Waterford Crystal Cup

The Waterford Crystal Cup was an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 2006 to 2015 for the top inter-county teams and third-level institutes and universities in the province of Munster in Ireland.

Waterford Crystal Cup
IrishCorn CriostailPhort Láirge
CodeHurling
Founded2006
Abolished2015
RegionMunster (GAA)
Last Title holdersLimerick (2nd title)
First winnerLimerick
Most titlesTipperary (4 titles)
SponsorsWaterford Crystal
TV partner(s)TG4

The series of games were played during January and February. The prize for the winning team is a special piece of glassware donated by Waterford Crystal. This cup competition was always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the series of games.

The Waterford Crystal Cup was effectively a pre-season tournament. It allowed teams to blood new players and to experiment prior to the opening of the National Hurling League (for county teams) or Fitzgibbon Cup (for third-level teams).

History

The Waterford Crystal Cup was played for the first time in 2006. It replaced the informal Waterford Crystal South-East Hurling League which had been running since 1996 and was the brainchild of the Waterford County Board.

In 2016 it was replaced by the Munster Senior Hurling League, which only admits county teams.

Format

The Waterford Crystal Cup is a knockout tournament with pairings drawn at random - there are no seeds.

Each match is played as a single leg. If a match is drawn a period of extra-time is played, however, if both sides are still level at the end a second replay takes place and so on until a winner is found.

Roll of honour

TeamWinsYears won
Tipperary42007, 2008, 2012, 2014
Limerick22006, 2015
Clare22009, 2013
Waterford22010, 2011

List of finals

YearWinnersRunners-upWinning captainVenue
CountyScoreCountyScore
2016–presentCounties now compete in the Munster Senior Hurling League
2015Limerick3-20Cork1-16Donal O'GradyMallow[1]
2014Tipperary4-22Clare3-11James WoodlockGaelic Grounds[2]
2013Clare1-21Tipperary1-13Patrick DonnellanSemple Stadium[3]
2012Tipperary1-21Clare2-12Brendan CumminsO'Garney Park[4]
2011Waterford0-21Cork0-16Stephen MolumphyPáirc Uí Rinn[5]
2010Waterford1-9University College Cork0-11Declan PrendergastFraher Field[6]
2009Clare1-12Tipperary1-07Gerry O'GradyPáirc Uí Stuairt[7]
2008Tipperary3-13Waterford0-13Eoin KellyPáirc Shíleáin[8]
2007Tipperary1-17Cork2-11Brendan CumminsPáirc Uí Chaoimh[9]
2006Limerick1-19Waterford Institute of Technology3-10T. J RyanGaelic Grounds[10]

References

External links