount Sion | 2-05 |
| 1949 | Mount Sion | 4-08 | Clonea | 0-06 |
| 1948 | Mount Sion | 4-08 | Avonmore | 0-08 |
| 1947 | Erin's Own | 3-04 | Clonea | 3-01 |
| 1946 | Erin's Own | 5-07 | Brickey Rangers | 2-04 |
| 1945 | Mount Sion | 3-08 | Dungarvan | 2-05 |
| 1944 | 3rd Battalion | 4-03 | Portlaw | 2-07 |
| 1943 | Mount Sion | 3-08 | Tallow | 1-05 |
| 1942 | Erin's Own | 2-05 | Lismore | 2-03 |
| 1941 | Dungarvan | 2-06 | Mount Sion | 1-05 |
| 1940 | Mount Sion | 6-05 | Dungarvan | 3-02 |
| 1939 | Mount Sion | 2-04 | Erin's Own | 2-02 |
| 1938 | Mount Sion | 4-03 | Erin's Own | 3-04 |
| 1937 | Portlaw | 3-01 | Dungarvan | 0-03 |
| 1936 | Mount Sion | 2-06 | Tallow | 1-05 (Tallow won on objection) |
| 1935 | Erin's Own | 4-07 | Tallow | 2-04 |
| 1934 | Erin's Own | 6-04 | Tallow | 0-02 |
| 1933 | Erin's Own | 7-06 | Dunhill | 1-03 |
| 1932 | Erin's Own | 2-02 | Tallow | 0-02 |
| 1931 | Erin's Own | 4-07 | Tallow | 0-03 |
| 1930 | Erin's Own | 6-04 | Dungarvan | 0-01 |
| 1929 | Erin's Own | 10-04 | Lismore | 1-01 |
| 1928 | Erin's Own | 5-06 | Tallow | 2-00 |
| 1927 | Erin's Own | 8-02 | Dungarvan | 0-05 |
| 1926 | Dungarvan | 5-02 | Lismore | 2-03 |
| 1925 | Lismore | 4-02 | Erin's Own | 2-03 |
| 1924 | T. F. Meaghers | 11-05 | Dungarvan | 1-02 |
| 1923 | Dungarvan | |||
| 1922 | T. F. Meaghers | |||
| 1921 | No Championship | |||
| 1920 | Dungarvan | 9-02 | Ferrybank | 1-00 |
| 1919 | Ferrybank | |||
| 1918 | Clonea | 4-03 | Ferrybank | 2-01 |
| 1917 | Dungarvan | |||
| 1916 | Young Irelands | 6-02 | Ferrybank | 2-00 |
| 1915 | Ferrybank | |||
| 1914 | St Stephens De La Salle | |||
| 1913 | St Stephens De La Salle | 5-04 | Ballyduff Upper | 0-02 |
| 1912 | T. F. Meagher's | 4-02 | Clonea | 1-00 |
| 1911 | T. F. Meaghers | |||
| 1910 | T. F. Meaghers | 4-04 | Dungarvan | 1-02 |
| 1909 | T. F. Meaghers | |||
| 1908 | Dungarvan | 14 Points | Dunhill | 1 Goal |
| 1907 | Clonea | |||
| 1906 | De La Salle | 5-05 | Ballyduff Lower | 0-05 |
| 1905 | Clonea | 6-10 | Ballyduff Upper | 3-05 |
| 1904 | Gracedieu | Clonea | ||
| 1903 | Clonea | De La Salle | ||
| 1902 | Clonea | Shanacool Durrow | ||
| 1901 | ||||
| 1900 | ||||
| 1899 | Ballydurn | Blackwater Ramblers | ||
| 1898 | ||||
| 1897 | Ballytruckle | |||
Roll of honour
edit| # | Club | Titles | Championships won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Sion | 35 | 1938, 1939, 1940, 1943, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 |
| 2 | Ballygunner | 23 | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| 3 | Erin's Own | 13 | 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1942, 1946, 1947,1962 |
| 4 | T.F. Meaghers | 6 | 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1922, 1924 |
| Dungarvan | 6 | 1908, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1926, 1941 | |
| Portlaw | 5 | 1937, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977 | |
| 7 | Clonea | 5 | 1902, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1952 |
| 8 | Tallow | 4 | 1936, 1980, 1984, 1985 |
| 9 | Ferrybank | 3 | 1915, 1916, 1919 |
| Lismore | 3 | 1925, 1991, 1993 | |
| Ballyduff Upper | 3 | 1983, 1987, 2007 | |
| De La Salle | 3 | 2008, 2010, 2012 | |
