Connacht Colleges Senior Hurling Championship

Last updated

Connacht GAA PPS Senior A Hurling Championship
Irish Craobh Chonnacht
Code Hurling
Founded1938;86 years ago (1938)
Region Connacht (GAA)
TrophyJohn Ryan Cup
No. of teams5
Title holders Colours of Mayo.svg St Raphael's College (9th title)
First winner Colours of Cork.svg Roscommon CBS
Most titles Colours of Down.svg St Mary's College (25 titles)
SponsorsMezzino
Official website Official website

The Connacht GAA Post-Primary Schools Senior A Hurling Championship is an annual inter-schools hurling competition organised by the Connacht Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association. It is the highest inter-schools hurling competition in the province of Connacht, and has been contested every year, except on two occasions, since 1938.

Contents

The final, usually held in February, serves as the culmination of a round robin and knockout series of games played between October and January. Eligible players must be under the age of 19.

The Connacht Colleges Championship is an integral part of the wider All-Ireland Colleges Championship. The winners and runners-up of the Connacht final, like their counterparts in the Munster and Leinster Championships, advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals or semi-finals.

The title has been won at least once by 14 different schools, 8 of which have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are St Mary's College, who have won the competition 25 times.

St Raphael's College are the current (2024) champions. [1]

History

While hurling championships for schools in Leinster and Munster had been organised since 1918, it would be another 20 years before a similar competition was established in Connacht. [2] Participation was limited to voluntary secondary schools. Roscommon CBS were the winners of the inaugural championship and claimed a second consecutive title in 1939. [3] They remain the only County Roscommon school to have won the title, as County Galway schools have claimed every available title since then.

St Mary's College dominated the early years of the championship, winning 20 of their titles between 1940 and 1967. Presentation College, Athenry and Our Ladys College, Gort shared nine titles during the 1970s, before st Joseph's College, Garbally emerged as a new force in the 1980s. St Raphael's College, Loughrea won five titles throughout the nineties, while they also became the first Connacht team to win the Dr Croke Cup. [4] Gort Community School dominated the championship at the turn of the century, winning all ten of their titles in a 12-year period between 1999 and 2010. Mercy Colleges, a team made up of players from St Raphael's, Loughrea and Mercy College, Woodford, became the first amalgamation to win the title in 2013. [5] Since then, Presentation College, Athenry have emerged to become the dominant force. [6]

Current format

Participating teams

The following five teams participated in the 2023 championship:

TeamLocationColours
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir Claregalway Blue and white
Gort Community School Gort Black and white
Presentation College Athenry Maroon and white
St Brigid's College Loughrea Blue and navy
St Raphael's College Loughrea Green and red

Championship

The championship begins with a group stage of five teams. Each team meets the others in the group once in a round-robin format. The first-ranked team automatically qualifies for the final. The second and third-ranked teams play off in a lone semi-final.

Qualification for the All-Ireland Championship

As of 2014, the winners and runners up of the Connacht Championship qualify for the All-Ireland Colleges Championship. The runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals, while on some occasions the champions receive a bye to the semi-final stage (however, this is done in rotation with the Munster and Leinster champions).

Sponsorship

Mezzino Student Accommodation became the title sponsor of the championship for a five-year period in September 2020. [7]

Trophy and medals

The John Ryan Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It is named in honour of John Ryan who won a colleges title with Presentation College, Athenry in 1976 before being part of the Galway team that won the All-Ireland SHC title in 1980. [8] [9] The cup is held by the winning team until the following year's final. In accordance with GAA rules, the Connacht Council awards a set of gold medals to the championship winners.

Roll of honour

#TeamWonYears won
1 St Mary's College 251940, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1979,
1988, 1989, 1990, 1994
2 Presentation College, Athenry 131970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
3Our Lady's College, Gort101969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1993
4Gort Community School91999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
St Raphael's College 81991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2020, 2023
6 St Joseph's College, Garbally 71959, 1968, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987
7Roscommon CBS21938, 1939
St Molaise's College, Portumna21961, 1962
9De La Salle, Loughrea11948
St Joseph's Patrician College 11958
Mercy College, Woodford12002
Portumna Community School12012
Mercy Colleges12013
St Brigid's College, Loughrea12017

