2018 Christy Ring Cup

The 2018 Christy Ring Cup[1] was the 14th staging of the Christy Ring Cup hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2005. It is the third tier[2] of senior inter-county hurling. The competition began on 12 May 2018 and ended on 23 June 2018.

2018 Christy Ring Cup
Dates12 May – 23 June, 2018
Teams8
ChampionsKildare (2nd title)
Brian Byrne (captain)
Joe Quaid (manager)
Runners-upLondon
Brian Regan (captain)
Fergus McMahon (manager)
Tournament statistics
Matches played15
Official websitegaa.ie
← 2017 (Previous) (Next) 2019 →

Carlow were the 2017 champions, beating Antrim in the final. Both teams were included in the counties competing in the newly created Joe McDonagh Cup. Roscommon lost their play-off match against Mayo in 2017 – normally Roscommon would have been relegated but they remained in the 2018 Christy Ring Cup as a result of the restructuring of the hurling championship tiers.[3]

Kildare were the 2018 Chrisy Ring champions, defeating London by 3-19 to 1-11 in the final. Kildare lost the relegation/promotion game against Antrim and remained in the Christy Ring Cup for 2019.

Format

Beginning in 2018, the Christy Ring Cup changed to an initial stage of two groups of four teams. Previously it was a double elimination tournament. The top two teams from both groups advance to the semi-finals. In 2018, teams at the bottom of each group will automatically be relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup for 2019. In subsequent years, the bottom teams will meet in a relegation playoff to decide the one team relegated to the following year's Nicky Rackard Cup.

The Christy Ring champions contest a promotion/relegation playoff with the second bottom team in the Joe McDonagh Cup with the winner earning the right to compete in the 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup.

Following the creation of the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2018, the Christy Ring Cup was reclassified as tier 3 (it was previously tier 2).

Group stage

Group 1 Table
Pos Team Pld W D L SF SA Diff Pts
1 Kildare (Q)33008958316
2 Wicklow (Q)3201726484
3 Roscommon 31024871-222
4 Mayo (R)30034663-170
  • (Q) = qualified for Christy Ring Cup semi-finals
  • (R) = relegated to 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup
Group 1 Round 1
12 May 2018 Round 1 Kildare 4-26 - 1-09RoscommonSt. Conleth's Park, Newbridge
B Cormack 0-15 (11fs, 1 '65'); M Fitzgerald 3-3; S Ryan 1-0; P Divilly 0-3 (1f); É O'Neill, M Grace, N O'Muineacháin, M Purcell, K Whelan 0-1 each. Report N Connaughton 1-2; D Glynn 0-4 (2fs); J Keane (f), J Kilkenny, R Fallon (f), A Moore 0-1 each. Referee: S Hynes (Galway)
12 May 2018 Round 1 Wicklow 1-20 - 2-11MayoJoule Park, Aughrim
A O'Brien 0-8 (5f), M Lee 0-4, S Germaine 1-1, C Moorehouse, PJ Nolan 0-2 each, G Byrne, D Staunton, G O'Brien 0-1 each. Report K Feeney 0-9 (8f), C Scahill, E Ryan 1-0 each, P Kiely, S Boland 0-1 each. Referee: P Burke (Kilkenny)
Group 1 Round 2
19 May 2018 Round 2Mayo1-15 - 2-14 Kildare MacHale Park, Castlebar
K Feeney 0-9 (7f)), K Higgins 1-1, B Morley, S Boland, E Ryan, P Kiely and D O'Brien (1f) 0-1 each. Report S Ryan 1-2, B Cormack 0-4 (4f), B Sheridan 1-1, P Divilly 0-3 (1f), N O'Muineachain, K Whelan, C Bonus and B Deay 0-1 each. Referee: R McGann (Clare)
19 May 2018 Round 2Roscommon0-16 - 2-16 Wicklow Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
D Glynn 0-10 (5f, 1 '65), M Byrne, S Curley (sideline), E Flanagan, K Hardiman, W Boyle, N Connaughton 0-1 each. Report A O'Brien 1-4 (1-0 pen, 2 '65s, 1f), M Lee 0-4 (1f), D Staunton 1-0, PJ Nolan, R Keddy,C Moorehouse (1f) 0-2 each,E Kearns, G O'Brien 0-1 each. Referee: N Wall (Cork)
Group 1 Round 3
2 June 2018 Round 3Wicklow3-18 - 4-19 Kildare Joule Park, Aughrim
A O'Brien 0-7 (2f), R Keddy 2-0, PJ Nolan 0-5, E Donohue 1-1, P Keane, G Byrne, P Doyle, G O'Brien, M Lee 0-1 each. Report J Sheridan 2-5 (1 sl), M Fitzgerald 2-1, B Cormack (3f), S Ryan 0-3 each, J Burke (1f), B Byrne 0-2 each, C Bonus, K Whelan, P Divilly 0-1 each. Referee: T Walsh (Waterford)
2 June 2018 Round 3 Roscommon 1-17 - 0-11MayoAthleague Sportsfield, Athleague
D Glynn 1-3 (1-3f), J Keane 0-5 (5f), C Kenny 0-3, R Fallon 0-2, S Curley (s/l), N Connaughton, H Rooney, C Egan 0-1 each. Report S Boland 0-5 (5f), K Higgins & C Freeman 0-2 (1f) each, K Feeney (f) & B Morley 0-1 each. Referee: S Stack (Dublin)

