2020 Joe McDonagh Cup

Last updated

2020 Joe McDonagh Cup
Dates25 October – 13 December 2020
Teams5
Champions Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim (1st title)
Conor McCann (captain)
Darren Gleeson (manager)
Runners-up Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry
Bryan Murphy (captain)
Fintan O'Connor (manager)
Tournament statistics
Matches played11
Goals scored37 (3.36 per match)
Points scored419 (38.09 per match)
Top scorer(s) Colours of Antrim.svg Ciarán Clarke (4-47)
2019 (Previous)(Next) 2021

The 2020 Joe McDonagh Cup was the third staging of the Joe McDonagh Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2018. [1] The competition was initially scheduled to begin on 10 May 2020 and end on 29 June 2020. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games, the first-round games were delayed until 25 October 2020.

Contents

Laois, the 2019 champions, were promoted to the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, while Offaly were relegated to the Christy Ring Cup. Meath and Carlow entered the cup.

On 13 December 2020, Antrim won the Joe McDonagh Cup after a 0–22 to 1–17 win over Kerry in the final at Croke Park. [2] It was their first ever title. [3] [4]

Team changes

To Championship

Relegated from the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Promoted from the Christy Ring Cup

From Championship

Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Relegated to the Christy Ring Cup

Teams

Five teams compete in the 2020 Joe McDonagh Cup. [5]

General Information

County Last Cup titleLast Provincial titleLast All-Ireland titlePosition in 2019 ChampionshipAppearance
Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim 2017 3rd3rd
Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow 2018 5th (Leinster Senior Hurling Championship)2nd
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 1891 1891 4th3rd
Colours of Meath.svg Meath Champions (Christy Ring Cup)2nd
Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath Runners-up3rd

Personnel and kits

County Manager Captain(s) Sponsor
Colours of Antrim.svg AntrimDarren Gleeson [6] Conor McCann fonaCAB
Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow Colm Bonnar Diarmuid Byrne
Richard Coady
IT Carlow
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry Fintan O'Connor Bryan Murphy Kerry Group
Colours of Meath.svg MeathNick WeirSeán Geraghty [7] Glenveagh Properties
Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath Joe Quaid [8] Aonghus Clarke [9] Renault

Competition format

Joe McDonagh Cup

Initially each of the five teams play the other four teams in a round of single round-robin matches. The top two teams qualify for the Joe McDonagh Cup final which is held at Croke Park.

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Normally the top two teams also enter the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship where they 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 senior hurling championship was shortened in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the cancellation of the participation of the two Joe McDonagh Cup finalists.

Promotion to Leinster or Munster SHC

The winner of the Joe McDonagh Cup can also be promoted to the following year's Leinster or Munster Senior Hurling championships, which form the first round of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. How this is achieved depends on the province to which the Cup champions belong.

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 (effectively, Kerry), they must win a play-off with the bottom-placed team in the Munster Championship to gain promotion at that teams expense to the following year's Munster Championship.

Relegation

The bottom-placed team in the Joe McDonagh Cup are usually relegated to the following year's Christy Ring Cup, and replaced by the 2020 Christy Ring Cup Champions. In 2021 the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship will be increased from five to six teams, meaning there will be no team relegated from the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2020. The 2020 Christy Ring Cup winners will be promoted to Maintain the Joe McDonagh Cup as a five team competition.

Group stage

Table

PosTeamPldWDLSFSADiffPtsQualification
1 Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim 431014-898-64+437Advance to Knockout Stage
2 Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 43017-754-67+166
3 Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath 42024-709-76-214
4 Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow 41126-839-80-63
5 Colours of Meath.svg Meath 40045-636-92-320

Round 1

25 October 2020Round 1 Antrim Colours of Antrim.svg 4-25 – 1-15 Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath Corrigan Park
C Clarke (2-8, 6f); C McCann (1-3); N McKenna, K Molloy (0-4 each); A O’Brien (1-0), G Walsh, E Campbell (0-2 each); D McMullan, S McCrory (0-1 each). Report B Murtagh (0-6f); Niall O’Brien (1-2); D Clinton (0-4); A Clarke, N Mitchell, S Williams (0-1 each).Referee: S Stack (Dublin)
25 October 2020Round 1 Kerry Colours of Kerry.svg 1-20 – 0-13 Colours of Meath.svg Meath Austin Stack Park
S Conway 0-9 (9f); S Nolan 1-2; M Boyle 0-4; M O'Leary 0-2; B Barrett, M Slattery, C Harty 0-1 each. Report P O'Hanrahan 0-8 (6f, 1 '65); J Regan 0-4; S Whitty 0-1.Referee: T Walsh (Waterford)

