Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship


The Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Tipperary in Ireland.
The series of games are played during the summer and autumn months with the county final currently being played at Semple Stadium in October. The prize for the winning team is the Dan Breen Cup. Initially played as a knock-out competition on a divisional basis, the championship currently features a group stage followed by a knock-out stage.
The Tipperary County Championship is an integral part of the wider Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship. The winners of the Tipperary county final join the champions of the other four hurling counties to contest the provincial championship.
32 teams currently participate in the Tipperary County Championship. The title has been won at least once by 25 different teams. The all-time record-holders are Thurles Sarsfields, who have won a total of 36 titles.
Clonoulty-Rossmore won the 2018 Championship, their first championship since 1997 after a 0-23 to 2-13 win against Nenagh Éire Óg in the final.

History

Beginnings

Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in the United Irishman newspaper. County committees were quickly established, with the Tipperary County Board affiliating in 1886. Over the course of the following year, 130 clubs registered with the GAA in Tipperary, making it the strongest county in the country. After difficulties in organising the early championships, the title has been awarded every year except on one occasion since 1894. Civil unrest at the height of the War of Independence resulted in the 1920 championship being cancelled.

Team dominance

Since the beginning, the championship has seen periods of dominance by various teams. Tubberadora became the preeminent team of the first decade, before being superseded by Thurles Sarsfields. After winning the inaugural title in 1887, the Thurles-based club won six championships from a possible nine between 1904 and 1911. Toomevara made their first big breakthrough in 1910 and won titles at regular intervals over the course of the next twenty years. Boherlahen-Dualla won the first of four successive championship titles in 1915 and won a grand total of ten up to and including the 1941 championship. Thurles Sarsfields bounced back in 1929 after an eleven-year period in the doldrums. Over the course of the next 45 years the club established itself as the standard bearer of club hurling in Tipperary by winning 21 titles during this period. The club reached its peak by winning ten titles in eleven championship seasons between 1955 and 1965. Roscrea won their first championship in 1968 before completing a three-in-a-row in 1970. The club won further titles in 1972, 1973 and 1980. Moneygall and Kilruane MacDonagh's shared five titles between 1975 and 1979, while Borris-Ileigh won three titles throughout the 1980s. After failing to win a championship in over thirty years, Toomevara returned to the top table in 1992. Over the course of the next sixteen years the club claimed 11 championship titles. Thurles Sarsfields also returned to their winning ways after a 31-year barren spell by claiming the 2005 championship. They have since become the most successful team of the 21st century by winning eight championships.

Format

The Tipperary senior hurling championship is probably the most complicated system in Ireland as it has striven to accommodate from 25 to, currently, 32 teams. A knockout divisional system and group backdoor system has been introduced to accommodate these teams. Before the new system, the county championship was run on a divisional basis with the teams in the divisional finals going into the county quarter-finals and proceeding from there.
A new format is to be introduced in 2014 with the county championship divided into two sections of 16 teams each, the sections determined by clubs' placings in the 2013 championship. Each section will be divided into four groups of four teams with games played on a round robin basis. The top two teams in each Section 1 group, and the top team in each Section 2 group, qualify for the knockout stages, as do the four divisional champions. The bottom team in each Section 1 group is relegated to Section 2, and the top team in each Section 2 group is promoted to Section 1. The bottom teams in each of the Section 2 groups face relegation play-offs, with two teams relegated to the Intermediate Championship. The Intermediate champions move up to Section 2. Thus in 2015 there will be 31 teams in the Senior Championship.

Sponsorship

For four years between 2013 and 2016, the championship was sponsored by Clean Ireland Recycling. In August 2016, the Tipperary County Board announced that they had signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Tipperary Water. The company has since sponsored all of Tipperary's adult county championships.

Qualification for subsequent competitions

The Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship. This place is reserved for club teams only as divisional and amalgamated teams are not allowed in the provincial championship.

Venues

Early rounds

Fixtures in the group stage and early knock-out rounds of the championship are usually played at a neutral venue that is deemed halfway between the participating teams. Some of the more common venues include MacDonagh Park, St. Cronan's Park and St. Michael's Park. All games from the quarter-finals onward are played at Semple Stadium.

Final

The final is usually played at Semple Stadium, previously Thurles Sportsfield.

Managers

in the Tipperary 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.
ManagerTeamWinsWinning years
Tommy MaherThurles Sarsfields42014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Michael GleesonThurles Sarsfields22009, 2010
Tom RyanToomevara11999
Pad Joe WhelehanToomevara12000
Seán StackToomevara12001
John LeahyMullinahone12002
Michael ConnollyToomevara12003
Seán HehirToomevara12004
Ger CunninghamThurles Sarsfields12005
Pat HerbertToomevara12006
Éamonn SweeneyLoughmore-Castleiney12007
Vincent McKennaToomevara12008
Teddy KennedyDrom-Inch12011
Séamus QuinnThurles Sarsfields12012
Declan LaffanLoughmore-Castleiney12013
John DevaneClonoulty-Rossmore12018
Johnny KellyBorris-Ileigh12019

Trophy

The winning team is presented with the Dan Breen Cup. A native of Donohill, Dan Breen was a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. In later years, he was a Fianna Fáil politician.