Group 2 Table
Pos Team Pld W D L SF SA Diff Pts
1 London (Q) 32018860284
2 Derry (Q) 32018965244
3 Down 32019269234
4 Armagh (R)300339114-750

London, Derry and Down all finished on four league points and were ranked on score difference.

  • (Q) = qualified for Christy Ring Cup semi-finals
  • (R) = relegated to 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup
Group 2 Round 1
12 May 2018 Round 1Derry1-18 - 1-20LondonDean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
1:00 pm C O'Doherty 0-11 (9fs), S McGuigan 1-0, N Waldron 0-3, C McKaigue 0-2, M McGuigan, C Waldron 0-1. Report A Sheehan 0-10 (6fs), K O'Loughlin 1-2, R Murphy 0-3 (2fs), K Reid, F Collins, H Vaughan, C Nelson, J Troy 0-1 each. Referee: J Keane (Galway)
12 May 2018 Round 1 Down 6-21 - 0-11ArmaghMcKenna Park, Ballycran
D Sands 3-3, P Sheehan 0-7 (5fs), E Sands 1-3, O McManus 1-1, D McManus 1-0, M Magee, D Toner, C Bailie 0-2 each, M Fisher 0-1. Report N Curry 0-7 (6fs), D McCreesh 0-2, S Renaghan, D Magee 0-1 each. Referee: A Devine (Westmeath)
Group 2 Round 2
19 May 2018 Round 2Armagh1-14 - 2-30 Derry Athletic Grounds, Armagh
1:00 pm D McCreesh 0-5, S Renaghan 1-1,C Rice 0-2, E McGuinness, D McKenna, J Corvan, N Curry (f), D Gaffney, S Toal 0-1 each Report A Grant 0-7 (4f, 1 '65); B Cassidy 0-6 (3f),M McGrath 1-3; N Waldron 1-1, S McGuigan 0-4; D Cartin, M McGuigan, G Bradley, C Waldron 0-2 each; P Cleary 0-1. Referee: L Gordon (Galway)
20 May 2018 Round 2London1-23 - 2-22 Down McGovern Park, Ruislip
2:30pm C Nelson 1-6, A Sheehan 0-7 (2f, 1 '65'), S Lawless 0-4, K O'Loughlin 0-3, C Burke 0-2, R Murphy 0-1 (1f). Report D Toner 1-6, P Sheehan 0-7 (5f, 1 '65'), D Sands 1-2, P Og McCrickard 0-4, C Bailie 0-2, D McManus 0-1. Referee: P Murphy (Carlow)
Group 2 Round 3
2 June 2018 Round 3 Derry 1-29 - 2-19DownWatty Graham Park, Maghera
1:00 pm C O'Doherty 1-17 (16f), M McGrath 0-3, B Cassidy, A Grant 0-2 each, R Convery (f), M McGuigan, C McKaigue, N Waldron, C Waldron 0-1 each. Report P Sheehan 0-9 (6f), D Sands 2-0, D McManus 0-3, O McManus 0-2, E Sands, P McCrickard, C Bailie, D Toner, R Branagan 0-1 each.
2 June 2018 Round 3Armagh0-11 – 4-27 London Athletic Grounds, Armagh
1:00 pm C McAnallen 0-5 (5f), E McGuinness, S Renaghan, D McCreesh 0-2 each. Report C Nelson 0-6, S Lawless 1-2, A Sheehan (1f, 2'65's'), M Duggan, C Burke 0-4 each, J Troy 1-1, M Dwyer 0-3, F Collins 1-0, H Vaughan 1-0 M Ivors (f), R Murphy, C McAlinden 0-1 each. Referee: A Devine (Westmeath)

Knockout stage

Bracket
Semi-Finals Final
      
1A London 2-28
2B Wicklow 2-14
1A London 1-11
1B Kildare 3-19
1B Kildare 3-18
2A Derry 2-13

Semi-finals

The Group 1 winners play the Group 2 runners-up and the Group 2 winners play the Group 1 runners-up.

