Galway Senior Hurling Championship

Beginnings Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in the United Irishman newspaper. In 1886, county committees were established, with the Galway County Board affiliating on 26 October 1886. The inaugural championship was played during the summer of 1887. Delays and objections were commonplace in the early years, with a number of championships remaining unfinished. ==Format==

Senior A Group stage The 16 clubs are divided into four 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 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 team in each group qualify for the quarter-finals and the second and third placed teams in the group qualifying for the preliminary quarter-finals. Knockout stage Following the completion of the group stage, the top three teams from each group qualify to the knockout stage with the four group winners receiving byes to separate quarter-finals. Preliminary quarter-finals: Teams that finished second and third in the group stage contest this round. Repeat pairings are avoided. The four winners from these games advance to the quarter-finals. Quarter-finals: The four group winners and the four preliminary quarter-final winners contest this round. Repeat pairings are avoided. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals. Semi-finals: The four quarter-final 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 The four bottom-placed teams from the group stage take part in a series of play-offs, with the losing team being relegated to the Galway Senior B Hurling Championship. Qualification At the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship. == Teams ==

2024 Senior A Teams 2024 Senior B Teams ==Venues==

Early rounds in Salthill Fixtures in the opening rounds of the championship are usually played at a neutral venue that is deemed halfway between the participating teams. Some of the more common venues include Kenny Park, Duggan Park and St Brendan's Park. Final The final has regularly been played at Pearse Stadium in Salthill. ==Managers==

managed Clarinbridge to the 2010 championship. Managers in the Galway Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches. ==Roll of honour==

of Portumna accepting the 2013 Galway Senior Hurling Championship trophy at Pearse Stadium in Galway Legend • – All-Ireland senior club champions • – All-Ireland senior club runners-up List of Galway SHC finals • 1956 Awarded to Turloughmore ==Records and statistics==

Teams By decade The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Galway Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows: • 1880s: 1 each for Meelick (1887) and Peterswell (1889) • 1890s: 3 for Ardrahan (1894-95-96) • 1900s: 4 for Peterswell (1900-04-05-07) • 1910s: 2 each for Kilconieron (1912–19), Woodfield (1913–17), Gort (1914–16) and Craughwell (1915–18) • 1920s: 5 for Tyangh (1920-22-23-25-28) • 1930s: 4 for Castlegar (1936-37-38-39) • 1940s: 3 for Liam Mellows (1943-45-46) • 1950s: 5 for Castlegar (1950-52-53-57-58) • 1960s: 6 for Turloughmore (1961-62-63-64-65-66) • 1970s: 3 each for Castlegar (1972-73-79) and Ardrahan (1974-75-78) • 1980s: 2 each for Sarsfields (1980–89) and Gort (1981–83) • 1990s: 4 each for Sarsfields (1992-93-95-97) and Athenry (1994-96-98-99) • 2000s: 5 for Portumna (2003-05-07-08-09) • 2010s: 4 for St. Thomas' (2012-16-18-19) Gaps Top five longest gaps between successive championship titles: • 65 years: Loughrea (1941-2006) • 47 years: Liam Mellows (1970-2017) • 47 years: Gort (1934-1981) • 39 years: Ardrahan (1910-1949) • 28 years: Gort (1983-2011) ==See also==