Top winners

TeamWinnerWinning YearsRunners-upYears Runners-up
1 Thurles Sarsfields361887, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1929, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1974, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017101894, 1960, 1968, 1970, 1979, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
2 Toomevara211890, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1919, 1923, 1930, 1931, 1960, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008101889, 1911, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1925, 1929, 1958, 1961, 1996
3 Moycarkey-Borris121899, 1900, 1903, 1905, 1926, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1982, 198431931, 1943, 1962
4 Boherlahan-Dualla111915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1941, 199641914, 1930, 1953, 1995
5 Borris-Ileigh71949, 1950, 1953, 1981, 1983, 1986, 201971947, 1952, 1955, 1972, 1977, 1988, 2017
6 Roscrea61968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1980111936, 1945, 1954, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1985
7 Clonoulty-Rossmore41888, 1989, 1997, 201861927, 1928, 1951, 1998, 2010, 2011
7 Holycross-Ballycahill41948, 1951, 1954, 199031964, 1989, 1991
7Kilruane MacDonaghs41901 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985111901, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907,1944, 1959, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1986
10Tubberadora31895, 1896, 189841888, 1914, 1926, 1930
10 Loughmore-Castleiney31988, 2007, 201331983, 1987, 2014
12 Carrick Davins21966, 196731902, 1965, 1969
12Moneygall21975, 19760
14 Upperchurch-Drombane118940
14Suir View1189721895, 1896
14Horse and Jockey1189921897, 1898
14Ballytrasna119010
14Éire Óg Annacarthy1194321941, 2004
14Carrick Swans1194731935, 1946, 1950
14Moyne-Templetuohy119710
14Cappawhite119870
14Cashel King Cormacs1199141939, 1940, 1990, 1994
14Nenagh Éire Óg1199561993, 1999, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2018
14Mullinahone1200211997
14Drom-Inch1201142005, 2007, 2009, 2012
26Lorrha051905, 1948, 1956, 1966, 1984
26Mid Selection021919, 1924
26Killenaule021932, 1942
26Kiladangan022016,
2019
26Racecourse011910
26Tipperary O'Leary's011912
26North Tipperary011887
26Kilmoyler011923
26Glengoole011908
26Kickhams011949
26Na Piarsaigh011957
26Silvermines011974

