2021 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship

2021 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship

Dates	2 October - 7 November 2021
Teams	12
Sponsor	St. Canice's Credit Union
Champions	Ballyhale Shamrocks (19th title) Colin Fennelly (captain) James O'Connor (manager)
Runners-up	O'Loughlin Gaels Andy Comerford (manager)
Relegated	Rower-Inistioge
Tournament statistics
Matches played	14
Goals scored	44 (3.14 per match)
Points scored	509 (36.36 per match)
Top scorer(s)	T. J. Reid (1-31)
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The 2021 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship was the 127th staging of the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Kilkenny County Board in 1887. The championship began on 2 October 2021 and ended on 7 November 2021.

Ballyhale Shamrocks entered the championship as the defending champions.^[1] Rower-Inistioge were relegated from the championship after being beaten in a playoff by Erin's Own.

The final was played on 7 November 2021 at UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny, between Ballyhale Shamrocks and O'Loughlin Gaels, in what was their first meeting in a final in five years. Ballyhale Shamrocks won the match by 3–19 to 3–15 to claim their 19th championship title overall and a fourth title in succession.^[2]

T. J. Reid was the championship's top scorer with 1-31.

Team changes

To Championship

Promoted from the Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship

• Lisdowney^[3]

From Championship

Relegated to the Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship

• Danesfort^[4]

Results

First round

O'Loughlin Gaels v Rower-Inistioge

2 October 2021 First round	O'Loughlin Gaels	3-25 - 0-21	Rower-Inistioge	Thomastown Sportsfield
	O Wall 2-2, C Kelly 1-3, E O'Shea 0-5, P Deegan 0-5, M Bergin 0-2, P Butler 0-2, C Heary 0-1, S Murphy 0-1, L Hogan 0-1.		J Walsh 0-9, R Leahy 0-3, S Ryan 0-3, T Doyle 0-2, J Ryan 0-1, E O'Brien 0-1, K Joyce 0-1, K Murphy 0-1.	Referee: P Burke

Ballyhale Shamrocks v Graigue-Ballycallan

2 October 2021 First round	Ballyhale Shamrocks	3-23 - 2-20	Graigue-Ballycallan	John Locke Park
	C Fennelly (2-1); J Cuddihy (1-5); TJ Reid (0-5, 0-2 frees); B Cody, E Cody (0-4 each); E Shefflin (0-3); R Reid (0-1).	Report	S Ryan (1-9, 0-4 frees, 0-2 65); B Ryan (1-3); S Butler (0-3); S O’Dwyer, P Cahill (0-2 each); C Prendiville (0-1).	Referee: S Cleere

Dicksboro v Lisdowney

3 October 2021 First round	Dicksboro	1-19 - 2-15	Lisdowney	Páirc Lachtáin
	S Stapleton 0-10, B Sheehan 1-2, A Gaffney 0-5, T Clifford 0-1, M Nolan 0-1.		A Tallis 0-6, C O'Carroll 1-2, D O'Carroll 1-2, N Brennan 0-3, M Kenny 0-1, B Fitzpatrick 0-1.	Referee: J Kennedy

Erin's Own v Tullaroan

3 October 2021 First round	Erin's Own	4-11 - 2-22	Tullaroan	UPMC Nowlan Park
	J Buggy 2-5, S Daly 1-1, J Down 1-0, M Boran 0-2, C Fogarty 0-2, S Feehan 0-1.		S Walsh 0-9, D Simpson 1-2, J Walton 0-4, M Keoghan 1-0, T Dunne 0-2, P Walsh 0-1, T Walsh 0-1, B Walton 0-1, B Gaffney 0-1, J Moore 0-1.	Referee: M O'Sullivan

Relegation playoffs

Rower-Inistioge v Lisdowney

16 October 2021 Semi-final	Rower-Inistioge	1-15 - 3-18	Lisdowney	Páirc Shéamuis Stiophán
	J Walsh 0-8, P Lyng 1-1, J Ryan 0-3, E O'Brien 0-1, K Murphy 0-1, M Galavan 0-1.		A Tallis 3-4, C O'Carroll 0-5, D O'Carroll 0-2, V Fitzpatrick 0-2, N Brennan 0-1, M Kenny 0-1, C Jordan 0-1, B Kavanagh 0-1, S Phelan 0-1.

