1979–80 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship

All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship 1979–80
Championship Details
Dates7 October 1979 – 1 June 1980
Teams29
All Ireland Champions
WinnersCastlegar (1st win)
CaptainMichael Connolly
All Ireland Runners-up
Runners-upMcQuillans-Ballycastle
Provincial Champions
MunsterBlackrock
LeinsterCrumlin
UlsterMcQuillan's
ConnachtCastlegar
Championship Statistics
Matches Played29
Top Scorer Frank Keenan (4–17)

The 1979–80 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 10th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county club hurling tournament.[1] The championship ran from 7 October 1979 to 1 June 1980.

Blackrock of Cork were the defending champions, however, they were beaten by Castlegar in the All-Ireland Semi-final.[2][3] Causeway of Kerry, Killyon of Meath and Kinnitty of Offaly made their championship debuts.[4][5][6]

The All-Ireland final was played at Páirc Tailteann in Navan on 1 June 1980, between Castlegar of Galway and Ballycastle McQuillans of Antrim, in what was a first championship meeting between the teams and a first ever Connacht-Ulster final.[7] Castlegar won the match by 1–11 to 1–08 and became the first team from Galway to win the title.[8][9]

Frank Keenan was the championship's top scorer with 4–17.

Connacht first round

14 October 1979 First round Craobh Rua 0–09 – 1–04 St Finbarr's Markievicz Park
11 November 1979 First round Tooreen 1–03 – 2–14 Tremane Ballyhaunis Grounds
A Henry 1–0, J Henry 0–2, J Cunnane 0–1. J Kilroy 2–2, S Kilroy 0–8, M Keane 0–3, M Reynolds 0–1.

Conancht semi-final

25 November 1979 Semi-final Tremane 9–17 – 1–03 Craobh Rua Athleague Sportsfield
J Kilroy 3–7, S Kilroy 2–2, M Keane 2–1, J Coyne 1–1, J Brennan 1–1, S Farrell 0–2, M Connell 0–1, T Kelly 0–1, R Farrell 0–1. V Lynch 1–0, B Ryan 0–3.

Connacht final

30 March 1980 Final Castlegar 1–16 – 1–09 Tremane Athleague Sportsfield
Joe Connolly 0–6, G Connolly 0–5, P Burke 1–0, John Connolly 0–2, G Glynn 0–1, S Fahy 0–1, T Connolly 0–1. S Kilroy 0–7, J Lynch 1–0, J Kilroy 0–1, T Kelly 0–1.

Leinster first round

28 October 1979 First round Killyon 2–06 – 1–02 Carlow St Loman's Park
J Mitchell 1–0, S Ryan 1–0, L Tyrrell 0–3, J Connolly 0–2, M Dempsey 0–1. P Cassin 1–0, L McGough 0–1, W Power 0–1.
28 October 1979 First round Naomh Moninne 0–03 – 6–13 Carnew Emmets St Brigid's Park
S Doyle 1–4, Ml Doyle 2–0, P Brennan 1–2, Mick Doyle 1–0, M Byrne 1–0, E Hilliard 0–3, P Doyle 0–2, T Collins 0–2.
11 November 1979 First round Kinnitty 2–14 – 3–05 Ardclough St Brendan's Park
M Corrigan 0–7, J Flaherty 1–3, B Kennedy 1–0, M Cleere 0–2, D Corrigan 0–1, P Corrigan 0–1. R Burke 1–2, E Walsh 1–0, M Dwan 1–0, W Cullen 0–1, J Walsh 0–1.

Leinster quarter-finals

11 November 1979 Quarter-final Killyon 2–02 – 2–07 Crumlin St Loman's Park
J Mitchell 2–0, S Ryan 0–1, L Tyrrell 0–1. D Hickey 1–1, L Broderick 1–1, P Kavanagh 0–2, D Murphy 0–2, P McCarthy 0–1.
11 November 1979 Quarter-final Camross 6–12 – 3–09 Castletown Geoghegan O'Moore Park
F Keenan 3–8, J Dooley 1–2, M Delaney 1–0, T Keenan 1–0, M Cuddy 0–1, PJ Cuddy 0–1. E Clarke 0–6, W Lowry 1–1, G Jackson 1–0, F Clarke 1–0, M Jackson 0–1, P Dalton 0–1.
25 November 1979 Quarter-final Kinnitty 3–16 – 0–06 Ballyhale Shamrocks St Brendan's Park
M Corrigan 0–14, P Corrigan 1–0, D Corrigan 1–0, T Carroll 1–0, M Cleere 0–1, D Egan 0–1. L Fennelly 0–2, L Moloney 0–2, G Fennelly 0–2.
25 November 1979 Quarter-final Carnew Emmets 1–05 – 4–13 Rathnure Aughrim County Ground
S Doyle 1–2, T Collins 0–2, S Brennan 0–1. J Murphy 2–0, D O'Connor 1–3, J Redmond 1–0, J Conran 0–3, M Quigley 0–3, D Quigley 0–3, J Houlihan 0–1.

