Munster Under-20 Hurling Championship


The Munster GAA Hurling Under-20 Championship, known simply as the Munster Under-20 Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association. It is the highest inter-county hurling competition for male players between the ages of 17 and 20 in the province of Munster. The championship was contested as the Munster Under-21 Championship between 1964 and 2018 before changing to an under-20 age category from 2019. It is sponsored by Bord Gáis Energy.
The final, currently held in July, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during a three-week period, and the results determine which team receives the J. J. Kenneally Perpetual Memorial Cup. The championship has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the championship.
The Munster Championship is an integral part of the wider GAA Hurling Under-20 All-Ireland Championship. The winners and runners-up of the Munster final, like their counterparts in the Leinster Championship, advance to the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland series of games.
Five teams currently participate in the Munster Championship. Tipperary are the most successful team with 21 titles, followed by Cork with 19 titles.
Seven teams have competed since the inception of the Munster Championship in 1964. The title has been won at least once by five teams, all of whom have won the title more than once. Tipperary are the current champions.

History

Creation

The Munster Championship began in 1964 in response to a Congress motion put forward by the Kerry County Board for the introduction of a new championship grade. It was the fifth championship to be created after the senior, junior, minor and intermediate grades.

Beginnings

The inaugural Munster Championship featured Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. Galway and Kerry contested the very first match on Sunday 31 May 1964. Tipperary won the inaugural championship.

Team dominance

Since the beginning the championship has been dominated by Cork and Tipperary. They won all bar one of the available championship titles between 1964 and 1985 and have won a combined total of 39 championship titles. Cork also have the distinction of becoming the first team to win four championships in-a-row between 1968 and 1971. Tipperary equalled this record with their own four-in-a-row between 1978 and 1981 and, after defeat in 1982, came back to win a further three titles in succession between 1983 and 1985.
Waterford were the only team beside Cork and Tipperary to win the championship, with their lone title being claimed in 1974. Limerick broke the Cork-Tipperary dominance in 1986 and 1987 by claiming back-to-back championship titles. Waterford made the breakthrough by claiming championship wins in 1992 and 1994, however, the rest of the decade belonged to Cork and Tipperary once again.
The new century saw further breakthroughs as the Cork-Tipperary hegemony was broken up. Limerick have become the most successful team of the 21st century. After claiming three successive championship titles between 2000 and 2002, they won further titles in 2011, 2015 and 2017. After losing twelve Munster finals between 1972 and 2008, Clare finally claimed their first championship in 2009. The went on to claim three successive championships between 2012 and 2014. Waterford won their fourth championship after a 22-year gap in 2016.

Proposed changes

In 2008 a motion was brought before a special Congress in an effort to combat player burnout. It was proposed to merge the existing under-21 and minor championships to create a new Munster Under-19 Hurling Championship based on the provincial system. This motion was defeated by 115 votes to 58.
A similar motion was later introduced in an effort to lower the age and create a new Munster Under-20 Championship based on the provincial system, however, this motion was also defeated.

Age change

At the GAA Congress on 24 February 2018, the age limit of the championship was changed to twenty, following a successful motion by the Offaly County Board. In contrast to Gaelic football, under-20 hurlers are eligible to play both under-20 and senior hurling for their county.

Current format

Championship

The Munster Championship is a knockout tournament with pairings drawn at random. Each match is played as a single leg. If a match is drawn there is a period of extra time, however, if the sides still remain level a replay is required.
There are five teams in the Munster Championship. An open draw is made in which three of the five teams automatically qualify for the semi-final stage of the competition. Two other teams play in a lone quarter-final with the winner joining the other three teams at the semi-final stage.

Qualification for the All-Ireland Championship

As of the 2018 championship qualification for the All-Ireland Championship has changed due to the introduction of a "back door" for defeated finalists. Both the champions and runners-up qualify for the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Teams

2019 championship

The following five teams will compete during the 2019 championship.
TeamPosition
in 2018
First year in
championship
Years in
championship
in 2019
Championship
titles
Last
championship
title
ClareQuarter-finalists19645642014
CorkWinners196456192018
LimerickSemi-finalists196456112017
TipperaryRunners-up196456202010
WaterfordSemi-finalists19645642016

Historic team changes

In spite of contesting the inaugural Munster Championship in 1964, Kerry had always been known as a county that was dominated by Gaelic football. Because of this the inter-county hurling team went into a sharp decline. Kerry's championship appearances were sporadic, while the team also suffered a number of heavy defeats before regrading to the All-Ireland Under-21 B Hurling Championship.