Round 2

31 October 2020Round 2 Westmeath Colours of Westmeath.svg 0-14 – 2-19 Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry TEG Cusack Park
B Murtagh 0-4 (3f), D Clinton 0-3, R Greville, A Devine, N O'Brien 0-2 each, D McNicholas 0-1. Report S Conway 1-12 (8f), S Nolan 1-0, P Boyle 0-3, C Harty 0-2, M O'Leary, M O'Connor 0-1 each.Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny)
31 October 2020Round 2 Carlow Colours of Carlow.svg 2-25 – 5-16 Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim Netwatch Cullen Park
M Kavanagh 0-7 (5f), C Nolan 0-5, E Byrne 1-2, J Kavanagh 0-4, JM Nolan 1-1, T Joyce, K McDonald 0-2 each, D Byrne, J Nolan 0-1. Report C Clarke 2-7 (1-0pen, 5f, 1 '65'), C McCann 1-1, N McKenna 0-3, D Nugent, J McNaughton 1-0 each, K Molloy 0-2, D McCloskey, P Burke, C Cunning 0-1 each.Referee: C McAllister (Cork)

Round 3

7 November 2020Round 3A Carlow Colours of Carlow.svg 1-22 – 1-21 Colours of Meath.svg Meath Netwatch Cullen Park
M Kavanagh (1-13), J Nolan (0-3), C Nolan (0-3), J Kavanagh (0-2), E Byrne (0-1). https://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/joe-mcdonagh-cup-carlow-edge-out-meath/ ReportJ Regan 0-6 (1’65, 5f), P O’Hanrahan 0-4 (3f), D Kelly 0-3, D Healy 1-0, K Keoghan 0-2, J Walsh 0-2, A Douglas 0-1, D McGowan 0-1, A Gannon 0-1, P Conneely 0-1.
14 November 2020Round 3B Antrim Colours of Antrim.svg 3-18 - 2-14 Kerry Corrigan Park
C McCann (2-3); C Clarke (0-9, 7f); M Bradley (1-2); K Molloy (0-3); D McCloskey (0-1). Report S Conway (1-7, 3f); D Collins (1-2); T O’Connor, S Nolan, B Barrett, M Boyle, P Boyle (0-1 each).Referee: P Murphy (Carlow)

Round 4

21 November 2020Round 4 Kerry Colours of Kerry.svg 2-22 - 1-23 Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow Tralee
S Conway (0-08, 0-03f, 0-01’65’), D Collins (2-01), M Boyle (0-04), M O’Leary (0-03), M O’Connor (0-02), M Leane (0-02), S Nolan (0-01), B Barrett (0-01). Report M Kavanagh (0-11, 0-11f), C Nolan (0-05), J Nolan (1-01), K McDonald (0-02), E Byrne (0-01), D Byrne (0-01), J Kavanagh (0-01), J Doyle (0-01).Stadium: Austin Stack Park
Attendance: 0
Referee: C McAllister (Cork)
21 November 2020Round 4 Meath Colours of Meath.svg 1-19 - 2-20 Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath Navan
13:30 GMTP O’Hanrahan (0-8, 8 frees), J Walsh (1-2), A Gannon (0-3), J Regan (2f) (0-3 each), S Morris, A Douglas, K Keoghan (0-1 each). Report A Clarke (0-9, 7 frees), L Loughlin, S Williams (1-0 each), C Boyle, J Boyle (0-3 each), N Mitchell (0-2), R Greville, D Clinton, A Cox (0-1 each).Stadium: Páirc Tailteann
Attendance: 0
Referee: R McGann (Clare)

Round 5

28 November 2020Round 5 Westmeath Colours of Westmeath.svg 1-21 - 2-13 Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow Mullingar
A Clarke 0-13 (0-6 frees, 0-2 65s), C Boyle 0-4, N Mitchell 1-0, J Galvin 0-1, S Williams 0-1, B Murtagh 0-1, L Loughlin 0-1 Report C Nolan 0-5 (0-2 frees), J Nolan 1-1, JM Nolan 1-0, K McDonald 0-4 (0-3 frees), J Kavanagh 0-2, E Byrne 0-1.Stadium: TEG Cusack Park
Attendance: 0
28 November 2020Round 5 Meath Colours of Meath.svg 3-10 - 2-30 Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim Navan
13:30 GMTJ Kelly 1-1, S Morris 1-0, D Healy 1-0 (1-0f), P O'Hanrahan 0-2 (0-1f, 0-1 65), A Douglas 0-2, J Walsh 0-1, P Potterton 0-1, K Keoghan 0-1, D Kelly 0-1 (0-1f), D McGowan 0-1. Report C Clarke 0-12 (0-10f), M Bradley 0-8, D McCloskey 1-0, N McKenna 1-0, C McCann 0-2, J McNaughton 0-2, N McKeague 0-2, E Campbell 0-1, R McGarry 0-1, D McMullan 0-1, D Nugent 0-1.Stadium: Páirc Tailteann
Attendance: 0
Referee: D Hughes (Kilkenny)

