All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
Introduction The '''All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship''' was an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association between 1974 and 2004 for the so-called 'weaker' hurling teams in Ireland. The teams now play in the Joe McDonagh Cup (Tier 2 of the All Ireland Championship).The series of games began every year immediately after the completion of the National Hurling League with the All-Ireland final being played in June or July, initially in Croke Park, Dublin but later in provincial venues around the country and in Britain.The title was won by 11 different teams, 6 of which won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are London, who won the competition 5 times. The history of the championship was bookended by victories for Kildare, winners of the first title in 1974 and the last in 2004.
Format The championship was open to all hurling teams who did not take part in the proper All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. It was a knock-out competition whereby once a team lost they were eliminated from the championship.
Teams === 2004 Championship ===The championship was suspended after the completion of the 2004 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship. Three counties competed in 2004:CountyLocationStadiumProvincePosition in 2003ChampionshipChampionship TitlesLast Championship Title20x20px KildareNewbridgeSt Conleth's ParkLeinster—42004 20x20px MayoCastlebarMacHale ParkConnacht—0— 20x20px WicklowAughrimAughrim County GroundLeinsterChampions12003=== List of All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship counties ===TeamTotal yearsFirst year in championshipMost recent year in championshipChampionship titlesLast championship titlePosition in 2023 championshipBest Senior B finishCurrent championshipLvl20x20px Antrim197420x20px Carlow197420x20px Down197420x20px Hertfordshire197420x20px Kerry197420x20px Kildare197420x20px Laois197620x20px London197520x20px Meath197420x20px Roscommon197520x20px Westmeath197420x20px Wicklow1974=== Team appearances (1974-1977) ===#TeamNo.Years in championship1Antrim41974, 1975, 1976, 1977Carlow41974, 1975, 1976, 19773Kerry31974, 1975, 1976Down31974, 1975, 1977Meath31974, 1975, 1977Wicklow31974, 1975, 1977Roscommon31975, 1976, 1977London31975, 1976, 19779Westmeath21974, 1975Laois21976, 197711Hertfordshire11974Kildare11974
Roll of Honour +'''Performances in the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship by county'''CountyTitle(s)Runners-UpYears wonYears runner-up 20x20px London 5 16 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1995 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 20x20px Kildare 4 1 1974, 1980, 1989, 2004 1990 20x20px Antrim 3 1 1978, 1981, 1982 1974 20x20px Kerry 3 0 1976, 1983, 1986 - 20x20px Westmeath 3 0 1975, 1984, 1991 - 20x20px Laois 3 0 1977, 1979, 2002 - 20x20px Wicklow 1 2 2003 1995, 2002 20x20px Carlow 1 1 1992 1987 20x20px Meath1119931985 20x20px Roscommon1119942003 20x20px New York101996 - 20x20px Down01 -1988 20x20px Derry01 -1996 20x20px Mayo01 -2004+'''Performances in the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship by province'''ProvinceTitle(s)Runners-UpTotal 20x20px Leinster13518 20x20px Britain51621 20x20px Ulster336 20x20px Munster303 20x20px Connacht123 20x20px North America101
List of finals YearDateWinnersRunners-upVenueWinning marginCountyScoreCountyScore2005-Counties compete in the Christy Ring Cup 200424 July Kildare 3-14 Mayo 3-07Croke Park7 2003 Wicklow 4-16 Roscommon 2-13Croke Park9 2002 Laois 2-20 Wicklow 2-07Semple Stadium13 1997-2001No championship 1996 New York 4-16 Derry 0-1315 1995 London 2-07 Wicklow 0-08O'Moore Park5 1994 Roscommon 1-10 London 1-09McGovern Park1 1993 Meath 2-16 London 1-163 1992 Carlow 2-15 London 3-102 1991 Westmeath 2-12 London 2-066 1990 London 1-15 Kildare 5-021 1989 Kildare 2-06 London 1-072 1988 London 2-06 Down 1-072 1987 London 0-20 Carlow 1-152 1986 Kerry 3-10 London 1-097 1985 London 1-09 Meath 1-063 1984 Westmeath 4-10 London 1-163 1983 Kerry 2-08 London 1-074 1982 Antrim 2-16 London 2-142 1981 Antrim 3-17 London 3-143 1980 Kildare 2-20 London 2-146 1979 Laois 1-20 London 0-176 1978 Antrim 1-16 London 3-073 1977 Laois 3-21 London 2-0915 1976 Kerry 0-15 London 1-102 197522 June Westmeath 3-23 London 2-07Croke Park19 197423 June Kildare 1-26 Antrim 3-13Croke Park7
Team records and statistics === Team results ==='''Legend'''*  – Champions*  – Runners-up*  – Semi-finals/Quarter-finals/Preliminary roundFor each year, the number of counties (in brackets) are shown.Team1974 (9)1975 (9)1976 (6)1977 (8)1978 (5)1979 (8)Total20x20px Antrim2ndSFHFHF1stSF620x20px CarlowFRQFSFFR——420x20px DownFRQF—SFHF—420x20px HertfordshireSF—————120x20px KerryFRHF1st——SF420x20px Kildare1st————HF220x20px Laois——QF1st—1st320x20px London—2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd520x20px MeathQFSF—FRSF—420x20px Roscommon—QFSFFRSFQF520x20px WestmeathSF1st———QF320x20px WicklowFR QF—SF—QF4=== Teams ===CountyWinsMost recent winAntrim31982Carlow11992Kerry31986Kildare42004Laois32002London51995Meath11993New York11996Roscommon11994Westmeath31991Wicklow12003=== Performances by province ===+ProvinceTitle(s)Runners-UpLast Title (Year)Biggest Contributor (Titles20x20px Leinster135Kildare (2004)Kildare (4)20x20px Britain516London (1995)20x20px London (5)20x20px Ulster33Antrim (1982)Antrim (3)20x20px Munster30Kerry (1986)Kerry (3)20x20px Connacht12Roscommon (1994)Roscommon (1)20x20px North America10New York (1996)New York (1)
See also * All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship* All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship* All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship
References