2019 Joe McDonagh Cup


The 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup was the second staging of the Joe McDonagh Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2018. The fixtures were announced on 11 October 2018. The competition began on 11 May 2019 and ended on 30 June 2019.
On 30 June 2019, Laois won the Joe McDonagh Cup following a 3-26 to 1-21 defeat of Westmeath in the final at Croke Park. This was their first ever Joe McDonagh Cup title.
Offaly were relegated from the Joe McDonagh Cup after losing all of their group stage games.
Westmeath's Killian Doyle was the competition's top scorer with 3-61.

Teams and venues

Five teams competed in the 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup - a reduction from six that competed in the inaugural competition.
TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
AntrimBallycastlePáirc Mac Uílín
KerryTraleeAustin Stack Park
LaoisPortlaoiseO'Moore Park
OffalyTullamoreO'Connor Park
WestmeathMullingarCusack Park

Personnel and colours

TeamColoursSponsorCaptainManager
AntrimFona CabConor McCannNeal Peden
KerryKerry GroupMartin StackpooleFintan O'Connor
LaoisMW Hire ServicesPatrick PurcellEddie Brennan
OffalyCarroll CuisinePat CamonKevin Martin Joachim Kelly
WestmeathRenaultAonghus ClarkeJoe Quaid

Competition Format

Initially each of the five teams play the other four teams in single round-robin matches. The top two teams after the round robin games play the third-placed teams in the Leinster and Munster championships in the two All-Ireland preliminary quarter finals with the Joe McDonagh Cup teams having home advantage. The top two teams also compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup final.
Promotion to Leinster or Munster SHC
If the Joe McDonagh champions are a non-Munster team, they are automatically promoted to the following year's Leinster Championship and the bottom-placed team in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship are automatically relegated to the following year's Joe McDonagh Cup. If the champions are a Munster team, they must win a play-off with the bottom-placed team in the Munster Championship to gain promotion to the following year's Munster Championship.
Relegation
The bottom-placed team in the Joe McDonagh Cup, Offaly are automatically relegated to the following year's Christy Ring Cup and are replaced by the 2019 Christy Ring Cup Champions, Meath.

Group Stage

Table

Rounds 1 to 5

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Final

Statistics

Top scorers

;Overall
RankPlayerCountyTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Killian DoyleWestmeath3-6170514.00
2Shane ConwayKerry0-4444411.00
3Neil McManusAntrim1-303348.25
4Mark KavanaghLaois0-3030310.00
5Joe BerginOffaly1-262947.25
6Cha DwyerLaois2-131944.75
7Ross KingLaois2-091553.00
7Aaron DunphyLaois2-091553.00
8Oisín KellyOffaly4-051744.25
9Keelan MolloyAntrim2-071343.25
9Pádraig BoyleKerry2-071344.25
9Stephen MaherLaois0-131334.33

;Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Killian DoyleWestmeath0-1717Antrim
2Killian DoyleWestmeath1-1215Offaly
3Killian DoyleWestmeath1-1114Kerry
3Killian DoyleWestmeath1-1114Laois
4Neil McManusAntrim0-1313Westmeath
4Shane ConwayKerry0-1313Westmeath
5Mark KavanaghLaois0-1212Westmeath
6Joe BerginOffaly0-1111Laois
6Mark KavanaghLaois0-1111Offaly
6Shane ConwayKerry0-1111Offaly