Final

13 December 2020Final Kerry Colours of Kerry.svg 1-17 - 0-22 Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim Dublin
13:00 GMTS Conway (0-9, 0-8 frees); M Boyle (1-0); M O’Leary, D Collins (0-2 each); P O’Connor, C Harty, P Boyle, B O’Leary (0-1 each). Report C Clarke (0-11, 0-8 frees); N McManus (0-4, 0-2 ‘65s, 0-1 free); N McKenna, C Gunning (0-2 each); J McNaughton, C McCann, M Bradley (0-1 each).Stadium: Croke Park
Attendance: 0
Referee: L Gordon (Galway)

Stadia and locations

ColoursLocationProvinceStadiumCapacity
Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim Belfast Ulster Corrigan Park 5,000
Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow Carlow Leinster Netwatch Cullen Park 21,000
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry Tralee Munster Austin Stack Park 12,000
Colours of Meath.svg Meath Navan Leinster Páirc Tailteann 17,000
Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath Mullingar Leinster Cusack Park 11,000

Statistics

Top scorers

Overall

RankPlayerClubTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1 Ciarán Clarke Antrim 4-4759511.80
2 Shane Conway Kerry 2-4551510.20
3 Martin Kavanagh Carlow 1-313448.50
4 Aonghus Clarke Westmeath 0-232345.75
5 Conor McCann Antrim 4-102255.40
Pádraig O'Hanrahan Meath 0-222245.50
6 Chris Nolan Carlow 0-181844.50
7 Daniel Collins Kerry 3-051443.50
Michael Bradley Antrim 1-111434.66
8 Jack Regan Meath 0-131334.33

In a single game

RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1 Martin Kavanagh Carlow 1-1316 Meath
2 Shane Conway Kerry 1-1215 Westmeath
3 Ciarán Clarke Antrim 2-0814 Westmeath
4 Ciarán Clarke Antrim 2-0713 Carlow
Aonghus Clarke Westmeath 0-1313 Carlow
5 Ciarán Clarke Antrim 0-1212 Meath
6 Martin Kavanagh Carlow 0-1111 Kerry
Ciarán Clarke Antrim 0-1111 Westmeath
7 Shane Conway Kerry 1-0710 Antrim
8 Conor McCann Antrim 2-039 Kerry
Ciarán Clarke Antrim 0-099 Kerry
Shane Conway Kerry 0-099 Meath
Aonghus Clarke Westmeath 0-099 Meath
Shane Conway Kerry 0-099 Antrim

Miscellaneous

Awards

In February 2021, the GAA named the 2020 Joe McDonagh Team of the Year. Conor McCann of Antrim was named as the 2020 Joe McDonagh Cup player of the year. [10] [11]

References

  1. Moran, Seán (30 September 2017). "GAA Congress approve round-robin provincial hurling championships". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  2. Cormican, Eoghan (13 December 2020). "Antrim see off Kerry to secure McDonagh Cup success at Croke Park". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  3. "Clarke points the way as Antrim celebrate Joe McDonagh Cup glory with win over Kerry". The 42. 13 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  4. "ANTRIM 0-22 KERRY 1-17". GAA.ie. 13 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  5. "McManus inspires Antrim". GAA. 30 June 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  6. Devlin, Michael (10 May 2019). "Guide to the Joe McDonagh Cup". GAA. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  7. "Meath hurlers unveil new sponsor". Archived from the original on 20 January 2020.
  8. O'Brien, Kevin (16 September 2019). "New era for Westmeath as Cooney and Quaid get the green light". Westmeath Independent. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  9. Casserly, Mark (24 January 2019). "Aonghus Clarke named senior hurling captain for 2019". Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  10. "Joe McDonagh and Champions 15 award winners announced". The 42. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  11. "Antrim lead the way on Joe McDonagh Team of the Year as Kilkenny duo vie for camogie award". Irish Independent. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.