| 13 | St Stephens De La Salle | 2 | 1913, 1914 |
| Ballyduff Lower | 2 | 1906, 1970 (awarded title) | |
| Dunhill | 2 | 1978, 1979 | |
| Roanmore | 2 | 1989, 1990 | |
| 17 | Ballytruckle | 1 | 1897 |
| Ballydurn | 1 | 1899 | |
| Gracedieu | 1 | 1904 | |
| Young Irelands | 1 | 1918 | |
| 3rd Battalion | 1 | 1944 | |
| Tourin | 1 | 1950 | |
| Passage | 1 | 2013 |
Records and statistics
editTeams
editBy decade
editThe most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Waterford Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:
- 1890s: 1 each for Ballytruckle (1897) and Ballydurn (1899)
- 1900s: 4 for Clonea (1902-03-05-07)
- 1910s: 3 each for T. F. Meaghers (1910-11-12) and Ferrybank (1915-16-19)
- 1920s: 3 each for Dungarvan (1920-23-26) and Erin's Own (1927-28-29)
- 1930s: 6 for Erin's Own (1930-31-32-33-34-35)
- 1940s: 5 for Mount Sion (1940-43-45-48-49)
- 1950s: 8 for Mount Sion (1951-53-54-55-56-57-58-59)
- 1960s: 6 for Mount Sion (1960-61-63-64-65-69)
- 1970s: 5 for Portlaw (1970-71-73-76-77)
- 1980s: 4 for Mount Sion (1981-83-86-88)
- 1990s: 5 for Ballygunner (1992-95-96-97-99)
- 2000s: 5 for Mount Sion (2000-02-03-04-06)
- 2010s: 7 for Ballygunner (2011-14-15-16-17-18-19)
- 2020s: 5 for Ballygunner (2020-21-22-23-24)
Gaps
editTop five longest gaps between successive championship titles:
- 66 years: Lismore (1925-1991)
- 45 years: Clonea (1907-1952)
- 44 years: Tallow (1936-1980)
- 33 years: Portlaw (1937-1970)
- 20 years: Ballyduff Upper (1987-2007)
Top scorers
editIn finals
editSee also
edit- Waterford Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship (Tier 2)
- Waterford Intermediate Hurling Championship (Tier 3)
- Waterford Junior A Hurling Championship (Tier 4)
- Waterford Junior B Hurling Championship (Tier 5)
- Waterford Junior C Hurling Championship (Tier 6)
References
edit- ^ "Ballygunner make it 11 on the trot with comprehensive win in Waterford final". Irish Examiner. 1 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Club GAA: Ballygunner and Mount Leinster claim county titles, Ballyboden survive scare in Dublin". RTE. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ "Waterford SHC final: Mahony shoots Gunners to six-in-a-row". Hogan Stand. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Ballygunner make it five in a row beating Abbeyside". RTÉ. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
- ^ "Four-in-a-row for brilliant Ballygunner". The Irish Examiner. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ "Pauric Mahony's magic drives Ballygunner as Pat Flynn is honoured". Irish Examiner. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ^ "Ballygunner edge tough battle for poignant 14th title win". Irish Examiner. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
- ^ "Redemption for gallant Gunners". Irish Examiner. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Passage dream comes true". Irish Examiner. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ "Bigger tests loom for rampant De La Salle". Irish Examiner. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
- ^ "Mullane magic helps shoot down 'Gunner". Irish Independent. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.