Leinster semi-finals

2 March 1980 Semi-final Camross 3–10 – 2–12 Rathnure Nowlan Park
F Keenan 1–4, PJ Cuddy 1–1, M Cuddy 1–0, T Keenan 0–2, M Collier 0–2, T Cuddy 0–1. J Conran 1–2, D O'Connor 0–5, P Codd 1–0, M Quigley 0–2, D Quigley 0–2, J Higgins 0–1.
2 March 1980 Semi-final Crumlin 1–13 – 0–09 Kinnitty Nowlan Park
J Kealey 1–8, L Broderick 0–3, D Hickey 0–1, B Donovan 0–1. T Carroll 0–7, J Egan 0–2.

Leinster final

23 March 1980 Final Crumlin 3–05 – 0–11 Camross Geraldine Park
B Donovan 2–1, M Reynolds 1–1, D Murphy 0–2, P McCarthy 0–1. F Keenan 0–5, S Bergin 0–3, Mick Cuddy 0–1, Martin Cuddy 0–1, M Collier 0–1.

Munster quarter-finals

21 October 1979 Semi-final Dunhill 3–09 – 2–08 Sixmilebridge Páirc Uí Bhriain
T Casey 1–3, T Moore 1–2, J Raher 1–0, F Murphy 0–1, J Power 0–1, P Walsh 0–1, R Power 0–1. F Quilligan 1–2, P Morey 1–1, L Quinlivan 0–3, S Stack 0–1, G McInerney 0–1.
11 November 1979 Quarter-final Kilruane MacDonagh's 2–08 – 4–06 Blackrock MacDonagh Park
S Hennessy 1–5, D Whelan 1–0, S Keogh 0–2, J Williams 0–1. T Lyons 2–0, P Moylan 1–1, E O'Sullivan 1–1, E O'Donoghue 0–2, D Buckley 0–2.

Munster semi-finals

11 November 1979 Quarter-final Causeway 1–04 – 3–08 Dunhill Páirc Naomh Breandán
P Moriarty 1–1, M Leahy 0–1, P Bunyan 0–1, J O'Connell 0–1. J Grogan 3–2, T Casey 0–2, B Power 0–1, S Cooke 0–1, T Moore 0–1, J Raher 0–1.
25 November 1979 Semi-final Blackrock 6–08 – 1–06 Patrickswell Páirc Uí Chaoimh
R Cummins 2–0, D Buckley 1–2, P Moylan 1–1, E O'Sullivan 1–1, E O'Donoghue 1–1, T Lyons 0–1, T Cashman 0–1, P Kavanagh 0–1. R Bennis 1–3, G Hayes 0–2, S Foley 0–1.

Munster final

9 December 1979 Final Blackrock 0–13 – 1–08 Dunhill Páirc Uí Chaoimh
F O'Sullivan 0–3, R Cummins 0–2, P Kavanagh 0–2, P Moylan 0–2, E O'Donoghue 0–1, D Buckley 0–1, T Cashman 0–1, D Collins 0–1. J Crogan 1–3, T Casey 0–3, S Cooke 0–1, R Power 0–1.

Ulster quarter-final

14 October 1979 Quarter-final Cúchullains 4–06 – 2–04 Kevin Lynchs Randalstown
E Donaldson 2-0, Paul Devlin 1-3, Paddy Devlin 1-0, G Devlin 0-1, J Carlisle 0-1, T Duffy 0-1. JA Mullan 2-0, P Murphy 0-2, J O'Kane 0-1, F Kennedy 0-1.