Roll of honour

2019Borris-Ileigh 1-15Kiladangan 1-12
2018Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-23Nenagh Éire Óg 2-13
2017Thurles Sarsfields 1-24Borris-Ileigh 0-11
2016Thurles Sarsfields 0-27Kiladangan 1-15
2015Thurles Sarsfields 1-18Nenagh Éire Óg 3-11
2014Thurles Sarsfields 2-22Loughmore-Castleiney 3-11
2013Loughmore-Castleiney 1-17Nenagh Éire Óg 1-16
2012Thurles Sarsfields 1-21Drom-Inch 2-15
2011Drom-Inch 1-19Clonoulty-Rossmore 2-14
2010Thurles Sarsfields 1-16Clonoulty-Rossmore 1-07
2009Thurles Sarsfields 0-14Drom-Inch 0-05
2008Toomevara 2-14Thurles Sarsfields 0-17
2007Loughmore-Castleiney 0-22Drom-Inch 0-13
2006Toomevara 1-21Nenagh Éire Óg 2-14
2005Thurles Sarsfields 1-17Drom-Inch 0-15
2004Toomevara 4-12Éire Óg Annacarty/Golden-Kilfeacle 2-12
2003Toomevara 3-19Thurles Sarsfields 3-16
2002Mullinahone 0-14, 2-10 Thurles Sarsfields 0-14, 1-11
2001Toomevara 1-22Thurles Sarsfields 1-13
2000Toomevara 2-10Thurles Sarsfields 0-11
1999Toomevara 1-17Nenagh Éire Óg 0-13
1998Toomevara 0-16Clonoulty-Rossmore 1-10
1997Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-17Mullinahone 1-12
1996Boherlahan-Dualla 1-16Toomevara 2-12
1995Nenagh Éire Óg 2-25Boherlahan-Dualla 2-08
1994Toomevara 3-11Cashel King Cormacs 1-09
1993Toomevara 1-14Nenagh Éire Óg 1-13
1992Toomevara 0-11, 0-12 Thurles Sarsfields 1-08, 1-06
1991Cashel King Cormacs 2-08Holycross-Ballycahill 1-05
1990Holycross-Ballycahill 0-13Cashel King Cormacs 0-10
1989Clonoulty-Rossmore 1-11Holycross-Ballycahill 1-09
1988Loughmore-Castleiney 1-06, 2-07 Borris-Ileigh 0-09, 1-08
1987Cappawhite 1-17Loughmore-Castleiney 2-13
1986Borris-Ileigh 0-14Kilruane MacDonaghs 0-07
1985Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-11Roscrea 0-10
1984Moycarkey-Borris 2-08Lorrha 0-09
1983Borris-Ileigh 0-17Loughmore-Castleiney 1-11
1982Moycarkey-Borris 3-09, 2-12 Roscrea 1-15, 0-11
1981Borris-Ileigh 1-14Roscrea 0-12
1980Roscrea 3-11Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-13
1979Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-18Thurles Sarsfields 3-06
1978Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-14Roscrea 2-13
1977Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-08, 1-05 Borris-Ileigh 1-11, 0-05
1976Moneygall 1-09Roscrea 2-05
1975Moneygall 2-11, 3-13 Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-11, 0-05
1974Thurles Sarsfields 3-06Silvermines 1-10
1973Roscrea 3-14Kilruane MacDonaghs 3-08
1972Roscrea 5-08Borris-Ileigh 3-06
1971Moyne-Templetuohy 2-08Roscrea 0-06
1970Roscrea 3-11Thurles Sarsfields 2-12
1969Roscrea 4-13Carrick Davins 0-05
1968Roscrea 2-13Thurles Sarsfields 3-04
1967Carrick Davins 2-10Roscrea 2-07
1966Carrick Davins 2-12Lorrha 1-02
1965Thurles Sarsfields 2-07, 3-11 Carrick Davins 3-04, 2-07
1964Thurles Sarsfields 5-14Holycross-Ballycahill 1-04
1963Thurles Sarsfields 4-10Roscrea 2-10
1962Thurles Sarsfields 1-07Moycarkey-Borris 1-06
1961Thurles Sarsfields 3-04Toomevara 0-09
1960Toomevara 3-15Thurles Sarsfields 2-08
1959Thurles Sarsfields 3-12Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-06
1958Thurles Sarsfields 4-11Toomevara 3-03
1957Thurles Sarsfields 4-15Na Piarsaigh 4-04
1956Thurles Sarsfields 3-08Lorrha 1-04
1955Thurles Sarsfields 4-10Borris-Ileigh 0-06
1954Holycross-Ballycahill 6-05Roscrea 2-03
1953Borris-Ileigh 4-08Boherlahan 4-04
1952Thurles Sarsfields 5-06Borris-Ileigh 1-08
1951Holycross-Ballycahill 5-15Clonoulty 1-04
1950Borris-Ileigh 2-07Carrick Swans 2-03
1949Borris-Ileigh 4-06Kickhams 2-01
1948Holycross-Ballycahill 4-10Lorrha 2-04
1947Carrick Swans 5-04Borris-Ileigh 2-02
1946Thurles Sarsfields 4-05Carrick Swans 0-03
1945Thurles SarsfieldsRoscrea
1944Thurles Sarsfields 6-03Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-04
1943Éire Óg, Annacarty 4-03Moycarkey-Borris 2-04
1942Thurles Sarsfields 8-05Killenaule 0-01
1941Boherlahan 2-02Éire Óg, Annacarty 0-06
1940Moycarkey-Borris 4-07Cashel King Cormacs 4-02
1939Thurles Sarsfields 5-03Cashel King Cormacs 4-02
1938Thurles Sarsfields 7-07Kildangan 2-02
1937Moycarkey-Borris 7-06Cashel Kings Cormacs 6-02
1936Thurles Sarsfields 2-10Roscrea 0-03
1935Thurles Sarsfields 6-05Carrick Swans 0-02
1934Moycarkey-Borris 3-06Kildangan/Kilbarron 2-03
1933Moycarkey-Borris 1-07Borrisokane 1-00
1932Moycarkey-Borris 7-06Killenaule 5-01
1931Toomevara 5-04Moycarkey-Borris 2-00
1930Toomevara 5-05, 4-01 Boherlahan 6-02, 1-00
1929Thurles Sarsfields 4-03Toomevara 1-03
1928Boherlahan 5-04Clonoulty 2-02
1927Boherlahan 4-01Clonoulty 1-01
1926Moycarkey-Borris 6-04Boherlahan 4-02
1925Boherlahan 5-04Toomevara/Moycarkey-Borris 2-03
1924Boherlahan 8-03Mid Selection 1-00
1923Toomevara 5-04Kilmoyler 3-03
1922Boherlahan 5-01North Selection 2-03
1921
1920Boherlahan
1919Toomevara 3-00Mid Selection 1-05
1918Boherlahan 3-04 Toomevara 6-00
1917Boherlahan 2-02Toomevara 1-01
1916Boherlahan 2-02Toomevara 0-00
1915Boherlahan 4-04Thurles 1-02
1914Toomevara 5-02Boherlahan 3-01
1913Toomevara 2-03Cashel 0-00
1912Toomevara 6-04Tipperary O'Leary's 0-01
1911Thurles 4-05Toomevara 1-00
1910Toomevara Racecouse
1909Thurles 10-04Racecourse/Grangemockler 5-02
1908Thurles 2-06Glengoole 4-02
1907Thurles 3-13Lahorna De Wets 1-06
1906Thurles 4-11Lahorna De Wets 3-06
1905Two Mile Borris w/oLorrha scr.
1904Thurles w/oLahorna De Wets scr.
1903Two Mile BorrisLahorna De Wets
1902Lahorna De Wets 7-10Carrick 1-02
1901Ballytarsna 7-11Lahorna De Wets 0-01
1900Two Mile Borris w/oMoycarkey scr.
1899Horse & Jockey 3-06, 3-08 Two Mile Borris 2-05, 2-04
1898Tubberadora 3-07Horse & Jockey 1-04
1897Suir View 4-03Horse & Jockey 2-09
1896Tubberadora 4-08Suir View 2-02
1895Tubberadora 3-09Suir View 2-07
1894Drombane 4-04Thurles 0-00
1893Not played
1892Not played
1891Not played
1890ToomevaraNo records
1889Moycarkey 1-03Toomevara 1-00
1888Clonoulty 1-01Boherlahan 0-02
1887Thurles 0-03North Tipperary 0-00

