Down Senior Hurling Championship

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 club hurling competition organised by the Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking senior clubs in the county of Down in Ireland, deciding the competition winners through a group and knockout format. It is the most prestigious competition in Down hurling.

Down Senior Hurling Championship
Current season or competition:
2021 Down Senior Hurling Championship
IrishCraobh Iomána Sinsearach an Dún
CodeHurling
Founded1903 (1903)
Region Down (GAA)
TrophyJeremiah McVeagh Cup
No. of teams4
Title holders Ballycran (27th title)
Most titles Ballycran (27 titles)
SponsorsMorgan Fuels
Official websiteDown GAA

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, the four club teams play each other in a double round-robin system. The top two teams proceed to the final match. The winner of the Down Senior Championship, as well as being presented with the Jeremiah McVeagh Cup, qualifies for the subsequent Ulster Club Championship.

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. Ballycran are the reigning champions, having beaten Portaferry by 2-25 to 3-21 after extra time in the 2021 Down Senior Hurling Championship.[1] No team outside Ballycran, Portaferry and Ballygalget have won the title since Kilclief's 23rd triumph in 1956.

History

Faugh-a-Ballagh won the inaugural Down hurling championship in 1903.

Trophy and medals
James McVeagh (right), pictured in 1898.

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.

Winners listed by club
Team Wins Winning Years
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
3 Ballygalget 21 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1982, 1983, 1990, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017
Portaferry 21 1926, 1929, 1938, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2020
4 Ballela 7 1936, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1951, 1952
5 Faugh-a-Ballagh 6 1903, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1930
6 Clann na Boirce 2 1905, 1906
Liatroim Fontenoys 2 1927, 1928
Clann Uladh 2 1934, 1946
7 Ballyvarley 1 1910

Finals listed by year
Year Winner Score Opponent Score
2021 Ballycran 2-25 Portaferry 3-20
2020 Portaferry 2-18, 0-15 (R) Ballycran 2-18, 0-13 (R)
2019[3] Ballycran 1–20 Portaferry 1–13
2018[4] Ballycran 2–13 Portaferry 1–14
2017[5] Ballygalget 2–13 Portaferry 2–12
2016[6] Ballygalget 0-06 Ballycran 0-02
2015[7] Ballycran 1–15 Ballygalget 0–16
2014[8] Portaferry 1–12 Ballycran 1–11
2013[9] Ballygalget 1–18 Portaferry 1–11
2012[10] Portaferry 3-08 Ballycran 0–11
2011 Ballycran 1–11 Portaferry 0–13
2010 Ballygalget 3–19 Ballycran 1–13
2009 Ballycran 1–14 Ballygalget 0–12
2008 Ballygalget 2–13 Portaferry 0-08
2007 Ballycran 1–13 Ballygalget 0-09
2006 Portaferry 1–15 Ballycran 0–14
2005 Ballygalget 3–14 Ballycran 0–15
2004 Ballygalget 1–12 Portaferry 1-06
2003 Ballygalget 0–17 Portaferry 1–10
2002 Portaferry 0–14 Ballygalget 3-04
2001 Portaferry Ballycran
2000 Portaferry Ballygalget
1999 Ballygalget Portaferry
1998 Ballygalget Portaferry
1997 Ballygalget Portaferry
1996 Portaferry Ballygalget
1995 Ballycran Ballygalget
1994 Ballycran Ballygalget
1993 Ballycran Ballygalget
1992 Ballygalget Ballycran
1991 Portaferry Ballycran
1990 Ballygalget Ballycran
1989 Portaferry Ballycran
1988 Portaferry Ballycran
1987 Ballycran Ballygalget
1986 Ballycran 3–06 Portaferry 1–11
1985 Ballycran
1984 Ballycran Ballygalget
1983 Ballygalget
1982 Ballygalget
1981 Portaferry
1980 Ballycran
1979 Ballycran
1978 Portaferry Ballygalget
1977 Ballycran Ballygalget
1976 Ballycran
1975 Ballygalget
1974 Ballycran
1973 Ballygalget
1972 Ballycran
1971 Portaferry
1970 Ballygalget
1969 Portaferry
1968 Portaferry
1967 Ballycran
1966 Ballygalget
1965 Portaferry
1964 Ballygalget
1963 Portaferry
1962 Final abandoned
1961 Ballycran
1960 Ballycran
1959 Ballygalget
1958 Ballycran
1957 Ballycran
1956 Kilclief
1955 Kilclief
1954 Kilclief
1953 Ballycran
1952 Ballela
1951 Ballela
1950
1949 Ballycran
1948 Ballela
1947 Kilclief
1946 Clann Uladh
1945 Kilclief
1944 Kilclief
1943 Kilclief
1942 Kilclief
1941 Ballela
1940 Ballela
1939 Kilclief
1938 Portaferry
1937 Ballela
1936 Ballela
1935 Kilclief
1934 Clann Uladh
1933 Kilclief
1932 Kilclief
1931 Kilclief
1930 Faugh-a-Ballagh
1929 Portaferry
1928 Liatroim Fontenoys
1927 Liatroim Fontenoys
1926 Portaferry
1925 Kilclief
1924 Kilclief
1923 No Championship
1922 No Championship
1921 No Championship
1920 Kilclief
1919 Kilclief
1918 Kilclief
1917 Kilclief
1916 Kilclief
1915 Kilclief
1914 Kilclief
1913 Kilclief
1912 Kilclief
1911 No Championship
1910 Ballyvarley
1909 Faugh-a-Ballagh
1908 Faugh-a-Ballagh
1907 Faugh-a-Ballagh
1906 Clann na Boirce
1905 Clann na Boirce
1904 Faugh-a-Ballagh
1903 Faugh-a-Ballagh

Records and statistics

Team
  • 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)

By decade

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

Longest gaps between successive championship titles:

  • 25 years: Portaferry (1938-1963)
  • 21 years: Faugh-a-Ballagh (1909-1930)
  • 12 years: Clann Uladh (1934-1946)

References
  1. 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.
  2. "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.
  3. "Down SHC final: Ballycran retain title with seven-point win". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  4. "Woods brace earns crown". Irish Independent. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  5. "Down SHC final: Coulter inspires 'Galget". Hogan Stand. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  6. "McManus weathers the storm". Irish Independent. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  7. "Ballycran seal title with late flurry". Irish Independent. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  8. "Down SHC final: 14-man Portaferry hold on". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  9. "Down SHC final: Johnson 'magic' downs Portaferry". Hogan Stand. Lynn Group Media. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  10. "Down SHC: 'Ferry goals see them to title success". Hogan Stand. Lynn Group Media. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
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