Non-Munster team

Due to a lack of meaningful competition in Connacht, Galway competed in the senior, intermediate and minor championships in Munster since 1959. Following the introduction of the under-21 grade, Galway played in the Munster Championship from 1964 until 1969. During that time they contested two finals.

Venues

History

Munster Championship matches were traditionally played at neutral venues or at a location that was deemed to be halfway between the two participants; however, teams eventually came to home and away agreements depending on the capabilities of their stadiums. Cork and Tipperary, Limerick and Cork and Limerick and Tipperary were the first teams to develop home and away agreements whereby every second meeting between teams was played at the home venue of one of them. All of the current teams have home and away agreements.

Attendances

Stadium attendances are a significant source of regular income for the Munster Council and for the teams involved. For the 2017 championship, average attendances were 6,138 with a total aggregate attendance figure of 24,554.

Final

The venue for the final also comes under the terms of the individual home and away agreements between the teams involved. Semple Stadium in Thurles has hosted more finals than any other venue. In 1965 the final was held outside the province of Munster for the only time in the history of the championship when Tipperary defeated Galway in Ballinasloe, County Galway. The attendance at the 2018 Munster final was 6,732.

Managers

in the Munster Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players from the club championships. Their influence varies from county-to-county and is related to the individual county boards. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and an extensive backroom team consisting of various coaches. The under-20 team manager also works closely with the senior team manager due to an overlap of players on both teams. Prior to the development of the concept of a manager in the 1970s, teams were usually managed by a team of selectors with one member acting as chairman.
ManagerTeamWinsWinning years
Mick MinogueTipperary61981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990
Bertie Óg MurphyCork31996, 1997, 1998
Dave KeaneLimerick32000, 2001, 2002
Donal MoloneyClare32012, 2013, 2014
Gerry O'ConnorClare32012, 2013, 2014
Phil BennisLimerick21986, 1987
Séamus PowerTipperary22003, 2004
Seán O'GormanCork22005, 2007
Joe McGrathCork11988
Denis CoughlanCork11991
Peter PowerWaterford11992
Seánie O'LearyCork11993
Jim GreeneWaterford11994
Michael DoyleTipperary11995
Gerry O'BrienTipperary11999
Tom FogartyTipperary12006
Declan CarrTipperary12008
John MinogueClare12009
Ken HoganTipperary12010
Leo O'ConnorLimerick12011
John KielyLimerick12015
Seán PowerWaterford12016
Pat DonnellyLimerick12017
Denis RingCork12018
Liam CahillTipperary12019

Nat.NameTeamAppointedTime as manager
Cork17 10 2017
Tipperary3 11 2017
Clare14 12 2018
Limerick11 1 2019
Waterford17 2 2019

Trophy and medals

The Corn na Cásca was first presented in 1966 to commemorate the golden jubilee of the 1916 Easter Rising. The cup was retired in 2018 when Shane Kingston of Cork was the last person to captain a team to the Munster Under-21 Championship title.
On 23 July 2019, a new cup for Munster Under-20 Championship was presented by the family of the late J. J. Kenneally by members of the Kenneally family to Munster GAA Chairman Liam Lenihan. Known as the J. J. Kenneally Perpetual Memorial Cup, the trophy commemorates the memory of one of Limerick city’s most well-known jewellers and businessmen. The Kenneally family have supplied Munster GAA with medals and trophies for many years and they have donated this trophy in memory of J. J. Kenneally, a former president of the St. Patrick's club in Limerick.
At the end of the Munster final, the winning team is presented with the cup. The 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 political 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.
In accordance with GAA rules, the Munster Council awards up to twenty-four gold medals to the winners of the Munster final.