Graigue-Ballycallan v Erin's Own

16 October 2021 Semi-final	Graigue-Ballycallan	3-16 - 1-18	Erin's Own	Páirc Lachtáin
	S Ryan (1-7, 0-6 frees); B Ryan (0-4, 0-1 line-ball); C Murphy (0-2, 0-1 free); B Murphy (1-0); J Roberts (1-0); C Hoyne (0-1, free) and T Dunphy & S Butler (0-1 each).	Report	J Buggy (0-8, 0-6 frees); M Murphy (1-1); S Feehan (0-4); S Daly & C Fogarty (0-2 each) and J Dowd (0-1).

Rower-Inistioge v Erin's Own

30 October 2021 Final	Rower-Inistioge	0-09 - 1-11	Erin's Own	Clara GAA Grounds
	J Walsh (0-4, 0-3 frees); T Doyle, R Leahy, E O’Brien, J Ryan & M Galavan (free) 0-1 each).	Report	M Murphy (1-5, 1-0 penalty, 0-3 frees & 0-1 ’65); J Buggy (0-3, 0-2 frees & 0-1 ’65); C Fogarty, J Dowd & S Daly (0-1, each).

Quarter-finals

Mullinavat v O'Loughlin Gaels

9 October 2021 Quarter-final	Mullinavat	0-19 - 2-19	O'Loughlin Gaels	Páirc na Seamróg
	J Walsh 0-10, G Malone 0-3, P Gahan 0-2, A Mansfield 0-2, W O'Dwyer 0-1, P Dempsey 0-1.	Report	M Bergin 1-10, P Deegan 1-1, P Butler 0-2, C Kelly 0-2, S Murphy 0-1, J Molloy 0-1, J Nolan 0-1, E O'Shea 0-1.

Bennettsbridge v Ballyhale Shamrocks

10 October 2021 Quarter-final	Bennettsbridge	1-15 - 0-27	Ballyhale Shamrocks	UPMC Nowlan Park
	N Cleere (0-5, 0-5f), J Cleere (1-0), C Brennan (0-3), K Brennan (0-2, 0-1f), S Morrissey (0-2), W Murphy, K Blanchfield and H O'Neill (0-1 each)	Report	TJ Reid (0-6, 0-4f), E Cody (0-6), J Cuddihy (0-4), C Fennelly, B Cody and R Corcoran (0-3 each), L Barron and B Cody (0-2 each)

James Stephens v Dicksboro

10 October 2021 Quarter-final	James Stephens	2-16 - 2-15	Dicksboro	UPMC Nowlan Park
	C Kenny (0-6, 0-1f), E Guilfoyle (0-5, 0-5f), T O'Dwyer and S Donohue (1-0 each), M Ruth (0-3), N Brassil and L Scanlon (0-1 each)	Report	S Stapleton (0-7, 0-5f), A Gaffney (1-1), A Nolan (1-0), B Sheehan (0-2), C Buckley (0-1, 0-1f), R Fitzpatrick, T Clifford, L Moore and M Nolan (0-1 each).

Clara v Tullaroan

10 October 2021 Quarter-final	Clara	2-19 - 1-29 (aet)	Tullaroan	St. John's Park
	C O'Shea 0-7, C Bolger 1-1, P Nolan 1-1, L Ryan 0-2, J Murphy 0-2, P Cody 0-2, D Langton 0-1, J Kehoe 0-1, P Cody 0-1, M O'Connell 0-1.		S Walsh 0-12, P Walsh 0-7, T Walsh 1-1, D Simpson 0-2, J Walton 0-2, J Moore 0-1, T Dunne 0-1, B Gaffney 0-1, M Keoghan 0-1, N Walton 0-1.

