The Antrim Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Bathshack.com Antrim Senior Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Antrim SHC) is an annual club hurling competition organised by the Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. It is contested by the top-ranking senior clubs in the county of Antrim, Northern Ireland, with the winners decided through a group and knockout format. It is the most prestigious competition in Antrim hurling.
| Antrim Senior Hurling Championship | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition: 2024 Antrim Senior Hurling Championship | |
| Irish | Craobh Iomána Sinsir Aontroma |
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Region |  Antrim (GAA) |
| Trophy | Volunteer Cup |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Title holders |  Cushendall (16th title) |
| Most titles |  Loughgiel Shamrocks (20 titles) |
| Sponsors | Bathshack |
| TV partner(s) | TG4 |
| Official website | Antrim GAA |
In its present format, the eight teams are drawn into two groups of four teams and play each other in a single round-robin system. The two group winners proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final. The winner of the Antrim Senior Championship, as well as being presented with the Volunteer Cup, qualifies for the subsequent Ulster Club Championship.
The competition has been won by 19 teams, 15 of which have won it more than once. Loughgiel Shamrocks is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 20 times. RuairÍ Óg, Cushendall are the reigning champions, having beaten Cúchulains Dunloy by 1-16 to 2–12 in the 2024 final.[1]
Commonly the final takes place at Antrim's county stadium, Casement Park. However, on account of the ground's ongoing redevelopment the 2013 and 2014 finals were held at Páirc Mac Uílín in Ballycastle. The 2015 final was held at Dunloy's Pearse Park, due to McQuillan Ballycastle's appearance in the decider.
Format
editGroup stage
editThe 8 teams are divided into two groups of four. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least three group 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 three teams in each group qualify for the knock-out stage.
Knockout stage
editFollowing the completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each group receive byes to separate semi-finals.
Quarter-finals: Teams that finished 2nd and 3rd in the group stage contest this round. The two 2nd placed teams play the 3rd placed teams from the opposite group. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and the two group winners 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.
Relegation
editAt the end of the championship, two 4th-placed teams from the group stage take play-off, with the losing team being relegated to the Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship.
Qualification
editThe winners of the Antrim Senior Hurling Championship progress to the Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship.[2]
Teams
edit2025 teams
editThe 8 teams competing in the 2025 Antrim Senior Hurling Championship are:
| Club | Location | Colours | Position in 2024 | In championship since | Championship titles | Last championship title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Carey Faughs
|
Ballyvoy | Green and white | Champions (Antrim IHC) | 2025 | 3 | 1923 |
 Dunloy
|
Dunloy | Green and yellow | Runners-up | ? | 16 | 2022 |
| Loughgiel Shamrocks
|
Loughguile | Red and white | Semi-finals | ? | 20 | 2016 |
 McQuillan Ballycastle
|
Ballycastle | Black and amber | Quarter-finals | ? | 17 | 1986 |
 O'Donovan Rossa
|
Belfast | Royal Blue, Saffron and White | Group stage | ? | 15 | 2004 |
| Ruairí Óg
|
Cushendall | Maroon and white | Champions | ? | 16 | 2024 |
| St Enda's
|
Glengormley | Amber and black | Quarter-finals | ? | 0 | — |
 St John's
|
Belfast | Blue and white | Semi-finals | ? | 7 | 1973 |
Qualification for subsequent competitions
editThe Antrim Senior Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship.