List of finals

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upScore
1980 Garbally College 1-07Portumna College0-06
1981Our Lady's College2-13Portumna College0-02
1982 Garbally College 2-07Our Lady's College0-03
1983 Garbally College 6-12 Presentation College 0-02
1984Our Lady's College3-04 Garbally College 1-08
1985 Garbally College 2-09Our Lady's College1-07
1986 Garbally College 2-03 Presentation College 1-04
1987 Garbally College 2-08 St Mary's College 0-05
1988 St Mary's College 0-08Portumna Community School0-07
1989 St Mary's College 1-07 Garbally College 1-05
1990 St Mary's College 0-09 St Raphael's College 0-06
1991 St Raphael's College 2-07 St Mary's College 0-10
1992 St Raphael's College 2-12Portumna Community School1-04
1993Our Lady's College1-08 Garbally College 1-06
1994 St Mary's College 1-12 St Raphael's College 3-02
1995 St Raphael's College 5-13Portumna Community School1-09
1996 St Raphael's College 4-05Portumna Community School1-06
1997 St Raphael's College 1-12 Presentation College 1-06
1998 St Raphael's College 1-12 Presentation College 0-07
1999 Gort Community School 0-13 St Mary's College 1-05
2000 Gort Community School 2-19 St Raphael's College 0-08
2001 Gort Community School 3-18 St Raphael's College 0-04
2002Mercy College1-12 Gort Community School 0-08
2003 Gort Community School 3-09 St Raphael's College 0-04
2004 St Raphael's College 3-12Portumna Community School2-11
2005 Gort Community School 6-03Galway City Colleges2-12
2006 Gort Community School 2-16Portumna Community School0-13
2007 Gort Community School 2-15Portumna Community School0-04
2008 Gort Community School 2-16Mercy Colleges0-15
2009 Gort Community School 2-14Portumna Community School0-08
2010 Presentation College 1-13 Gort Community School 2-09
2011 Presentation College 4-08Mercy Colleges1-07
2012Portumna Community School2-10Mercy Colleges0-12
2013Mercy Colleges0-14 Presentation College 0-09 [10]
2014 Presentation College 1-16St Brigid's College0-16 [11]
2015 Presentation College 0-15St Brigid's College0-06 [12]
2016 Presentation College 2-17Gort Community School1-16 [13]
2017St Brigid's College1-12 Presentation College 0-14 [14]
2018 Presentation College 2-19Gort Community School1-08 [15]
2019 Presentation College 1-14Gort Community School0-10 [16]
2020 St Raphael's College 1-10 Presentation College 0-09 [17]
2021 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [18]
2022 Presentation College 1-12 St. Raphael's College 1-09 [19]
2023 Presentation College 0-19 St. Raphael's College 2-10 [20]
2024 St. Raphael's College 0-14 Presentation College 0-12

Notes:

Records and statistics

Final

Teams

By decade

The most successful college of each decade, judged by number of championship titles, is as follows:

Gaps

Longest gaps between successive championship titles:

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References

  1. ↑ "Raphaels crowned Connacht PPS Senior A Hurling Champions – Commentary and Reaction". Galway Bay FM website. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  2. ↑ "CBC Power into first Harty Cup final in 101 years". Irish Independent. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "A brief history". Roscommon GAA website. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "St. Raphael's boys make a little piece of hurling history". Connacht Tribune. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "Big double bill of schools hurling is down for decision". Connacht Tribune. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "Athenry's Finn knows what his side are capable of". Hogan Stand. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  7. ↑ "Connacht GAA strikes sponsorship deal with Mezzino Student Accommodation". Connaught Telegraph. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "The late John Ryan". Hogan Stand website. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "The men who changed the face of Galway hurling". Irish Independent. 7 September 2005. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Caulfield and Flynn come up trumps in colleges showdown". Connacht Tribune. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Hardiman's goal proves the difference as Athenry hold on". Irish Independent. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "Presentation College, Athenry retain the John Ryan Cup in impressive style". Connacht Tribune. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "Galway All-Ireland winner Niland hits 0-12 as Athenry win Connacht senior hurling title". The 42. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  14. ↑ "McGlynn snatches schools hurling glory for St Brigid's". Connacht Tribune. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "Great win for Presentation College Athenry in Connacht A Hurling Final". Athenry GAA website. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "Kennedy in top form as Presentation Athenry easily retain A title". Connacht Tribune. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  17. ↑ "Connacht Final 2020". St Raphael's GAA website. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  18. ↑ "Connacht GAA makes big decision on upcoming fixtures". Western People. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  19. ↑ "HURLING: Presentation College Athenry 1-12 Gort Community School 1-9 (Connacht PPS SHC Final Match Report with Galway Bay FM's Sean Walsh)". Galway Bay FM website. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  20. ↑ "HURLING: Presentation Athenry 0-19 St. Raphael's Loughrea 2-10 (Connacht PPS Senior A Final Report & Reaction)". Galway Bay FM website. 5 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
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