The Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge was established in 2016 and is the only competition in Hurling that has teams from all 32 counties participating. The ethos of the competition is a developmental one and through the competition each team is guaranteed to play 5 games.
For 2019, a total of 44 teams with over 1,300 players will play in 138 games – including 6 Finals – as part of the Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge.
Group H will commence their group games on Sunday 31st March and conclude their group games on Sunday 5th May. All other Groups will commence on Wednesday 1st May and conclude their group games on Wednesday 5th June. After this point all 44 teams will be graded and assigned to one of six Divisions to play in Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals.
Provincial Roadshows are currently taking place with Coaches, Referees and Players and the National Launch of the Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge will take place on Wednesday 24th April.
The six divisional finals will be played on Saturday, June 29th, at O’Connor Park in Tullamore; the winning cups have been dedicated to the memory of Michael Hogan (age 24), John William Scott (age 14), William Robinson (age 11), Jerome O’Leary (age 10), Michael Feery (aged 40) and Tom Hogan (aged 21) – six of the victims from among the 14 people shot and killed on Bloody Sunday at Croke Park on November 21st, 1920.
For more information on the Celtic Challenge countrywide please click here
For a full overview of the operation of the competition please see the Operations Manual available to download below
TheBOICelticChallengeOperationsManual2018_English
If you are a player, coach or parent and are looking for more information about how to get involved please contact: Caoimhe Ní Néill caoimhe.nineill@gaa.ie; 01 865 8622
Fixtures & Results
Celtic Challenge Group B
Wednesday 1 May 2019
Round 1 19:30 Charleville West Cork 1-14 v 1-17 North Cork
Round 1 19:30 Crotta O Neills Kerry 1-22 v 1-8 Limerick Sarsfields
Wednesday 8 May 2019
Round 2 19:30 Clare Blues 1-12 v 5-12 North Cork
Round 2 19:30 West Cork 3-18 v 2-10 Kerry
Wednesday 15 May 2019
Round 3 19:30 Clare Blues 0-9 v 7-20 Kerry
Round 3 19:30 West Cork 3-21 v 0-6 Limerick Sarsfields
Wednesday 22 May 2019
Round 4 19:30 Clare Blues 3-17 v 2-13 Limerick Sarsfields
Round 4 19:30 Kerry 2-23 v 3-20 North Cork
Wednesday 5 June 2019
Round 5 19:30 West Cork 2-25 v 3-9 Clare Blues
Round 5 19:30 Limerick Sarsfields 0-12 v 4-17 North Cork
Celtic Challenge Group E
Wednesday 1 May 2019
Round 1 19:30 Kilkenny Training Centre Dunmore Kilkenny Black 1-11 v 1-16 Kilkenny Amber
Round 1 19:30 St. Mollerans Waterford 4-8 v 4-9 Tipperary Gold
Round 1 19:30 Midleton College Cork City 1-12 v 2-19 East Cork
Wednesday 8 May 2019
Round 2 19:30 Kilkenny Black 1-11 v 1-15 Tipperary Gold
Round 2 19:30 Fraher Field Waterford 2-14 v 1-9 East Cork
Round 2 19:30 Bushy Park Cork City 1-13 v 1-19 Kilkenny Amber
Wednesday 15 May 2019
Round 3 19:30 Leamybrien East Cork 2-18 v 1-8 Kilkenny Black
Round 3 19:30 Midleton College Cork City 2-13 v 2-8 Waterford
Round 3 19:30 Cashel, Tipperary Tipperary Gold 2-15 v 3-11 Kilkenny Amber
Wednesday 22 May 2019
Round 4 19:30 Carriganore Waterford 0-13 v 2-12 Kilkenny Black
Round 4 19:30 Golden Tipperary Gold 1-13 v 1-17 Cork City
Round 4 19:30 Leamybrien East Cork 1-18 v 2-12 Kilkenny Amber
Wednesday 5 June 2019
Round 5 19:30 Bushy Park Cork City 0-7 v 2-16 Kilkenny Black
Round 5 19:30 Midleton East Cork 3-14 v 1-19 Tipperary Gold
Round 5 19:30 Kilkenny Amber 4-16 v 2-23 Waterford
Quarter Finals
Corn Michael Hogan
Quarter Finals Sat 15th June
East Cork 1-17 v 1-15 West Cork
North Cork 5-15 v 1-25 Tipp Gold (AET)
Galway McDonagh 2-25 v 0-17 Kilkenny Amber
Galway Maroon 2-26 v 3-10 Wexford
Corn John Scott
Sat 15th June
Cork City 1-16 v 2-11 Limerick Treaty
Dublin Plunkett 2-13 v 1-10 Kilkenny Black
Dublin Clarke 4-11 v 2-14 Tipperary Blue
Kerry 2-19 v 3-12 Waterford
Semi Finals
Best & Fairest Award
Aside from a packed schedule of matches, the Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge also features a number of
new initiatives on trial for the first time Gaelic games, including the ‘Best & Fairest Award’.
The ‘Best & Fairest Award’ is an alternative approach to the traditional ‘Man of the Match’ awards.
The concept is age-appropriate and is underpinned by the GAA Values of Respect and Teamwork.
After every match the Referee will consult with his Match Officials and chose one player from each team to
receive the ‘Best & Fairest Award’ on the basis that they:
- Displayed a high level of skill and endeavour;
- Displayed respect towards Match Officials;
- Displayed respect towards fellow players;
- Displayed respect toward the Playing Rules.
At the end of the Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge one of the listed players will be selected at random and
receive two tickets for the All Ireland Senior Hurling Final.
This page will be updated on a weekly basis with the list of players who receive a ‘Best & Fairest Award’.
North Cork v Tipp Gold
Photos used by kind permission from photographer Catherine Sheehan