Roll of honour
editBy club
edit| # | Club | Titles | Runners-up | Championships won | Championships runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loughgiel Shamrocks
|
20 | 18 | 1920, 1924, 1925, 1929, 1938, 1943, 1956, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1982, 1989, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 | 1954, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1883, 1985, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2018, 2020, 2023 |
| 2 | McQuillan Ballycastle
|
17 | 18 | 1913, 1914, 1933, 1944, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1964, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986 | 1909, 1910, 1912, 1915, 1932, 1934, 1955, 1957, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998 |
| 3 | Ruairí Óg
|
16 | 13 | 1981, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023, 2024 | 1979, 1980, 1984, 1988, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 |
| Dunloy
|
16 | 8 | 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 | 1911, 1930, 1939, 1963, 1976, 1999, 2012, 2024 | |
| 5 | O'Donovan Rossa
|
15 | 8 | 1918, 1919, 1921, 1946, 1949, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1988, 2004 | 1953, 1956, 1968, 1987, 1990, 1995, 1997, 2021 |
| 6 | O'Connells | 9 | 1 | 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1945 | 1931 |
| 7 | St John's
|
7 | 6 | 1934, 1951, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1969, 1973 | 1972, 1978, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1994 |
| 8 | Seagan An Diomais | 3 | 2 | 1908, 1910, 1915 | 1913, 1933 |
| Carey Faughs
|
3 | 2 | 1906, 1916, 1923 | 1959, 1961 | |
| Mitchels
|
3 | 2 | 1911, 1912, 1947 | 1944, 1967 | |
| Tír na nÓg, Randalstown
|
3 | 0 | 1922, 1926, 1939 | — | |
| 12 |  Ossians
|
2 | 2 | 1935, 1937 | 1966, 1971 |
| O’Neill Crowley's | 2 | 1 | 1903, 1907 | 1906 | |
| Tír na nÓg, Belfast | 2 | 0 | 1904, 1905 | — | |
| Brian Oge | 2 | 0 | 1901, 1909 | — | |
| 16 | Emmets | 1 | 1 | 1931 | 2000 |
 Patrick Sarsfields
|
1 | 1 | 1974 | 1975 | |
 Lámh Dhearg
|
1 | 0 | 1902 | — | |
| James Stephens | 1 | 0 | 1917 | — | |
| 20 | St Gall's
|
0 | 1 | — | 2014 |
Notes
edit- Runners-up unknown: 1901–1905, 1907–1908, 1914, 1916–1929, 1935–1938, 1940–1943, 1945–1952.
List of finals
editLegend
edit- Gold – All-Ireland senior club champions
- Silver – All-Ireland senior club runners-up
List of Antrim SHC finals
editRecords and statistics
editTeams
editBy decade
editThe most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Antrim SHC titles, is as follows:
- 1970s: 3 each for O'Donovan Rossa (1972-76-77) and McQuillans Ballycastle (1975-78-79)
- 1980s: 4 for McQuillans Ballycastle (1980-83-84-86)
- 1990s: 5 each for Dunloy (1990-94-95-97-98) and Ruairí Óg (1991-92-93-96-99)
- 2000s: 6 for Dunloy (2000-01-02-03-07-09)
- 2010s: 5 for Loughgiel Shamrocks (2010-11-12-13-16)
- 2020s: 3 for Dunloy (2020-21-22)
See also
edit- Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship (Tier 2)
- Antrim Junior A Hurling Championship (Tier 3)
- Antrim Junior B Hurling Championship (Tier 4)
- Antrim Reserve Hurling Cup (Tier 5)
- Antrim Reserve Hurling Shield (Tier 6)
References
edit- ^ Mohan, David (20 October 2024). "Cushendall edge Dunloy to retain Antrim hurling title". BBC. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Hurlers of Ruairí Óg's, St Gall's and Castleblayney Faughs advance to All-Ireland series after Ulster finals". The Irish News. The Irish News Ltd. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
St Gall's became Ulster Intermediate Hurling champions for the second time with this seven-point win over Armagh side Keady Lámh Dhearg. The Belfast side celebrated their first provincial intermediate success for the first time since 2009, when they went on to reach the All-Ireland final the following spring.
- ^ "Antrim SHC final: Elliott on the double as Dunloy dethrone Dall". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- ^ "Antrim SHC final: Dunloy make it a dozen". Hogan Stand. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ^ "Casey fires Loughgiel to Antrim glory". Irish Independent. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ^ "McManus leads Cushendall to twelfth Antrim crown". Irish Independent. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ "Antrim SHC final: Shamrocks make it four-in-a-row". Hogan Stand. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ "Loughgiel again the kings". Irish Examiner. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.