Kilkenny Senior Football Championship

Annual Gaelic football competition

Kilkenny Senior Football Championship

Irish| Craobh Peile Sinsearach Chill Chainnigh
Code| Gaelic football
Founded| 1887; 137 years ago (1887)
Region|  Kilkenny (GAA)
No. of teams| 13
Title holders|  Dicksboro (3rd title)
Most titles|  Railyard (22 titles)
Sponsors| J. J. Kavanagh & Sons
Official website| Kilkenny GAA

The Kilkenny Senior Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the J. J. Kavanagh & Sons Senior Football Championship and abbreviated to the Kilkenny SFC) is an annual club Gaelic football competition organised by the Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking senior clubs in the county of Kilkenny in Ireland. It is the most prestigious competition in Kilkenny Gaelic football.

Introduced in 1887 as the Kilkenny Football Championship, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to senior-ranking club teams. The championship has gone through a number of changes throughout the years, including the use of a round robin, before reverting to a straight knockout format.

In its current format, the Kilkenny Senior Championship begins in April with a first round series of games comprising ten teams, while the three remaining teams receive byes to the quarter-final stage. A team's finishing position in the Kilkenny Senior Football League determines at what stage they enter the championship. Four rounds of games are played, culminating with the final match at Nowlan Park. The winner of the Kilkenny Senior Championship qualifies for the subsequent Leinster Intermediate Club Championship.

The competition has been won by 35 teams, 18 of which have won it more than once. Railyard is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 22 times. Dicksboro are the 2024 champions, having beaten Lisdowney by 1–09 to 1–06 in the final.[1]

## Format

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### Overview

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The Kilkenny County Championship is a single elimination tournament. Each team is afforded just one defeat before being eliminated from the championship. Pairings for matches are drawn at random, however, there is a certain level of seeding based on league performance. The four top-ranking teams receive a bye into the quarter-finals.

### Current format

[edit]

First round: 10 teams contest this round. The 5 winning teams advance directly to the quarter-final stage. The 5 losing teams are eliminated from the championship. The lower-ranked teams from the league advance to a relegation playoff.

Quarter-finals: Eight teams contest this round. The four winning teams advance directly to the semi-final stage. The four losing teams are eliminated from the championship.

Semi-finals: Four teams contest this round. The two winning teams advance directly to the final. The two losing teams are eliminated from the championship.

Final: The final is contested by the two semi-final winners.

## Teams

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### Participating teams

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The following 13 teams participated in the 2023 championship:

Team  | Location  | Colours

|
|

Clara | Clara | Maroon and white
Danesfort | Danesfort | Black and amber
Dicksboro | Palmerstown  | Maroon and white
Erin's Own | Castlecomer | Blue and white
James Stephens | Larchfield  | Red and green
Kilmoganny | Kilmoganny | Yellow and green
Mooncoin | Mooncoin | Green and white
Mullinavat | Mullinavat | Black and white
O'Loughlin Gaels | Hebron Road  | Green and white
Muckalee | Muckalee  | Green and yellow
Railyard | Moneenroe | Red and white
Thomastown | Thomastown | Blue and white
Tullogher–Rosbercon | Tullogher | Black and amber

## Wins listed by club

[edit]