Ulster semi-final

27 October 1979 Semi-final Cúchullains 2–07 – 3–10 Ballycran Athletic Grounds
J Corvan 1-2, P Devlin 0-5, T Duffy 1-0. B Gordon 3-0, B Mullan 0-7, B Savage 0-1, T Brown 0-1, G Blaney 0-1.

Ulster final

11 November 1979 Final Ballycastle McQuillans 0–11 – 0–08 Ballycran St Patrick's Park
P Boyle 0-5, S Boyle 0-2, E Donnelly 0-2, B Donnelly 0-1, O Laverty 0-1. B Mullan 0-6, B Caldwell 0-1, G Blaney 0-1.

All-Ireland quarter-final

6 April 1980 Quarter-final Blackrock 4–15 – 1–10 Brian Borus Páirc Uí Chaoimh
E O'Donoghue 1–6, D Collins 2–2, D Buckley 1–4, J Horgan 0–1, P Moylan 0–1, P Butler 0–1. P McCormack 1–1, J Lynch 0–3, B Connolly 0–2, P O'Neill 0–1, R Duggan 0–1, M Connolly 0–1, M Brennan 0–1.

All-Ireland semi-finals

27 April 1980 Semi-final Ballycastle McQuillans 3–09 – 0–08 Crumlin Croke Park
E Donnelly 2–3, P Boyle 0–4, B Donnelly 1–0, T Donnelly 0–1, O Laverty 0–1. J Kealy 0–6, T Grealish 0–1, B Donovan 0–1.
25 May 1980 Semi-final Castlegar 2–09 – 0–09 Blackrock Páirc Naomh Mhuire
Joe Connolly 2–2, M Connolly 0–3, G Connolly 0–2, J Francis 0–1, G Glynn 0–1. D Collins 0–2, R Cummins 0–1, J O'Grady 0–1, E O'Sullivan 0–1, P Moylan 0–1, D McCurtain 0–1, F Cummins 0–1, D Buckley 0–1.

All-Ireland final

1 June 1980 Final Castlegar 1–11 – 1–08 Ballycastle McQuillans Páirc Tailteann
Joe Connolly 0–8, L Mulryan 1–0, G Connolly 0–1, John Connolly 0–1, J Francis 0–1. P Boyle 0–7, O Laverty 1–0, T Barton 0–1.

Championship statistics

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average
1 Frank Keenan Camross 4–17 29 3 9.66
2 Jackie Kilroy Tremane 5–10 25 3 8.33
3 Séamus Kilroy Tremane 2–17 23 3 7.66
4 Joe Connolly Castlegar 2–16 22 3 7.33
5 Mark Corrigan Kinnitty 0–21 21 2 10.50
6 John Grogan Dunhill 4–05 17 3 5.66
Jim Kealy Crumlin 1–14 17 4 4.25
8 Éamonn O'Donoghue Blackrock 2–10 16 5 3.20
Danny Buckley Blackrock 2–10 16 5 3.20
Peter Boyle Ballycastle McQuillans 0–16 16 3 5.33

Miscellaneous

  • Blackrock of Cork set the all-time record by winning a fifth Munster title.
  • Crumlin become the first team from Dublin to win the Leinster title.
  • The All-Ireland final between Castlegar and McQuillan's was a unique affair as it was the first final to feature teams from Connacht and Ulster. Castlegar win the All-Ireland for the first time in their history, thus becoming the first Connacht team to win the title.

References

  1. ^ Breheny, Martin (15 March 2011). "All-Ireland Club Hurling". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  2. ^ "City slickers' return in Cork reminiscent of days of 'Little All-Ireland'". RTÉ Sport. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  3. ^ "The Christy O'Connor column: Kilkenny kingpins Ballyhale a club like no other". Echo Live. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  4. ^ "Leahy Brothers". Hogan Stand. 4 June 1993. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  5. ^ Geoghegan, Jimmy (11 February 2021). "Killyon's hat-trick of Jubilee Cups achieved 40 years ago". The Meath Chronicle. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Club Titles - Offaly". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  7. ^ "History makers Ballycastle cruised past Crumlin to make a little bit of history". The Saffron Gael. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  8. ^ Crowe, Dermot (5 July 2020). "'It mended broken hearts' - Galway legend Joe Connolly relives a life steeped in hurling". Irish Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Ballycastle denied by Castlegar in historic All Ireland club final". The Saffron Gael. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2025.