All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

Last updated

All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
Founded1974
CountryFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Flag of England.svg  England
Level on pyramid2
Promotion to All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Most championships London (5 titles)
Website Official GAA site

The All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship was a second tier Hurling championship competition held annually between 1974 and 2004 for the so-called 'weaker' hurling teams in Ireland and organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is contested by those county teams knocked out in the first round of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and the winner is awarded the championship.

Contents

The series of games began every year immediately after the completion of the National Hurling League with the All-Ireland final being played in June or July, initially in Croke Park, Dublin but later in provincial venues around the country and in Britain. The championship was abolished in 2004 and these teams now play in the Joe McDonagh Cup which is the successor competition to the championship.

The title was won by 11 different teams, 6 of which won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are London, who won the competition 5 times. The history of the championship was bookended by victories for Kildare, winners of the first title in 1974 and the last in 2004.

History

Creation

Following ongoing one-sided matches in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship between counties of differing standards, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) began considering the addition of a tournament for so-called weaker senior counties who were usually eliminated in the early stages of their respective provincial championship. The GAA found broad support for the introduction of a second-tier championship and canvassed options for its potential structure and future inclusion within the annual calendar. [1] The championship was branded the Senior B championship and its inaugural season was 1974.

Second and third-tier competitions have already been incorporated in hurling for several years, such as the Intermediate and Junior championships.

Development

The championship remained knockout but the number of participating teams increased.

Team changes

12 county teams have participated in at least one edition of the championship.

Championship moments

Format

The championship was open to all hurling teams who did not take part in the proper All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. It was a knock-out competition whereby once a team lost they were eliminated from the championship.

Teams

2004 Championship

The championship was suspended after the completion of the 2004 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship. Three counties competed in 2004:

County LocationStadiumProvincePosition in 2003ChampionshipChampionship TitlesLast Championship Title
Colours of Kildare.svg Kildare Newbridge St Conleth's Park Leinster 4 2004
Colours of Mayo.svg Mayo Castlebar MacHale Park Connacht 0
Colours of Wicklow.svg Wicklow Aughrim Aughrim County Ground Leinster Champions1 2003

List of All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship counties

TeamTotal yearsFirst year in championshipMost recent year in championshipChampionship titlesLast championship titlePosition in 2023 championshipBest Senior B finishCurrent championshipLvl
Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim 1974
Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow 1974
Colours of Down.svg Down 1974
Colours of Kerry.svg Hertfordshire 1974
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 1974
Colours of Kildare.svg Kildare 1974
Colours of Laois.svg Laois 1976
Colours of London.svg London 1975
Colours of Meath.svg Meath 1974
Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon 1975
Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath 1974
Colours of Wicklow.svg Wicklow 1974

Team appearances (1974-1977)

#TeamNo.Years in championship
1Antrim41974, 1975, 1976, 1977
Carlow41974, 1975, 1976, 1977
3Kerry31974, 1975, 1976
Down31974, 1975, 1977
Meath31974, 1975, 1977
Wicklow31974, 1975, 1977
Roscommon31975, 1976, 1977
London31975, 1976, 1977
9Westmeath21974, 1975
Laois21976, 1977
11Hertfordshire11974
Kildare11974

Qualification for subsequent competitions

Qualification for the All-Ireland Championship

The Senior B winners qualify back into the subsequent All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship at the preliminary quarter-final stage. The Senior B champions plays a provincial winner at this stage.