#  | Club  | Wins  | Years won

|
|
|

1  | Railyard | 22  | 1951, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1992, 1999, 2014, 2015, 2016
2  | Glenmore | 20  | 1906, 1915, 1916, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1929, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1989, 1998, 2009
3  | Muckalee | 12  | 1968, 1975, 1977, 1987, 1990, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
4  | Tullogher | 8  | 1930, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1944, 1962
James Stephens | 8  | 1976, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2008
5  | Mullinavat | 7  | 2007, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
7  | Thomastown | 5  | 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2021
8  | Commercials (City)  | 4  | 1890, 1893, 1894, 1895
Knocktopher | 4  | 1901, 1908, 1910, 1911
Lamogue  | 4  | 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905
11  | Slatequarry Miners  | 3  | 1900, 1907, 1913
Ballyhale Shamrocks | 3  | 1979, 1980, 1982
Dicksboro | 3  | 1994, 1997, 2024
14  | Kilmacow | 2  | 1887, 1888
Coolagh  | 2  | 1914, 1919
St John's  | 2  | 1946, 1948
Clann na Gael (City)  | 2  | 1963, 1964
Erin's Own | 2  | 2002, 2006
18  | Ballyhale  | 1  | 1889
Sevenhouses  | 1  | 1896
Green Rovers (City)  | 1  | 1897
Callan '98 Volunteers  | 1  | 1898
City Rangers  | 1  | 1899
Coolroe  | 1  | 1909
Ye Faire City  | 1  | 1925
Cotterstown  | 1  | 1926
Owen Roes (Army)  | 1  | 1928
Black & Whites  | 1  | 1932
Moneenroe  | 1  | 1933
Barrow Rovers (Glenmore-Slieverue)  | 1  | 1935
Northern Junior Selection  | 1  | 1945
Sarsfields (Conahy)  | 1  | 1947
Graiguenamanagh  | 1  | 1956
St Kieran's (Mooncoin-Kilmacow)  | 1  | 1974
Mooncoin | 1  | 1986
Kilmoganny  | 1  | 2000

## Finals listed by year

[edit]

