2022 Joe McDonagh Cup

Joe McDonagh Cup

The 2022 Joe McDonagh Cup is the fifth staging of the Joe McDonagh Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2018.^[1] The fixtures were published in December 2021.^[2][3]

Westmeath, winner of the 2021 final, were promoted to the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, replaced by Antrim who were relegated back to this competition.^[4] Offaly were promoted from the Christy Ring Cup.^[5]

The top 2 teams from the round robin stage will play off in the final to decide the winner. Both will advance to the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship knock-out stages. The bottom team will be relegated to Christy Ring Cup.^[6]

Team changes

To Championship

Relegated from the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

• Antrim

Promoted from the Christy Ring Cup

• Offaly

From Championship

Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

• Westmeath

Relegated to the Christy Ring Cup

• Kildare

Format

Cup format

Initially each of the six teams play the other five teams in single round-robin matches. The top two teams after the round robin games compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup final. The Joe McDonagh Cup champions and runners-up also advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals with the Joe McDonagh Cup teams having home advantage.

Promotion

If the Joe McDonagh champions are a non-Munster team, they are automatically promoted to the following year's Leinster Championship. If the champions are a Munster team, they are automatically promoted to the following year's Munster Championship. The Joe McDonagh Cup champions replace the bottom-placed team in the provincial championship containing six teams.

Relegation

The bottom-placed team in the Joe McDonagh Cup are automatically relegated to the following year's Christy Ring Cup and are replaced by the Christy Ring Cup champions.

Teams by province

The participating teams, listed by province, with numbers in parentheses indicating final positions in the 2022 National Hurling League before the championship were:

Leinster (3)

• Carlow (16)
• Meath (19)
• Offaly (13)

Munster (1)

• Kerry (15)

Ulster (2)

• Antrim (11)
• Down (14)

Teams

General Information

Six counties will compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup:

Personnel and kits

Group stage

Round 1

Antrim v Offaly

Kerry v Down

Meath v Carlow

Round 2

Offaly v Meath

Carlow v Kerry

Down v Antrim

Round 3

Antrim v Carlow

Kerry v Meath

Down v Offaly

Round 4

Kerry v Offaly

Carlow v Down

Meath v Antrim

Round 5

Antrim v Kerry

Down v Meath

Offaly v Carlow

Final

Antrim v Kerry

Antrim qualify for the 2023 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and are promoted to the 2023 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, replacing Laois.

Stadia and locations

Statistics

Top scorers

Top scorer overall

In a single game

Scoring events

• Widest winning margin: 30 points
  • Kerry 6-25 - 0-13 Meath (round 3)
• Most goals in a match: 10
  • Meath 3-13 - 7-29 Antrim (round 4)
• Most points in a match: 51
  • Kerry 2-28 - 4-23 Offaly (round 4)
• Most goals by one team in a match: 7
  • Meath 3-13 - 7-29 Antrim (round 4)
• Most points by one team in a match: 30
  • Meath 0-17 - 4-30 Carlow (round 1)
• Highest aggregate score: 73 points
  • Antrim 5-22 - 4-24 Kerry (final)
• Lowest aggregate score: 39 points
  • Offaly 0-17 - 0-22 Carlow (round 5)

Miscellaneous

• Antrim won their 1st championship in 2 years since winning the 2020 Joe McDonagh Cup.
• Antrim become the first team to win the Joe McDonagh Cup twice.
• Kerry become the first team to contest 3 Joe McDonagh Cup finals in a row and also lose 3 finals in a row.
• Meath become the first team to be relegated from the Joe McDonagh Cup twice.
• Meath holds the record for most goals conceded (21) and most points conceded (197) in a single Joe McDonagh Cup campaign.
• First-time Joe McDonagh Cup meetings:
  • Offaly v Meath (Round 2)
  • Down v Antrim (Round 2)
  • Down v Offaly (Round 3)
  • Carlow v Down (Round 4)
  • Offaly v Carlow (Round 5)

References

1. Moran, Seán (30 September 2017). "GAA Congress approve round-robin provincial hurling championships". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
2. "GAA fixtures 2022: Calendar confirmed with replays only for All-Ireland finals". Irish Times. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
3. "Joe McDonagh Cup". RTE Sport. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
4. "Antrim relegated straight back to the Joe McDonagh Cup after defeat to Laois". Belfast Telegraph. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
5. "Offaly hit 0-41 in massive Christy Ring Cup final victory over Derry". The42. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
6. "Hurling round-up: All to play for in final rounds for Joe McDonagh, Kildare head into Christy Ring final as hot favourites". Irish Examiner. 15 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.