Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship

The Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Molloy Environmental Systems Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Offaly SBHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 2018 for the second tier senior hurling teams in the county of Offaly in Ireland.

Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship
Current season or competition:
2023 Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship
IrishCraobh Iomána Sinsearach B Uibh Fháilí
CodeHurling
Founded2018 (2018)
Region Offaly (GAA)
TrophyMichael Verney Cup
No. of teams6
Title holders Kilcormac–Killoughey (1st title)
SponsorsMolloy Environmental Systems
Official websiteOffaly GAA

In its current format, the Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship begins with a group stage. The six participating teams play each other in a round-robin system. The four top-ranking teams proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Glenisk O'Connor Park. The winner of the Offaly Senior B Championship qualifies for the subsequent Leinster Intermediate Club Championship.

Kilcormac–Killoughey are the title holders after defeating Clodiagh Gaels by 0–12 to 0–08 in the 2023 final.[1]

History

The Offaly Intermediate Championship was founded in 1929 in an effort to bridge the standard of play between the Offaly Senior Championship and the Offaly Junior Championship. For almost 90 years, the Offaly Intermediate Championship was effectively the second tier championship in the Offaly hurling championship system.

A review of Offaly's hurling structures in 2017 proposed that the Offaly SHC and Offaly IHC be reduced from 12 to eight teams. This resulted in the creation of a new eight-team Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship. The inaugural championship in 2018 featured four regraded teams from the 2017 Offaly SHC: Clodiagh Gaels, Lusmagh, Shamrocks and Tullamore. The remaining four teams were the 2017 Offaly IHC semi-finalists: Ballinamere, Brosna Gaels, Carrig-Riverstown and Drumcullen.[2]

The very first match in the inaugural championship took place on 1 April 2018, with Tullamore beating Clodiagh Gaels by 3–17 to 2–11. Ballinamere won the inaugural championship after beating Shamrocks in the final. Brosna Gaels were the first team to suffer relegation after losing a playoff to Carrig-Riverstown.[3]

Format

Group stage

Six clubs start in the group stage. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed five 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 four teams qualify for the knockout stage

Knockout stage

Semi-finals: The top four teams from the group stage 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 fifth and sixth-placed teams from the group stage take part in a relegation playoff to determine who drops to the Offaly Intermediate Hurling Championship.

Qualification for subsequent competitions

The Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Leinster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship. 2020 winners, Kinnitty, did not take part in the provincial campaign as the 2020–21 series was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

List of finals
Year Winners Runners-up Venue #
Club Score Club Score
2018 Ballinamere 2-16 Shamrocks 3-10 Bord na Móna O'Connor Park [4]
2019 Seir Kieran 1-20 Clodiagh Gaels 0-14 St Brendan's Park [5]
2020 Kinnitty 0-16 Drumcullen 1-10 Bord na Móna O'Connor Park [6]
2021 Clodiagh Gaels 2-10 Tullamore 1-12 St Brendan's Park [7]
2022 Tullamore 3-09 Clara 0-09 Glenisk O'Connor Park [8]
2023 Kilcormac–Killoughey 0-12 Clodiagh Gaels 0-08 Glenisk O'Connor Park

References
  1. Corrigan, Kevin (30 September 2022). "Superior Kilcormac-Killoughey knock resistance out of suspension hit Clodiagh Gaels". Offaly Live. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  2. "Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship results and final tables". Offaly Live. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  3. "Ballycumber Club Notes". Hogan Stand. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  4. "Shamrocks on the glory trail". GAA website. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  5. "Clodiagh Gaels club notes". Hogan Stand. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  6. Corrigan, Kevin (22 August 2021). "Kinnitty pushed hard by Drumcullen but claim deserved win in Senior B Hurling Final". Offaly Live. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  7. Corrigan, Kevin (20 November 2021). "Dramatic finish as Offaly Senior B Hurling final settled with brilliant late point". Offaly Live. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  8. "Goals the difference as Tullamore overcome Clara in Senior B Hurling Final". Offaly Live. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
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