2018 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship

2018 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship
Dates	22 September 2018 – 28 October 2018
Teams	12
Sponsor	St. Canice's Credit Union
Champions	Ballyhale Shamrocks (16th title); Michael Fennelly (captain); Henry Shefflin (manager)
Runners-up	Bennettsbridge; James McGrath (manager)
Relegated	Carrickshock
Tournament statistics
Matches played	14
Goals scored	33 (2.36 per match)
Points scored	432 (30.86 per match)
Top scorer(s)	T. J. Reid (2-31)
← 2017 (Previous)	(Next) 2019 →

The 2018 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship was the 124th staging of the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Kilkenny County Board in 1887. The championship began on 22 September 2018 and ended on 28 October 2018.

Dicksboro were the defending champions, however, they were defeated by Ballyhale Shamrocks at the quarter-final stage.^[1]^[2]

On 28 October 2018, Ballyhale Shamrocks won the championship after a 2-20 to 2-17 defeat of Bennettsbridge at Nowlan Park.^[3] It was their 16th championship title overall and their first title since 2014.

Team changes

To Championship

Promoted from the Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship

St. Patrick's

From Championship

Relegated to the Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship

St. Martin's

Results

First round

22 September 2018 First round	Erin's Own	2-15 - 1-18	Carrickshock	Clara
	S Buggy 1-1, J Holohan 1-1, C Fogarty 0-4, A Moran 0-2, J Mullins 0-2, D Dunne 0-2, N McMahon 0-1, S Daly 0-1, M Murphy 0-1.		K Farrell 0-6, J Power 1-2, E Martin 0-4, M O'Dwyer 0-3, B O'Donovan 0-1, M Rice 0-1, D Brennan 0-1.	Referee: P Burke (Emeralds)/E Larkin (James Stephens)

23 September 2018 First round	Clara	3-10 - 1-14	Danesfort	Páirc Shéamuis Stiopháin, Kilkenny
	J Nolan 2-1, C Bolger 1-3, J Bergin 0-5, L Ryan 0-1.		R Hogan 0-9, J Bruton 1-1, C Treacy 0-1, P Cooney 0-1, G Tynan 0-1, P Mullen 0-1.	Referee: M O'Sullivan (Ballyhale Shamrocks)

23 September 2018 First round	Mullinavat	2-14 - 0-16	Rower-Instioge	Thomastown Sportsfield, Thomastown
	J Walsh 1-6, O Knox 1-3, I Duggan 0-2, A Mansfield 0-2, W O'Dwyer 0-1.		K Murphy 0-7, R Leahy 0-2, K Joyce 0-1, T Murphy 0-1, S Lyster 0-1, S Ryan 0-1, C Ryan 0-1, J Ryan 0-1, P Lyng 0-1.	Referee: S Cleere (O'Loughlin Gaels)

23 September 2018 First round	Ballyhale Shamrocks	3-22 - 1-12	St. Patrick's	St. John's Park, Kilkenny
	TJ Reid 1-11, C Fennelly 1-1, A Mullen 0-4, E Cody 1-0, E Shefflin 0-3, R Reid 0-1, E Reid 0-1, B Cody 0-1.		K Kelly 1-9, B Staunton 0-1, S Kenny 0-1, G Brennan 0-1.	Referee: O Kenny (Tullogher-Rosbercon)

29 September 2018 First round replay	Erin's Own	1-13 - 0-14	Carrickshock	Clara
	M Murphy 0-9, D Dunne 1-1, C Fogarty 0-2, S Daly 0-1.		K Farrell 0-7, E Martin 0-3, M Rice 0-2, J Power 0-2.	Referee: R Dowling (Kilmacow)

Relegation play-off

13 October 2018 Final	Carrickshock	2-09 - 0-19	Danesfort	John Locke Park, Callan
	K Farrell 0-6, J Power 1-0, B O'Donovan 1-0, D Walsh 0-2, É Martin 0-1.		R Hogan 0-9, J Mullally 0-3, P Hogan 0-2, G Tynan 0-2, G Bruton 0-2, D O'Neill 0-1.	Referee: R Byrne (Glenmore)

Quarter-finals

30 September 2018 Quarter-final	O'Loughlin Gaels	0-16 - 2-12	Clara	Danesfort
	M Bergin 0-9, P Deegan 0-3, J Molloy 0-2, S Mahony 0-1, M Kelly 0-1.		J Bergin 0-10, J Nolan 1-1, J Murphy 1-0, L Ryan 0-2.	Referee: A Barcoe (Blacks and Whites)

30 September 2018 Quarter-final	Bennettsbridge	1-17 - 2-08	Mullinavat	Thomastown
	A Cleere 1-6, N Cleere 0-5, L Blanchfield 0-2, D Walsh 0-1, K Blanchfield 0-1, B Lannon 0-1, D Coyne 0-1.		J Walsh 0-8, J Fennelly 1-0, J Culleton 1-0.	Referee: S Cleere (O'Loughlin Gaels)

30 September 2018 Quarter-final	Dicksboro	1-19 - 1-24	Ballyhale Shamrocks	John Locke Park, Callan
	S Stapleton 0-7, A Gaffney 1-1, M Gaffney 0-3, B Sheehan 0-3, A Nolan 0-1, O Walsh 0-1, E Gough 0-1, K Kenny 0-1, R Murphy 0-1.		TJ Reid 1-15, A Mullen 0-4, E Reid 0-2, E Cody 0-2, M Aylward 0-1.	Referee: P Cahill (Dunnamaggin)

6 October 2018 Quarter-final	James Stephens	0-14 - 0-14	Erin's Own	Ballyragget
	D Walton (0-9, 0-8 frees), L Scanlon, E Larkin (0-2 each), N Brassil (0-1).		M Murphy (0-7, 0-6 frees), C Fogarty (0-3, 0-2 frees, 0-1 '65') N McMahon, J Holohan (0-2 each).