Semi-final
London2-28 - 2-14 Wicklow
A Sheehan 0-13 (6fs, 2 65s); S Lawless 2-1; H Vaughan 0-3; M Dwyer, J Troy, M Duggan 0-2 each; C Burke, S Conlon, M Ivors, S Lohan, R Murphy 0-1 each Report A O'Brien 1-5; (0-3fs, 0-1 65); G O'Brien 1-1; P Doyle 0-3; D Staunton 0-2; R Keddy, S Kelly, E Donoghue 0-1 each
Referee: J O'Brien (Laois)
Semi-final
Kildare3-18 - 2-13 Derry
J Sheridan 2-0, B Cormack 0-5f, J Burke 0-4(2f), M Fitzgerald 1-1, S Ryan 0-2, M Moloney, M Grace, N O’Muineacháin, B Byrne, P Divilly and K Whelan 0-1 each Report C O’Doherty 0-6(5f), S McGuigan 1-2, B Rogers 1-1, G Bradley 0-2, P Cleary and C Waldron 0-1 each

Final
Final
London1-11 - 3-19 Kildare
A Sheehan 0-6 (5f), C Nelson 1-0, K O’Loughlin 0-2 (2f), S Lawless, J Troy D O’Regan 0-1 each Report James Burke 0-8, Jack Sheridan 2-1, Shane Ryan 1-0, Eanna O'Neill 0-2, Mark Delaney 0-2, Niall Ó Muineacháin 0-2, Paul Divily 0-1, Martin Fitzgerald 0-1, Brian Byrne 0-1, Kevin Whelan 0-1
Referee: Patrick Murphy (Carlow)

Joe McDonagh/Christy Ring relegation/promotion playoff
Relegation/Promotion
Antrim 3-23 - 1-17 Kildare
Report

Antrim retain their place in the Joe McDonagh Cup for 2019, while Kildare remain in the Christy Ring Cup for 2019.

Christy Ring/Nicky Rackard relegation

In 2018, two teams Armagh and Mayo, were relegated to the 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup. No playoff was therefore required.

Statistics

Top scorers
Overall

Updated to 2 June 2018

Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average
1 Cormac O'Doherty Derry 1-28 31 2 15.50
2 Daithí Sands Down 6-05 23 3 7.66
Paul Sheehan Down 0-23 23 3 7.66
3 Andy O'Brien Wicklow 1-19 22 3 7.33
Barry Cormack Kildare 0-22 22 3 7.33
4 Aaron Sheehan London 0-21 21 3 7.00
5 Daniel Glynn Roscommon 1-17 20 3 6.66
6 Martin Fitzgerald Kildare 5-04 19 3 6.33
Kenny Feeney Mayo 0-19 19 3 6.33
7 Colin Nelson London 1-13 16 3 5.33
In a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition
1 Cormac O'Doherty Derry 1-17 20 Down
2 Barry Cormack Kildare 0-15 15 Roscommon
3 Aaron Sheehan London 0-13 13 Wicklow
4 Daithí Sands Down 3-03 12 Armagh
Martin Fitzgerald Kildare 3-03 12 Roscommon
6 Jack Sheridan Kildare 2-05 11 Wicklow
Cormac O'Doherty Derry 0-11 11 London
8 Aaron Sheehan London 0-10 10 Derry
Daniel Glynn Roscommon 0-10 10 Wicklow

References
  1. For official fixtures and results see Christy Ring Cup at gaa.ie
  2. Hurling tiers - 1. All-Ireland (Liam MacCarthy Cup) 2. Joe McDonagh Cup 3. Christy Ring Cup 4. Nicky Rackard Cup 5. Lory Meagher Cup
  3. Healy, Paul (25 May 2017). "Hurlers get that sinking feeling again". Roscommon People. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
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