Sponsorship

Since 2003, the Munster Championship has been sponsored. The sponsor has usually been able to determine the championship's sponsorship name.
PeriodSponsorName
1964–2002No main sponsorThe Munster Championship
2003–2007 Erin FoodsThe Erin Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
2008–2018 Bord Gáis EnergyThe Bord Gáis Energy Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship
2019- Bord Gáis EnergyThe Bord Gáis Energy Munster GAA Hurling Under-20 Championship

General statistics

Performance by county

Records

Final

Team

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of championship titles, is as follows:
Top five longest gaps between successive championship titles:

Munster finals

Overall

Pos.NameTeamGoalsPointsTotal
1Tipperary46072
2Cork123066
3Limerick35665
4Tipperary83054
5Tipperary53954

By year

YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
1964Michael "Babs" KeatingTipperary7–1031
1965Francis LoughnaneTipperary1–1013
1966Charlie McCarthyCork4-0921
1967John FlanaganTipperary8–1236
1968
1969Bernie MeadeCork3–1625
1970Timmy DelaneyTipperary3-0716
1971Seánie O'LearyCork3–1524
1972Joe CunninghamTipperary3–1423
1973Tom SheehanCork5-1732
1974Mossy McNamaraWaterford5-0116
1975David O'RiordanLimerick6-0018
1976
1977Tom DunneLimerick4-1123
1978Séamus BourkeTipperary2-1420
1979Tommy GroganTipperary0-1717
1980Tony McGrathLimerick4-0214
1980Pat PowerTipperary3-0514
1980Philip KennedyTipperary0-1414
1981Tony CoyneCork2-1521
1982Tony O'SullivanCork1-1114
1983Tony O'SullivanCork0-2323
1984Michael ScullyTipperary0-2626
1985Michael ScullyTipperary1-2023
1986Liam DooleyLimerick2-1622
1987Gary KirbyLimerick0-2121
1988Mike GalliganLimerick1-1518
1989Dan QuirkeTipperary4-0416
1990Liam SheedyTipperary0–1616
1991Frankie CarrollLimerick1–3841
1992Pádraig McNamaraClare0–1717
1993Mike WallaceLimerick7-0425
1994Paul FlynnWaterford3–1726
1995Tommy DunneTipperary0–2222
1996Joe DeaneCork4-0921
1997Eugene O'NeillTipperary5–1833
1998Joe DeaneCork6–1836
1999Paddy O'BrienTipperary2–1925
2000Mark KeaneLimerick1–1619
2001Eoin KellyTipperary2–2733
2002Mark KeaneLimerick0–2222
2003Eoin KellyTipperary2–1218
2004Tony ScroopeTipperary4-0921
2005Maurice O'SullivanCork4–1224
2006Darragh EganTipperary2-0915
2007Mark GormanWaterford1–1316
2008Caimin MoreyClare2–1218
2009Colin RyanClare3–1625
2010Conor McGrathClare1–1720
2011Jamie CoughlanCork0–1515
2012John O'DwyerTipperary1–2528
2013Jason FordeTipperary5–2540
2014Bobby DugganClare0–2626
2015Patrick CurranWaterford1–1922
2016Ronan LynchLimerick1–1720
2017Aaron GillaneLimerick0–2929
2018Declan DaltonCork0–1515
2019Jake MorrisTipperary1-1619

In a single game

YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
1964Pat McNamaraClare5-0116
1965Frank CoffeyGalway2-039
1965Francis LoughnaneTipperary1-069
1966Charlie McCarthyCork2-039
1966Justin McCarthyCork2-039
1967John FlanaganTipperary3-0514
1968
1969Bernie MeadeCork2-0915
1970Paul ByrneTipperary3-0211
1971Seánie O'LearyCork1-0912
1972
1973Tom SheehanCork3-0615
1983Martin McGrathTipperary1-0811
1984Val DonnellanClare1-0710
1985Michael ScullyTipperary1-1013
1986Liam DooleyLimerick1-0912
1987Gary KirbyLimerick0-1010
1988Leo O'ConnorLimerick1-0710
1989Dan QuirkeTipperary3-009
1990Seán DalyWaterford1-0811
1991Seán DalyWaterford3-0211
1991Brian CunninghamCork0–1111
1992Brian CorcoranCork0–1010
1993Mike WallaceLimerick3-0312
1994Paul FlynnWaterford2–1117
1995Tommy DunneTipperary0–1010
1996Joe DeaneCork2-0511
1997Eugene O'NeillTipperary3-0514
1998Joe DeaneCork3-0413
1998Joe DeaneCork2-0713
1999Ken McGrathWaterford2-0713
2000Mark KeaneLimerick1-0912
2001Eoin KellyTipperary2-0915
2002Eoin KellyWaterford0-099
2003Andrew O'ShaughnessyLimerick2-039
2003Eoin KellyTipperary1-069
2004Tony ScroopeTipperary3-0312
2005Alan O'ConnorLimerick1-0710
2006Brendan BarryCork2-0410
2007Mark GormanWaterford1-0710
2008Caimin MoreyClare1-0811
2009Colin RyanClare3-0918
2010Conor McGrathClare1-0811
2011John O'DwyerTipperary0–1111
2012Shane DowlingLimerick1-0811
2013Jason FordeTipperary2-0814
2014Jason FordeTipperary0–1212
2015Ronan LynchLimerick0–1313
2015Bobby DugganClare0–1313
2016Ronan LynchLimerick1-0811
2017Declan DaltonCork1–1215
2018Declan DaltonCork0-088
2019Jake MorrisTipperary0-1313