13 October 2018 Quarter-final replay	James Stephens	1-13 - 1-15	Erin's Own	Ballyragget
	D Walton 1-8, M Ruth 0-3, L Scanlon 0-1, N Brassil 0-1.		M Murphy 0-9, C Fogarty 1-0, E Brennan 0-3, C Delaney 0-1, A Moran 0-1, S Daly 0-1.	Referee: G Rafter

Semi-finals

14 October 2018 Semi-final	Bennettsbridge	3-19 - 2-17	Clara	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	S Morrissey (2-5); N Cleere (0-7); B Lannon (1-0); A Cleere (0-3); L Blanchfield (0-2); D Blanchfield, E Morrisseey (0-1 each).	Report	J Bergin (0-7); C Bolger (0-6); J Murphy (1-2); J Nolan (1-0); Liam Ryan (0-2).

21 October 2018 Semi-final	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1-16 - 1-15	Erin's Own	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	TJ Reid 0-5, E Shefflin 1-1, A Mullen 0-2, E Corcoran 0-2, E Cody 0-2, R Reid 0-1, E Reid 0-1, C Fennelly 0-1, M Aylward 0-1.		M Murphy 0-9, A Owens 1-0, C Fogarty 0-3, E Brennan 0-2, C Delaney 0-1.

Final

28 October 2018 Final	Bennettsbridge	2-17 - 2-20	Ballyhale Shamrocks	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	B Lannon (2-1); N Cleere (0-7 frees): E Morrissey, J Cleere and A Cleere (all 0-2); R Lennon, L Blanchfield and S Morrissey (all 0-1).	Report	TJ Reid (1-10, 0-8 frees); E Cody (1-1); B Cody (0-2); E Shefflin, D Mullen, R Corcoran, E Reid, C Fennelly, A Mullen and M Aylward (all 0-1).	Referee: P Cahill (Dunnamaggin)

Championship statistics

Top scorers

Top scorers overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	T. J. Reid	Ballyhale Shamrocks	3-41	50	4	12.50
2	Michael Murphy	Erin's Own	0-35	35	5	7.00
3	James Bergin	Clara	0-22	22	3	7.33
4	David Walton	James Stephens	1-17	20	2	10.00
5	Nicky Cleere	Bennettsbridge	0-19	19	3	6.33
6	Kevin Farrell	Carrickshock	0-19	19	3	6.33
7	Richie Hogan	Danesfort	0-18	18	2	9.00
8	John Walsh	Mullinavat	1-14	17	2	8.50
9	Conor Fogarty	Erin's Own	1-12	15	5	3.00
10	James Nolan	Clara	4-02	14	3	4.66
10	Aidan Cleere	Bennettsbridge	1-11	14	3	4.66

Top scorers in a single game

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	T. J. Reid	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1-15	18	Dicksboro
2	T. J. Reid	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1-11	14	St. Patrick's
3	T. J. Reid	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1-10	13	Bennettsbridge
4	Kevin Kelly	St. Patrick's	1-09	12	Ballyhale Shamrocks
5	Seán Morrissey	Bennettsbridge	2-05	11	Clara
5	David Walton	James Stephens	1-08	11	Erin's Own
6	James Bergin	Clara	0-10	10	O'Loughlin Gaels
7	John Walsh	Mullinavat	1-06	9	Rower-Inistioge
	Aidan Cleere	Bennettsbridge	1-06	9	Mullinavat
	David Walton	James Stephens	0-09	9	Erin's Own
	Mark Bergin	O'Loughlin Gaels	0-09	9	Clara
	Richie Hogan	Danesfort	0-09	9	Clara
	Michael Murphy	Erin's Own	0-09	9	Clara
	Richie Hogan	Danesfort	0-09	9	Carrickshock
	Michael Murphy	Erin's Own	0-09	9	James Stephens
	Michael Murphy	Erin's Own	0-09	9	Ballyhale Shamrocks

Miscellaneous

Bennettsbridge qualified for the final for the first time since 1974.

References

^ Breheny, Martin (30 October 2017). "Dicksboro the top cats for first time in 24 years". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
^ Stack, Billy (1 October 2018). "Kilkenny SHC: Dicksboro's reign over as TJ Reid masterclass seals it for Ballyhale". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
^ Breheny, Martin (28 October 2018). "Henry Shefflin launches managerial career as Ballyhale win Kilkenny championship". Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 October 2018.

External links

2018 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship fixtures and results

[1] Breheny, Martin (30 October 2017). "Dicksboro the top cats for first time in 24 years". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.

[2] Stack, Billy (1 October 2018). "Kilkenny SHC: Dicksboro's reign over as TJ Reid masterclass seals it for Ballyhale". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 8 October 2018.

[3] Breheny, Martin (28 October 2018). "Henry Shefflin launches managerial career as Ballyhale win Kilkenny championship". Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 October 2018.

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