Year  | Winner  | Score  | Opponent  | Score

|
|
|
|

2024[2] | Dicksboro | 1-09  | Lisdowney | 1-06
2023  | Mullinavat | 3-07  | Thomastown | 1-09
2022  | Mullinavat | 1-12  | Thomastown | 0-08
2021  | Thomastown | 2-06  | Mullinavat | 1-05
2020[3] | Mullinavat | 5-07  | Mooncoin | 1-04
2019 | Mullinavat | 1-13  | Railyard | 0-10
2018  | Mullinavat | 5-11  | Muckalee | 2-09
2017[4] | Mullinavat | 3-12  | Railyard | 2-05
2016[5] | Railyard | 1-08  | Kilmoganny | 2-03
2015  | Railyard | 2-08 R (0-08) D  | Muckalee | 1-09 R (1-05) D
2014  | Railyard | 1-05  | Muckalee | 1-04
2013[6] | Muckalee | 2-10  | James Stephens | 1-09
2012  | Muckalee | 1-10  | Mullinavat | 0-07
2011  | Muckalee | 0-06  | Kilmoganny | 0-04
2010  | Muckalee | 1-10  | Glenmore | 1-07
2009  | Glenmore | 2-07  | Muckalee | 0-10
2008  | James Stephens | 1-09  | Erin's Own | 1-08
2007  | Mullinavat | 0-09, 3-07 (R)  | Glenmore | 1-06, 0-11 (R)
2006  | Erin's Own | 1-05  | Mullinavat | 1-03
2005  | Muckalee | 3-10  | Railyard | 0-09
2004  | Muckalee | 0-10, 0-09 (R)  | Erin's Own | 1-07, 0-07 (R)
2003  | James Stephens | 2-07  | O'Loughlin Gaels | 0-06
2002  | Erin's Own | 1-08  | James Stephens | 0-08
2001  | Muckalee | 2-07, 1-11 (R)  | Erin's Own | 1-10, 0-09 (R)
2000  | Kilmoganny | 0-07, 2-11 (R)  | Dicksboro | 0-07, 1-09 (R)
1999  | Railyard | 1-05  | Graigue-Ballycallan | 0-07
1998*  | Glenmore | 0-09  | James Stephens | 0-09
1997  | Dicksboro | 0-11  | James Stephens | 0-08
1996  | James Stephens | 0-12  | Kilmoganny | 2-04
1995  | James Stephens | 0-11, 2-12 (R)  | Dicksboro | 1-08, 1-11 (R)
1994  | Dicksboro | 0-09  | Ballyhale Shamrocks | 0-06
1993  | James Stephens | 1-07, 4-10 (R)  | Railyard | 0-10, 0-07 (R)
1992  | Railyard | 0-11  | James Stephens | 0-08
1991  | James Stephens | 1-09  | Railyard | 1-07
1990  | Muckalee | 1-11  | Glenmore | 0-04
1989  | Glenmore | 0-11  | Railyard | 1-05
1988  | James Stephens | 1-06, 0-07 (R)  | Railyard | 1-06, 0-04 (R)
1987  | Muckalee | 0-06  | Railyard | 0-05
1986  | Mooncoin | 1-06, 0-09 (R)  | James Stephens | 1-06, 0-07 (R)
1985  | Thomastown | 5-03  | Railyard | 1-05
1984  | Thomastown | 1-09  | Railyard | 0-04
1983  | Thomastown | 1-05  | Railyard | 1-02
1982  | Ballyhale Shamrocks | 0-06, 0-07 (R)  | Thomastown | 0-06, 0-02 (R)
1981  | Thomastown | 2-06  | Muckalee | 0-06
1980  | Ballyhale Shamrocks | 4-07  | Muckalee | 1-01
1979  | Ballyhale Shamrocks | 0-12  | The Gaels (City)  | 0-04
1978  | Railyard | 2-06  | James Stephens | 0-07
1977  | Muckalee | W/O  | James Stephens | Scr.
1976  | James Stephens | 1-09  | Railyard | 0-06
1975  | Muckalee | 0-04, 0-09 (R)  | James Stephens | 0-04, 0-03 (R)
1974  | St Kieran's (Mooncoin-Kilmacow)  | 0-07  | Muckalee | 0-02
1973  | Railyard | 0-09  | Glenmore | 0-03
1972  | Railyard | 2-10  | Clann na Gael  | 0-09
1971  | Railyard | 3-10  | Thomastown | 0-03
1970  | Railyard | 0-08  | Muckalee | 0-04
1969  | Railyard | 0-11  | Mooncoin | 0-06
1968  | Muckalee | 1-09  | James Stephens | 1-03
1967  | Railyard | 3-05  | Clan na Gael  | 1-02
1966  | Railyard | 1-11  | James Stephens | 2-05
1965  | Railyard | W/O  | Tullogher | Scr.
1964  | Clann na Gael  | 2=-3, 3-03 (R)  | Lamogue  | 1-06, 0-04 (R)
1963  | Clann na Gael  | 1-06  | Lamogue  | 0-02
1962  | Tullogher | 1-07  | Muckalee | 0-02
1961  | Railyard | 1-07  | Graigue | 0-02
1960  | Railyard | 5-11  | Clara | 1-02
1959  | Railyard | 4-07  | St Niochlas  | 2-03
1958  | Railyard | 3-07  | St Niochlas  | 1-05