In finals

FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
1964Michael "Babs" KeatingTipperary3-0312
1965Jack RyanTipperary2-006
1966Charlie McCarthyCork1-058
1967John FlanaganTipperary2-0511
1968Simon MurphyCork1-014
1968Pat HegartyCork1-014
1968Paddy RingCork1-014
1968Eddie MorrisseyTipperary1-014
1969Bernie MeadeCork1-058
1970Timmy DelaneyTipperary2-0410
1971Seánie O'LearyCork1-0912
1972Joe CunninghamTipperary2-0410
1973Tom SheehanCork2-0511
1974Paul MooreWaterford2-006
1975Jimmy Barry-MurphyCork2-017
1976Brendan GilliganClare2-028
1977Tadhg MurphyCork1-025
1977Danny BuckleyCork1-025
1978Pat Fitzelle Tipperary0-077
1978Séamus Burke Tipperary1-025
1978Danny Buckley Cork1-025
1979Tommy GroganTipperary0-088
1980Joe KennedyTipperary2-006
1980Tony CoyneCork1-036
1981Donie O'ConnellTipperary1-025
1982Tony O'SullivanCork0-055
1983Martin McGrathTipperary0-077
1983Val DonnellanClare0-077
1984Michael ScullyTipperary0-066
1985Michael ScullyTipperary1–1013
1986Liam Dooley Limerick1-047
1986Gary Kirby Limerick0-055
1987Gary KirbyLimerick0–1010
1988Mickey MullinsCork0-077
1989Dan QuirkeTipperary3-009
1990Liam SheedyTipperary0-099
1991Brian CunninghamCork0–1111
1992Noel DaltonWaterford0-077
1993Mike WallaceLimerick2-017
1993John Anthony MoranLimerick0-077
1994Paul FlynnWaterford1-069
1995Tommy DunneTipperary0–1010
1996Joe DeaneCork2-0511
1997Eugene O'NeillTipperary0-069
1997Mickey O'ConnellCork0-069
1998Joe DeaneCork1-0710
1999Alan MarkhamClare1-069
1999Paddy O'BrienTipperary0-099
2000Mark KeaneLimerick1-0912
2001Eoin KellyTipperary2-0915
2002Mark KeaneLimerick0-077
2003Eoin KellyTipperary1-069
2004Tony ScroopeTipperary1-047
2005Maurice O'SullivanCork2-028
2006Darragh EganTipperary1-047
2007Cathal NaughtonCork1-047
2008Séamus CallananTipperary1-058
2009Darach HonanClare2-028
2010Conor McGrathClare1-0811
2011Jamie CoughlanCork0–1010
2012John O'DwyerTipperary1-0710
2013Jason FordeTipperary2-0713
2014Bobby DugganClare0–1010
2015Ronan LynchLimerick0–1313
2016Patrick CurranWaterford0-088
2017Aaron GillaneLimerick0-066
2018Declan DaltonCork0-077
2019Conor BoweTipperary1-047

Attendance

Finals

YearAtt.
200811,287
20096,635
201011,450
20118,536
20128,379
20138,296
201412,995
201514,311
20168,843
201711,744
20186,732

