Cork Senior A Hurling Championship
| Cork Senior A Hurling Championship | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition: 2024 Cork Senior A Hurling Championship | |
| Irish | Craobh Iomána Sinsearach A Chorcaí |
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Region |  Cork (GAA) |
| Trophy | Jim Forbes Cup |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Title holders |  Glen Rovers (1st title) |
| Most titles | Multiple teams (1 titles) |
| Sponsors | Co-Op Superstores |
| Official website | Cork GAA |
The Cork Senior A Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Co-Op Superstores Cork Senior A Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Cork SAHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Associationfrom 2020 for the lower-ranking senior hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland. It is the second tier overall in the entire Cork hurling championship system.
In its current format, the Cork Senior A Championship begins in early autumn. The 12 participating club teams are drawn into three groups of four teams and play each other in a round-robin system. The three group winners and the three runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The winning team is presented with the Jim Forbes Cup.
Glen Rovers are the reigning champions, having beaten Blarney by 3-17 to 1-13 in the 2024 final.
History
[edit]Development
[edit]On 26 March 2019, three championship proposals were circulated to Cork club delegates after an expensive review process of the entire Cork championship system. A core element running through all three proposals, put together by the Cork GAA games workgroup, was that there be a group stage of 12 teams, as well as straight relegation and promotion.[1] On 2 April 2019, a majority of 136 club delegates voted for Option A which provided for one round of games played in April and two more in August – all with inter-county players available.[2] The decision meant that, for the first time since 1887, the top tier of Cork football was going to be split in two into the Cork Premier Senior Championship and the Cork Senior A Championship.
Beginnings
[edit]The inaugural championship was scheduled to begin in April 2020, however, it was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic in Ireland.[3] When the championship resumed, time constraints led to a revision of the format, with the play-offs for the second best and third best third placed teams being abolished. The knockout stage was further reduced, with the two best-ranking teams from the group stage receiving byes to the semi-finals and the other four qualifying teams contesting two lone quarter-finals. The very first match eventually took place on 31 July 2020, with Fr. O'Neill's claiming a 3-16 to 0-18 victory over Kilworth. Declan Dalton scored the very first championship point before Billy Dunne scored the championship's first ever goal.[4] Kilworth became the first team to be relegated when they lost the 2020 relegation playoff to Killeagh.[5]
Regular format
[edit]Group stage
[edit]The 12 teams are divided into three groups of four. Over the course of the group stage, which features one game in April and two games in August, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least three games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the group stage table by points gained, then scoring difference and then their head-to-head record. The top two teams in each group qualify for the knock-out stage.
Knockout stage
[edit]Following the completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each group are ranked (1-6) in terms of points accumulated and scoring difference. The two top-ranking teams receive byes to separate semi-finals.
- Quarter-finals: Teams designated 3-6 contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.
- Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and teams designated 1-2 contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the final.
- Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.
Promotion and relegation
[edit]At the end of the championship, the winning team is automatically promoted to the Cork Premier Senior Championship for the following season. The three bottom-placed teams from the group stage take part in a series of play-offs, with the losing team being relegated to the Cork Premier Intermediate Championship.
Teams
[edit]2025 Teams
[edit]The 12 teams competing in the 2025 Cork Senior A Hurling Championship are:
| Team | Location | Division | Colours | Position in 2024 | In championship since | Championship titles (PSHC) | Last championship title (PSHC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ballyhea
|
Ballyhea | Avondhu | Black and white | Group stage | 2021 | 1 | 1896 |
 Bishopstown
|
Bishopstown | Seandún | Maroon and white | Group stage (Cork PSHC) | 2025 | 0 | — |
| Blarney
|
Blarney | Muskerry | Red and white | Runners-up | 2021 | 0 | — |
 Bride Rovers
|
Rathcormac | Imokilly | Green, white and yellow | Semi-finals | 2020 | 0 | — |
 Carrigtwohill
|
Carrigtwohill | Imokilly | Blue and gold | Relegation playoff winners | 2022 | 2 | 2011 |
 Castlelyons
|
Castlelyons | Imokilly | Green and gold | Semi-finals | 2024 | 0 | — |
| Courcey Rovers
|
Ballinspittle, Ballinadee | Carrigdhoun | Red and white | Group stage | 2022 | 0 | — |
 Fermoy
|
Fermoy | Avondhu | Black and yellow | Group stage | 2020 | 0 | — |
 Inniscarra
|
Inniscarra | Muskerry | Blue and white | Group stage | 2023 | 0 | — |
 Killeagh
|
Killeagh | Imokilly | Green and white | Quarter-finals | 2020 | 0 | — |
| Na Piarsaigh
|
Fair Hill | Seandún | Black and amber | Quarter-finals | 2023 | 3 | 2004 |
| Watergrasshill
|
Watergrasshill | Imokilly | Red and white | Champions (Cork PIHC) | 2025 | 0 | — |
Sponsorship
[edit]Co-Op Superstores were unveiled as the title sponsor for all of Cork GAA's hurling championships in July 2020.[6]
Venues
[edit]Group stage
[edit]
Fixtures in the group stage 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 Mallow GAA Complex, Páirc Uí Chonaill, Ballincollig Sportsfield and Coachford Pitch.
Final
[edit]The inaugural final in 2020 was played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Managers
[edit]Managers in the Cork Senior A 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.
| Manager(s) | Team | Wins | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Gough | Charleville | 1 | 2020 |
| Tom Walsh | Kanturk | 1 | 2021 |
| Dave Colbert Bryan Sweeney |
Fr O'Neill's | 1 | 2022 |
| Charlie Wilson | Newcestown | 1 | 2023 |
| Tomás Mulcahy | Glen Rovers | 1 | 2024 |
Trophy and medals
[edit]The Jim Forbes Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It was commissioned to honour Jim Forbes who served in a number of administrative roles with the Cork County Board, including as chairman from 2003 to 2005.[7] The cup was presented to the County Board by the Carrigdhoun division shortly before the 2020 final.[8]
In accordance with GAA rules, the County Board awards a set of gold medals to the championship winners. The medals depict a stylised version of the Cork GAA crest.
List of Finals
[edit]| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Captain(s) | Venue | # | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Score | Club | Score | ||||
| 2024 | Glen Rovers | 3-17 | Blarney | 1-16 | Dean Brosnan | SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh | [9] |
| 2023 | Newcestown | 3-17 | Blarney | 0-24 | Eoghan Collins | Páirc Uí Chaoimh | [10] |
| 2022 | Fr. O'Neill's | 0-20 | Courcey Rovers | 2-12 | Kevin O'Sullivan Robert Cullinane |
Páirc Uí Chaoimh | [11] |
| 2021 | Kanturk | 3-17 | Fr. O'Neill's | 2-13 | Darren Browne | Páirc Uí Chaoimh | [12] |
| 2020 | Charleville | 1-23 | Fr. O'Neill's | 4-13 | Alan Dennehy | Páirc Uí Chaoimh | [13] |
Notes
[edit]- 2023 - The first match ended in a draw: Newcestown 0-19, Blarney 1-16.[14]
Roll of honour
[edit]By club
[edit]| # | Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning years | Losing years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Fr. O'Neill's
|
1 | 2 | 2022 | 2020, 2021 |
| Charleville
|
1 | 0 | 2020 | — | |
| Kanturk
|
1 | 0 | 2021 | — | |
 Newcestown
|
1 | 0 | 2023 | — | |
| Glen Rovers
|
1 | 0 | 2024 | — | |
| 6 | Courcey Rovers
|
0 | 1 | — | 2022 |
| Blarney
|
0 | 2 | — | 2023, 2024 |
By division
[edit]| Division | Titles | Runners-up | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imokilly
|
1 | 2 | 3 |
| Avondhu
|
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Carbery
|
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Duhallow
|
1 | 0 | 1 |
| Seandun
|
1 | 0 | 1 |
| Muskerry
|
0 | 2 | 2 |
| Carrigdhoun
|
0 | 1 | 1 |
Records and statistics
[edit]Seasons in championship
[edit]The number of years that each county has played in the Senior A Championship between 2020 and 2024. A total of 20 clubs have competed in at least one season of the championship. 4 clubs have participated in the most seasons. The clubs in bold participate in the 2024 Cork Senior A Hurling Championship.
| Years | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 5 | Bride Rovers, Cloyne, Fermoy, Killeagh |
| 4 | Ballyhea, Blarney, Mallow, Newcestown |
| 3 | Ballymartle, Carrigtwohill, Courcey Rovers, Fr. O'Neill's |
| 2 | Bandon, Inniscarra, Kanturk, Na Piarsaigh |
| 1 | Castlelyons, Charleville, Glen Rovers, Kilworth |
Top scorers
[edit]All time
[edit]- As of match played 20 October 2024.
| Rank | Player | Club | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Declan Dalton | Fr O'Neill's | 11-115 | 148 | 13 | 11.38 |
| 2 | Shane Barrett | Blarney | 2-125 | 137 | 20 | 6.85 |
| 3 | Pa O'Callaghan | Ballyhea | 6-100 | 118 | 12 | 9.07 |
| 4 | Eoghan Keniry | Killeagh | 4-96 | 108 | 14 | 7.71 |
| 5 | Brian O'Shea | Cloyne | 3-93 | 102 | 17 | 6.00 |
| 6 | Eddie Kenneally | Newcestown | 6-83 | 101 | 16 | 6.31 |
| 7 | Richard Sweetnam | Courcey Rovers | 0-95 | 95 | 12 | 7.91 |
| 8 | Mark Coleman | Blarney | 2-88 | 94 | 18 | 5.22 |
| 9 | Seán Walsh | Carrigtwohill | 6-71 | 89 | 11 | 8.09 |
| 10 | Adam Walsh | Bride Rovers | 2-74 | 80 | 12 | 6.66 |
| 11 | William Finnegan | Bride Rovers | 0-79 | 79 | 15 | 5.26 |
| 12 | Darren McCarthy | Ballymartle | 4-62 | 74 | 10 | 7.40 |
| 13 | Billy Dunne | Fr. O'Neill's | 11-36 | 69 | 14 | 4.92 |
By year
[edit]| Year | Top scorer | Team | Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Darragh Fitzgibbon | Charleville | 2-51 | 57 |
| 2021 | Mark Coleman | Blarney | 1-38 | 41 |
| 2022 | Declan Dalton | Fr. O'Neill's | 1-50 | 53 |
| 2023 | Shane Barrett | Blarney | 1-69 | 72 |
| 2024 | Alan Fenton | Castlelyons | 2-46 | 52 |
In a single game
[edit]| Year | Top scorer | Team | Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Eoghan Keniry | Killeagh | 1-12 | 15 |
| 2021 | Declan Dalton | Fr. O'Neill's | 1-14 | 17 |
| 2022 | Pa O'Callaghan | Ballyhea | 2-10 | 16 |
| 2023 | Pa O'Callaghan | Ballyhea | 1-14 | 17 |
| 2024 | Patrick Horgan | Glen Rovers | 2-09 | 15 |
In finals
[edit]| Year | Top scorer | Team | Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Darragh Fitzgibbon | Charleville | 1-08 | 11 |
| 2021 | Colin Walsh | Kanturk | 3-01 | 10 |
| 2022 | Declan Dalton | Fr. O'Neill's | 0-07 | 7 |
| 2023 | Eddie Kenneally | Newcestown | 1-06 | 9 |
| Shane Barrett | Blarney | 0-09 | 9 | |
| 2024 | Patrick Horgan | Glen Rovers | 2-06 | 12 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Cormican, Eoghan (26 March 2019). "Here's a breakdown of the proposals to restructure the Cork county championships". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "Cork clubs vote down radical restructuring proposals". RTÉ Sport. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "Cork GAA Statement 18/03/2020". Cork GAA website. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ O'Callaghan, Therese (31 July 2020). "Cork hurling: Fr O'Neill's big guns fire against Kilworth despite a red card". The Echo. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ Bohane, John (27 September 2020). "Killeagh preserve senior status to send Kilworth down". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ O'Connor, Colm (27 July 2020). "Cork GAA ink hurling sponsorship deal with Dairygold Co-Op Superstores". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ Leen, Tony (16 September 2016). "OBITUARY: Former chairman of Cork GAA, and PRO for Cork and Munster GAA Jim Forbes". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Jim Forbes Cup". Cork GAA. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ Coleman, John (20 October 2024). "Glen Rovers overcome Blarney to make swift return to top-tier of Cork hurling". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ Mangan, Dylan (28 October 2023). "Newcestown win Senior A hurling championship". The Southern Star. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ "Fr O'Neills heading for Premier Senior after win over Courcey Rovers".
- ^ "Colin Walsh fires Kanturk to county senior A hurling glory with hat-trick". Echo Live. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ O'Callaghan, Therese (4 October 2020). "Epic turnaround takes Charleville back to top tier". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ Hurley, Denis (22 October 2023). "SAHC final: Padraig Power's late leveller earns draw for Blarney against Newcestown". Echo Live. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