1957*  | Railyard | 3-06  | St Niochlas  | 2-04
1956  | Graiguenamanagh | 1-06, 1-03 (R)  | Glenmore | 1-06, 1-01 (R)
1955  | Glenmore | 2-04  | Railyard | 0-05
1954  | Glenmore | 2-03  | Railyard | 0-04
1953  | Railyard | 1-04  | Cotterstown  | 0-03
1952  | Railyard | 2-08  | St John's  | 0-04
1951  | Railyard | 2-05  | Glenmore | 2-02
1950  | Glenmore | 0-05  | St John's  | 1-01
1949  | Glenmore | 1-06  | Tullogher | 1-00
1948*  | St John's  | 1-07, 0-04 (1R), 2-04 (2nd R)  | Sarsfields (Conahy)  | 0-04, 1-01 (1R), 0-02 (2nd R)
1947  | Sarsfields (Conahy)  | 0-03, 2-02 (R)  | Glenmore | 0-03, 1-03 (R)
1946  | St John's  | 1-07  | Glenmore | 1-01
1945  | Northern Juniors  | 1-4  | Glenmore | 1-03
1944  | Tullogher | 2-07  | Coolagh  | 1-02
1943  | Glenmore | 2-06  | Carrickshock | 0-01
1942  | Glenmore | 3-04  | Tullogher | 0-00
1941  | Tullogher | 2-08  | The Rower  | 0-01
1940*  | Glenmore | 2-00  | Sarsfields (Conahy)  | 2-03
1939  | Glenmore | 1-03  | Tullogher | 1-02
1938  | Glenmore | 6-08  | Tullogher | 4-05
1937  | Tullogher | 2-05  | Glenmore | 2-00
1936  | Tullogher | 1-05  | Black & Whites | 1-03
1935  | Barrow Rovers (Glenmore/Slieverue)  | 0-05  | Mullinavat | 0-03
1934  | Tullogher | 1-04  | Mullinavat | 0-01
1933  | Moneenroe  | 0-05  | Glenmore | 0-02
1932  | Black & Whites | 0-04  | O'Loughlin Gaels | 1-01
1931*  | Tullogher |  |  |
1930  | Tullogher | 0-06  | Glenmore | 0-02
1929  | Glenmore | 0-03  | Cotterstown  | 0-01
1928  | Owen Roes (Army)  | 2-05  | Glenmore | 1-02
1927*  | No Championship
1926  | Cotterstown  | 1-06  | Barrow Rovers (Tullogher)  | 0-02
1925  | Ye Faire Citie  | 0-02, 3-03 (R)  | Cotterstown  | 0-02, 0-03 (R)
1924  | Glenmore | 3-01  | Barrow Rovers (Tullogher)  | 0-00
1923  | Glenmore | 2-07  | Cloneen  | 0-02
1922  | Glenmore | W/O  | Cotterstown  | Scr.
1921  | No Championship
1920*  | Glenmore | 1-05, 2-06 (R)  | Cloneen  | 1-03, 0-03 (R)
1919  | Coolagh W/O  | Glenmore Scr.
1918  | No Championship
1917  | No Championship
1916  | Glenmore | 1-00  | Coolroe  | 0-00
1915  | Glenmore | 1-01, 1-00 (R) 1-03 (2R), 1-00 (3R)  | Coolagh  | 1-01, 1-00 (R), 2-00 (2R), 0-02 (3R)
1914  | Coolagh  | 0-03  | Knocktopher | 0-02
1913  | Slatequarry Miners  | 1-00  | Clogh  | 0-00
1912  | No Championship
1911  | Knocktopher | 0-04  | Clogh  | 0-01
1910*  | Knocktopher | 0-02  | Slatequarry Miners  | 0-03
1909  | Coolroe  | 0-06  | Clodiagh  | 0-02
1908  | Knocktopher | 0-03  | Slatequarry Miners  | 0-02
1907  | Slatequarry Miners  | 0-07  | Knocktopher | 0-04
1906  | Glenmore | 2-02  | Kells  | 1-02
1905  | Lamogue  |  | Harristown  |
1904  | Lamogue  |  | Mullinavat |
1903  | Lamogue  | 3-08  | Tullogher | 0-00
1902  | Lamogue  | 0-08  | Tullogher | 0-07
1901*  | Knocktopher | 0-06, 0-05 (R)  | Green & Whites (The Rower)  | 0-06, 0-02 (R)
1900  | Slatequarry Miners  | 0-12  | City Rangers  | 1-02
1899  | City Rangers  | 2-08  | Knocktopher | 2-07
1898  | Callan '98 Volunteers  |  | Slatequarry Miners  |
1897  | Green Rovers (City)  | 1-09  | City Rangers  | 0-02
1896  | Seven Houses  | 1-07  | Callan  | 0-05
1895  | Commercials (City)  | W/O  | Callan  | Scr.
1894  | Commercials (City)  | 2-02  | Callan  | 0-01
1893  | Commercials (City)  | 1-01  | Callan  | 0-00
1892  | No Championship
1891  | No Championship
1890  | Commercials (City)  | 1-00  | Ballyhale  | 0-01
1889*  | Ballyhale  |  | Kells  |
1888  | Kilmacow | 0-03  | Thomas Larkins (City)  | 0-00
1887 [7] | Kilmacow | 0-02, 1-03 (R)  | Kilkenny  | 0-02, 0-00 (R)