Semi-finals

O'Loughlin Gaels v Tullaroan

24 October 2021 Semi-final	O'Loughlin Gaels	1-18 - 0-18	Tullaroan	UPMC Nowlan Park
	M Bergin (0-9, 6 frees); O Wall (1-1); C Heary, P Deegan & R Buckley (0-2 each); C Loy & D Fogarty (0-1 each).	Report	S Walsh (0-10, 8 frees); T Dunne (0-3); D Simpson (0-2); M Keoghan, P Walsh & J Moore (0-1 each).	Referee: D Hughes

Ballyhale Shamrocks v James Stephens

24 October 2021 Semi-final	Ballyhale Shamrocks	2-20 - 1-17	James Stephens	UPMC Nowlan Park
	TJ Reid (1-11, 7 frees, 1 pen); E Cody (1-3); A Mullen & R Corcoran (0-2 each); B Cody & E Shefflin (0-1 each).	Report	E Guilfoyle (1-3, 2 frees); N Brassil (0-3, 3 frees); Matt Ruth, C Browne, L Scanlon & C Kenny (2 frees) (0-2 each); T O'Dwyer, C Kenny & M Drennan (0-1 each).	Referee: G Quilty

Final

O'Loughlin Gaels v Ballyhale Shamrocks

7 November 2021 Final	O'Loughlin Gaels	3-15 - 3-19	Ballyhale Shamrocks	UPMC Nowlan Park
	P Deegan 2-3, M Bergin 0-5 (4fs 1 65), O Wall 1-2, C Heary 0-2, J Molloy, R Buckley, E O'Shea all 0-1 each.	Report	TJ Reid 0-9 (4fs, 2 65s), A Mullen, J Cuddihy 1-1 each, R Corcoran 0-3, B Butler 1-0, B Cody 0-2, E Reid, R Reid, D Corcoran all 0-1 each	Referee: P Behan

Championship statistics

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	T. J. Reid	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1-31	34	4	8.50
2	Shane Walsh	Tullaroan	0-31	31	3	10.33
3	Mark Bergin	O'Loughlin Gaels	1-26	29	4	7.25
4	Seán Ryan	Graigue-Ballycallan	2-16	22	2	11.00
	Jack Buggy	Erin's Own	2-16	22	3	7.33
6	Jack Walsh	Rower-Inistioge	0-21	21	3	7.00
7	Paddy Deegan	O'Loughlin Gaels	3-11	20	4	5.00
8	Aidan Tallis	Lisdowney	3-10	19	2	9.50
9	Owen Wall	O'Loughlin Gaels	4-05	17	4	4.25
	Shane Stapleton	Dicksboro	0-17	17	2	8.50

In a single game

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	T. J. Reid	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1-11	14	James Stephens
2	Aidan Tallis	Lisdowney	3-04	13	Rower-Inistioge
	Mark Bergin	O'Loughlin Gaels	1-10	13	Mullinavat
4	Seán Ryan	Graigue-Ballycallan	1-09	12	Ballyhale Shamrocks
5	Jack Buggy	Erin's Own	2-05	11	Tullaroan
6	Seán Ryan	Graigue-Ballycallan	1-07	10	Erin's Own
	Shane Stapleton	Dicksboro	0-10	10	Lisdowney
	John Walsh	Mullinavat	0-10	10	O'Loughlin Gaels
	Shane Walsh	Tullaroan	0-10	10	O'Loughlin Gaels
10	Paddy Deegan	O'Loughlin Gaels	2-03	9	Ballyhale Shamrocks
	Jack Walsh	Rower-Inistioge	0-09	9	O'Loughlin Gaels
	Shane Walsh	Tullaroan	0-09	9	Erin's Own
	Mark Bergin	O'Loughlin Gaels	0-09	9	Tullaroan
	T. J. Reid	Ballyhale Shamrocks	0-09	9	O'Loughlin Gaels

References

1. Fogarty, John (27 September 2020). "Five-goal Ballyhale Shamrocks use 'hurt' to cruise to Kilkenny SHC treble". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
2. Keys, Colm (7 November 2021). "Quickfire goals send Ballyhale on their way to pulsating victory over O'Loughlin Gaels". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
3. Spillane, Trevor (26 September 2020). "What a finish! Lisdowney hold nerve to go back to Kilkenny senior hurling ranks". Kilkenny People. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
4. "LISTEN BACK: Danesfort are relegated from Kilkenny Senior Hurling as Graigue Ballycallan win". scoreline.ie. 13 September 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2021.

External links

• Kilkenny GAA website