Records and statistics

Final

Team

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:
Top ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:

Finals (1980-present)

FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
1980Francis Loughnane Roscrea1-0710
1981Noel O'Dwyer Borris-Ileigh0-088
1982John Flanagan Moycarkey-Borris0-077
1982John Flanagan Moycarkey-Borris1-058
1983Pat McGrath Loughmore-Castleiney0-088
1984John Flanagan Moycarkey-Borris1-036
1985Eamon O'Shea Kilruane MacDonagh's1-047
1986Philip Kenny Borris-Ileigh0-066
1987Pat McGrath Loughmore-Castleiney1-0811
1988Noel O'Dwyer Borris-Ileigh0-044
1988Noel O'Dwyer Borris-Ileigh0-044
1988Séamus Devaney Borris-Ileigh0-044
1989Kevin Ryan Clonoulty-Rossmore0-044
1989Stephen Dwan Holycross-Ballycahill0-044
1990Tommy Grogan Cashel King Cormacs0-066
1991Tommy Grogan Cashel King Cormacs1-047
1992Séamus Quinn Thurles Sarsfields1-025
1992Connie Maher Thurles Sarsfields1-058
1993Michael Cleary Nenagh Éire Óg0-099
1994Tommy Dunne Toomevara1-047
1995Michael Cleary Nenagh Éire Óg0-088
1996Kevin Kennedy Toomevara2-006
1996Philip O'Dwyer Boherlahen-Dualla1-036
1996Aodán Flanagan Boherlahen-Dualla0-066
1997Michael Kennedy Clonoulty-Rossmore0-077
1997John Leahy Mullinahone0-077
1998Michael Kennedy Clonoulty-Rossmore0-066
1999Tommy Dunne Toomevara1-0710
2000John O'Brien Toomevara2-028
2001John Enright Thurles Sarsfields1-0912
2002Eoin Kelly Mullinahone0-044
2002Eoin Kelly Mullinahone2-0713
2003Lar Corbett Thurles Sarsfields2-017
2004Paddy O'Brien Toomevara2-039
2005Séamus Butler Drom-Inch0-1111
2006John O'Brien Toomevara1-047
2007Evan Sweeney Loughmore-Castleiney0-099
2008John Enright Thurles Sarsfields0-1313
2009John Enright Thurles Sarsfields0-055
2010John O'Neill Loughmore-Castleiney1-014
2010Pa Bourke Thurles Sarsfields0-044
2011Timmy Hammersley Clonoulty-Rossmore0-066
2011Séamus Callanan Drom-Inch0-066
2012Aidan McCormack Thurles Sarsfields1-069
2012Johnny Ryan Drom-Inch0-099
2013Noel McGrath Loughmore-Castleiney0-077
2013Michael Heffernan Nenagh Éire Óg0-077
2014Pa Bourke Thurles Sarsfields1-036
2015Michael Heffernan Nenagh Éire Óg1-047
2016Pa Bourke Thurles Sarsfields0-099
2017Aidan McCormack Thurles Sarsfields0-099