* 1998 No replay - Glenmore won in a replay
* 1957 - Unfinished - Railyard awarded tit;e
* 1948 - Reply ordered after objection
* 1940 Glenmore awarded title on objection
* 1931 Played on a league basis
* 1927 Glenmore 1-02, Cotterstown 0-02 Declared null & void
* 1911 Knocktopher awarded title after an objection
* 1920 Reply ordered following an objection
* 1901 Unfinished. Rower claimed they scored a goal. Knocktopher awarded match.
* 1889 Kells 3-05, Thomas Larkins 0-02; This was declared not the final and Ballyhale was allowed back in championship. Kells refused to play them, and Ballyhale awarded title

## Records

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### Teams

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#### By decade

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The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Kilkenny Senior Football Championship titles, is as follows:

* 1880s: 2 for Kilmacow (1887–88)
* 1890s: 4 for Commercials (1890-93-94-95)
* 1900s: 4 for Lamogue (1902-03-04-05)
* 1910s: 2 each for Knocktopher (1910-11), Coolagh (1914-19) and Glenmore (1915-16)
* 1920s: 5 for Glenmore (1920-22-23-24-29)
* 1930s: 5 for Tullogher (1930-31-34-36-37)
* 1940s: 4 for Glenmore (1940-42-43-49)
* 1950s: 6 for Railyard (1951-52-53-57-58-59)
* 1960s: 6 for Railyard (1960-61-65-66-67-69)
* 1970s: 5 for Railyard (1970-71-72-73-78)
* 1980s: 4 for Thomastown (1981-83-84-85)
* 1990s: 4 for James Stephens (1991-93-95-96)
* 2000s: 3 for Muckalee (2001-04-05)
* 2010s: 4 for Muckalee (2010-11-12-13)
* 2020s: 3 for Mullinavat (2020-22-23)

#### Most consecutive wins

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#  | Wins  | Club  | Years won

|
|
|

1st  | 5  | Railyard | 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961
Railyard | 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
2nd  | 3  | Lamogue  | 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905
Muckalee | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Mullinavat | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

#### Gaps/wins

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Top three longest gaps between championship titles:

* 36 years: Thomastown (1985-2021)
* 34 years: Glenmore (1955-1989)
* 27 years: Dicksboro (1997-2024)
* 18 years: Tullogher (1944-1962)

## Winners and finalists

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### The Double

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Two teams have won the Kilkenny Senior Football Championship and the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship in a single year as part of a Gaelic football-hurling double. James Stephens became the first team to win the double in 1976, having won the All-Ireland Club SHC title earlier that year. Ballyhale Shamrocks won their own double in 1979, before repeating the feat in 1980 and 1982.

Dicksboro, Erin's Own, Glenmore, Mooncoin and Thomastown also hold the distinction of being dual county senior championship-winning teams, however, these were not achieved in a single calendar season. Muckalee and their sister club St. Martin's have also achieved the double.

## References

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1. ^ "Kilkenny SFC Final: First half surge enough to give Dicksboro senior title". Kilkenny People. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
2. ^ "SENIOR FOOTBALL COUNTY CHAMPS 2024". Kilkenny Observer. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
3. ^ "Mullinavat complete Kilkenny SFC four-in-a-row". Hogan Stand. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
4. ^ "Kilkenny SFC final: Mullinavat topple champions". Hogan Stand. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
5. ^ "Kilkenny SFC final: Railyard complete three-in-a-row". Hogan Stand. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
6. ^ "Kilkenny SFC final: Muckalee seal four-in-a-row". Hogan Stand. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
7. ^ Munster Express 1860-current, Saturday, 21 May 1887; Page: 8

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