All-Ireland record of Senior B teams

SeasonCountyRoundOpponentScore
1996 New YorkQuarter-finalsGalway4-22 - 0-08
2004 No All-Ireland path for Senior B champions

Roll of Honour

Performances in the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship by county
CountyTitle(s)Runners-UpYears wonYears runner-up
Colours of London.svg London 5161985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 19951975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
Colours of Kildare.svg Kildare 411974, 1980, 1989, 20041990
Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim 311978, 1981, 19821974
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 301976, 1983, 1986-
Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath 301975, 1984, 1991-
Colours of Laois.svg Laois 301977, 1979, 2002-
Colours of Wicklow.svg Wicklow 1220031995, 2002
Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow 1119921987
Colours of Meath.svg Meath 1119931985
Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon 1119942003
Colors of New York.svg New York 101996-
Colours of Down.svg Down 01-1988
Colours of Derry.svg Derry 01-1996
Colours of Mayo.svg Mayo 01-2004
Performances in the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship by province
ProvinceTitle(s)Runners-UpTotal
Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 13518
Flag of Britain.svg Britain 51621
Flag of Ulster.svg Ulster 336
Flag of Munster.svg Munster 303
Flag of Connacht.svg Connacht 123
Flag of United States.svg North America 101

List of finals

YearDateWinnersRunners-upVenueWinning margin
CountyScoreCountyScore
2005-Counties compete in the Christy Ring Cup
2004 24 July Kildare 3-14 Mayo 3-07 Croke Park 7
2003 Wicklow 4-16 Roscommon 2-13 Croke Park 9
2002 Laois 2-20 Wicklow 2-07 Semple Stadium 13
1997-2001No championship
1996 New York 4-16 Derry 0-1315
1995 London 2-07 Wicklow 0-08 O'Moore Park 5
1994 Roscommon 1-10 London 1-09 McGovern Park 1
1993 Meath 2-16 London 1-163
1992 Carlow 2-15 London 3-102
1991 Westmeath 2-12 London 2-066
1990 London 1-15 Kildare 5-021
1989 Kildare 2-06 London 1-072
1988 London 2-06 Down 1-072
1987 London 0-20 Carlow 1-152
1986 Kerry 3-10 London 1-097
1985 London 1-09 Meath 1-063
1984 Westmeath 4-10 London 1-163
1983 Kerry 2-08 London 1-074
1982 Antrim 2-16 London 2-142
1981 Antrim 3-17 London 3-143
1980 Kildare 2-20 London 2-146
1979 Laois 1-20 London 0-176
1978 Antrim 1-16 London 3-073
1977 Laois 3-21 London 2-0915
1976 Kerry 0-15 London 1-102
1975 22 June Westmeath 3-23 London 2-07 Croke Park 19
1974 23 June Kildare 1-26 Antrim 3-13 Croke Park 7

Team records and statistics

Team results

Legend

For each year, the number of counties (in brackets) are shown.

Team 1974 (9) 1975 (9) 1976 (6) 1977 (8) 1978 (5) 1979 (8)Total
Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim 2ndSFHFHF1stSF6
Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow FRQFSFFR4
Colours of Down.svg Down FRQFSFHF4
Colours of Kerry.svg Hertfordshire SF1
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry FRHF1stSF4
Colours of Kildare.svg Kildare 1stHF2
Colours of Laois.svg Laois QF1st1st3
Colours of London.svg London 2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd5
Colours of Meath.svg Meath QFSFFRSF4
Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon QFSFFRSFQF5
Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath SF1stQF3
Colours of Wicklow.svg Wicklow FRQFSFQF4

Teams

CountyWinsMost recent win
Antrim 3 1982
Carlow 1 1992
Kerry 3 1986
Kildare 4 2004
Laois 3 2002
London 5 1995
Meath 1 1993
New York 1 1996
Roscommon 1 1994
Westmeath 3 1991
Wicklow 1 2003

Performances by province

ProvinceTitle(s)Runners-UpLast Title (Year)Biggest Contributor (Titles
Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 135Kildare (2004)Kildare (4)
Flag of Britain.svg Britain 516London (1995) Colours of London.svg London (5)
Flag of Ulster.svg Ulster 33Antrim (1982)Antrim (3)
Flag of Munster.svg Munster 30Kerry (1986)Kerry (3)
Flag of Connacht.svg Connacht 12Roscommon (1994)Roscommon (1)
Flag of United States.svg North America 10New York (1996)New York (1)

See also

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References

  1. "Second Tier Championship format to be discussed in January". gaa.ie. 24 November 2018.