Miscellaneous

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upScoreVenueWinning Captain
1964Tipperary8–09Waterford3–01Walsh ParkFrancis Loughnane-
1965Tipperary4–09Galway3–03Dunlo GAA GroundsOwen Killoran-
1966Cork5–12Limerick2–06Cork Athletic GroundsGerald McCarthy-
1967Tipperary3–09Galway3–05Gaelic GroundsP.J. Ryan-
1968Cork4–10Tipperary1–13Thurles SportsfieldPat Hegarty-
1969Cork3–11Tipperary1–05Cork Athletic GroundsDonal Clifford-
1970Cork3–11Tipperary2–07Thurles SportsfieldTeddy O'Brien-
1971Cork5–11Tipperary4–09Cork Athletic GroundsPat McDonnell-
1972Tipperary4–10Clare3–10Cusack ParkWillie Ryan-
1973Cork4–11Limerick2–07Charleville GAA GroundsMartin O'Doherty-
1974Waterford2–05Clare1–03Pat McGrath-
1975Cork3–12Limerick2–06Gaelic GroundsFrank O'Sullivan-
1976Cork2–11Clare3–06Gaelic GroundsTadhg Murphy-
1977Cork5–09Limerick1–08KilmallockTom Lyons-
1978Tipperary3–08Cork2–09Páirc Uí ChaoimhPa Fitzelle-
1979Tipperary1–13Cork2–07Semple StadiumMichael Doyle-
1980Tipperary4–11Cork2–09Páirc Mac GearailtP. J. Maxwell-
1981Tipperary1–15Cork0–10Semple StadiumPhilip Kennedy-
1982Cork1–14Limerick1–04FitzGerald ParkMartin McCarthy-
1983Tipperary2–17Clare3–08Cusack ParkDenis Finnerty-
1984Tipperary0–12Limerick1–08Gaelic GroundsDonal Kealy-
1985Tipperary1–16Clare4–05Semple StadiumMichael Scully-
1986Limerick2–10Clare0–03Cusack ParkAnthony O'Riordan-
1987Limerick3–14Cork2–09Bruff SportsfieldGussie Ryan-
1988Cork4–12Limerick1–07Clonmult Memorial ParkChristy Connery-
1989Tipperary5–16Limerick1–06Semple StadiumDeclan Ryan-
1990Tipperary2–21Limerick1–11Gaelic GroundsJohn Leahy-
1991Cork0–17Limerick1–07FitzGerald ParkBrian Cunningham-
1992Waterford0–17Clare1–12Semple StadiumTony Browne-
1993Cork1–18Limerick3–09Páirc Uí ChaoimhFergal O'Mahony-
1994Waterford1–12Clare0–12Páirc Mac GearailtJames O'Connor-
1995Tipperary1–17Clare0–14Semple StadiumBrian Horgan
1996Cork3–16Clare2–07Semple StadiumSeánie McGrath
1997Cork1–11Tipperary0–13Semple Stadium, ThurlesDan Murphy
1998Cork3–18Tipperary1–10Páirc Uí ChaoimhDan Murphy
1999Tipperary1–18Clare1–15Cusack Park, EnnisWilliam Hickey
2000Limerick4–18Cork1–06Gaelic GroundsDonncha Sheehan
2001Limerick3–14Tipperary2–16Gaelic GroundsTimmy Houlihan
2002Limerick1–20Tipperary2–14Semple StadiumPeter Lawlor
2003Tipperary2–14Cork0–17Páirc Uí ChaoimhEoin Kelly
2004Tipperary1–16Cork1–13Semple StadiumDiarmaid FitzGerald
2005Cork4–08Tipperary0–13Páirc Uí ChaoimhPat FitzGerald
2006Tipperary3–11Cork0–13Semple StadiumDavid Young
2007Cork1–20Waterford0–10Walsh ParkShane O'Neill
2008Tipperary1–16Clare2–12Cusack ParkSéamus Hennessy
2009Clare2–17Waterford2–12Fraher FieldCiarán O'Doherty
2010Tipperary1–22Clare1–17Semple StadiumPádraic Maher
2011Limerick4–20Cork1–27Gaelic GroundsKevin Downes
2012Clare1–16Tipperary1–14Cusack ParkConor McGrath
2013Clare1–17Tipperary2–10Semple StadiumPaul Flanagan
2014Clare1–28Cork1–13Cusack ParkTony Kelly
2015Limerick0–22Clare0–19Cusack ParkDiarmaid Byrnes
2016Waterford2–19Tipperary0–15Walsh ParkAdam Farrell & Patrick Curran
2017Limerick0–16Cork1–11Gaelic GroundsTom Morrissey
2018Cork2–23Tipperary1–13Pairc Ui ChaoimhShane Kingston
2019Tipperary3–15Cork2–17Semple StadiumCraig Morgan

Notes: