Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship


The Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the five champion junior clubs and one champion intermediate club in the province of Munster in Ireland. It is the most prestigious competition for junior clubs in Munster hurling.
The Munster Intermediate Club Championship was introduced in 2001. In its current format, the championship begins in late October or early November and is usually played over a four-week period. The six participating club teams compete in a straight knockout competition that culminates with the Munster final for the two remaining teams. The winner of the Munster Intermediate Championship, as well as being presented with the Rody Nealon Cup, qualifies for the subsequent All-Ireland Club Championship.
The competition has been won by 19 teams, however, no team has ever won the championship on more than one occasion. Cork clubs have accumulated the highest number of victories with 13 wins. Russell Rovers are the reigning champions, having beaten St. Mary'st by 2-13 to 0-10 in the 2019 final.

The championship

Overview

The Munster Championship is a single elimination tournament. Each team is afforded only one defeat before being eliminated from the championship. Pairings for matches are drawn at random and there is no seeding.
Each match is played as a single leg. If a match is drawn there is a period of extra time, however, if both sides are still level at the end of extra time a replay takes place and so on until a winner is found.

Qualification

CountyChampionshipQualifying team
ClareClare Junior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
CorkCork Junior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
KerryKerry Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipChampions
LimerickLimerick Junior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
TipperaryTipperary Junior A Hurling ChampionshipChampions
WaterfordWaterford Junior Hurling ChampionshipChampions

Format

Quarter-final: Four teams contest this round. The two winning teams advances directly to the semi-final stage. The two losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Semi-finals: Four teams contest this round. The two winning teams advance directly to the final. The two losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Final: The final is contested by the two semi-final winners.

Trophy and medals

At the end of the Munster final, the winning team is presented with a trophy. The Rody Nealon Cup is held by the winning team until the following year's final. Traditionally, the presentation is made at a special rostrum in the stand where GAA and other dignitaries and special guests view the match.
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.
The cup is named after Rody Nealon. He was an All-Ireland medal winner with Tipperary in 1925 before later serving as chairman and secretary of the Burgess club at different times, while he was also a member of the Tipperary County Board and the Munster Council.
In accordance with GAA rules, the Munster Council awards a set of 24 gold medals to the winners of the Munster final.

Sponsorship

Since 2001, the Munster Championship has been sponsored. The sponsor has usually been able to determine the championship's sponsorship name.
PeriodSponsorName
2001-present Allied Irish BankThe AIB Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship

Roll of honour

General performance

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upScoreVenue
2001 Courcey Rovers Ardmore
2002 Ballinhassig3-07 Ballinahinch2-08
2003 Newmarket-on-Fergus3-10 Dromina1-10
2004 Ballygarvan0-16 Tramore1-05Páirc Mac Gearailt
2005 Fr. O'Neill's1-12 Knockshegowna0-07Gaelic Grounds
2006 Kilworth4-16 Knockshegowna1-07Meelick
2007 Moyle Rovers3-10 Barryroe0-09Páirc Mac Gearailt
2008 Dripsey2-11 Kilgarvan1-03Mallow GAA Complex
2009 Blackrock1-12 Fermoy0-14Mallow GAA Complex
2010 Meelin5-18 St. Patrick's0-09Mallow GAA Complex
2011 Charleville3-15 Cappamore2-08Mallow GAA Complex
2012 Kildorrery1-11 St. Kieran's0-12Mallow GAA Complex
2013 Ballysaggart3-12 Feenagh-Kilmeedy0-15Mallow GAA Complex
2014 Modeligo5-12 Castlemartyr0-14Mallow GAA Complex
2015 Dungourney1-17 Fenor0-08Mallow GAA Complex
2016 Mayfield2-18 Ballyduff Lower3-10Mallow GAA Complex
2017 Ardmore3-11 Ballybacon-Grange2-08Mallow GAA Complex
2018 Cloughduv0-17 Ballinameela0-12Mallow GAA Complex
2019 Russell Rovers2-13 St. Mary's0-11Fraher Field

Performance by county

CountyWinnersRunners-UpWinning ClubsRunner-Up Clubs-
Cork134Russell Rovers, Cloughduv, Mayfield, Dungourney, Kildorrery, Charleville, Meelin, Dripsey, Kilworth, Fr. O'Neill's, Ballygarvan, Ballinhassig, Courcey RoversCastlemartyr, Fermoy, Barryroe, Dromina
Waterford36Ardmore, Ballysaggart, ModeligoSt. Mary's, Ballyduff Lower, Fenor, Tramore, Ardmore, Ballinameela
Tipperary15Moyle RoversKnockshegowna, Ballybacon-Grange, St. Patrick's, Ballinahinch
Limerick13BlackrockCappamore, Feenagh-Kilmeedy, St. Kieran's
Clare1Newmarket-on-Fergus

Records and statistics

County representatives

YearClareCorkKerryLimerickTipperaryWaterford
EnnistymonDungourneyDr. CrokesDromcollogher/BroadfordBallylooby-CastlegraceFenor
BodykeMayfieldKilgarvanSt. Patrick'sBallybacon-GrangeBallyduff Lower
BodykeSt. Catherine'sKenmare ShamrocksSt. Patrick'sBallybacon-GrangeArdmore
Éire ÓgCloughduvKilgarvanTournafullaBoherlahan-DuallaBallinameela
n/aRussell RoversKilgarvanCastletown/BallyagranCarrick DavinsSt. Mary's

Biggest wins

The most one sided Munster finals:

Single game

YearTop scorerTeamOppositionScoreTotal
2016Shane DugganMayfieldSt. Patrick's2-0612
2017Séamus PrendergastArdmoreBodyke2-0612
2017Séamus PrendergastArdmoreSt. Patrick's1-0912
2018Anthony HartnettTournafullaKilgarvan0-1414
2019Josh BeausangRussell RoversSt. Mary's1-0811
2019Josh BeausangRussell RoversKilgarvan0-1111

Overall

YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
2016Nicky KellyMayfield0-2727
2017Séamus PrendergastArdmore5-2035
2018Anthony HartnettTournafulla0-2424
2019Eoin KearnsSt. Mary's1-2124

Finals

FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
2004Liam DillonBallygarvan0-077
2005Ger O'LearyFr. O'Neill's0-066
2006Paudie LynchKilworth1-0811
2007Barry WhelanMoyle Rovers2-017
2008Mark O'SullivanDripsey2-006
2009Brian O'SullivanFermoy0-099
2010Éamonn BrosnanMeelin1-0710
2011James O'BrienCharleville1-058
2012Peter O'BrienKildorrery1-069
2013Stephen BennettBallysaggart1-0710
2014Barry LawtonCastlemartyr0-1010
2015Ryan DennyDungourney0-1111
2016Nicky KellyMayfield0-1010
2017Séamus PrendergastArdmore2-0511
2018Brian VerlingCloughduv0-099
2019Josh BeausangRussell Rovers1-0811