1980–81 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship

The 1980–81 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 11th season of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier club hurling tournament. The All-Ireland series began on 12 April 1981 and ended on 17 May 1981.

All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship 1980–81

Championship Details
Dates	12 April 1981 – 17 May 1981
Teams	5
All Ireland Champions
Winners	Ballyhale Shamrocks (1st win)
Captain	Richie Reid
All Ireland Runners-up
Runners-up	St. Finbarr's
Captain	Bertie O'Brien
Provincial Champions
Munster	St. Finbarr's
Leinster	Ballyhale Shamrocks
Ulster	McQuillan's
Connacht	Sarsfield's
Championship Statistics
Top Scorer	Brendan Fennelly (1–30)
← 1979–80 1981–82 →

Castlegar were the defending champions, however, they failed to qualify.^[1] Ballyhale Shamrocks won the title after defeating St. Finbarr's by 1–15 to 1–11 in the final.^[2][3][4]

Qualification

Provincial finals

All-Ireland semi-finals

All-Ireland final

Ballyhale Shamrocks

3–10

Coolderry

1–8

Ballyhale Shamrocks

2–11

McQuillan's

0–12

McQuillan's

1–20

Ballycran

0–13

Ballyhale Shamrocks

1–15

St. Finbarr's

1–11

St. Finbarr's

2–12

Roscrea

1–14

St. Finbarr's

2–11

Sarsfield's

1–3

Sarsfield's

4–12

Tremane

0–5

Results

Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship

First round

Craobh Rua v Tooreen

12 October 1979 First round	Craobh Rua	2–04 – 2–07	Tooreen	Markievicz Park
			J Henry 2–6.

Tremane v St. Mary's Kiltoghert

26 October 1979 First round	Tremane	9–09 – 3–06	St. Mary's Kiltoghert	Athleague Sportsfield
	J Kilroy 6–1, M Keane 1–2, B Johnson 1–2, J Lynch 1–0, S Kilroy 0–3, J Coyne 0–1.		T McGrath 1–2, B Moran 1–0, T Cass 1–0, M Cunniffe 0–1, J McGrath 0–1, M Martin 0–1, O Moran 0–1.

Semi-final

Tremane v Tooreen

2 November 1979 Semi-final	Tremane	2–17 – 0–05	Tooreen	Athleague Sportsfield
	B Johnson 1–8, J Kilroy 1–5, M Keane 0–3, R Fallon 0–1.		M Murphy 0–2, J Henry 0–1, P Delaney 0–1, V Henry 0–1.

Final

Tremane v Sarsfields

12 April 1981 Final	Tremane	0–05 – 4–12	Sarsfields	Athleague Sportsfield
	S Kilroy 0–4, R Fallon 0–1.		M Connolly 3–0, M Mulcairn 0–7, J Cooney 1–2, J Dolan 0–1, T Shea 0–1, N Morrissey 0–1.

Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship

First round

Killyon v Carnew Emmets

19 October 1980 First round	Killyon	1–06 – 2–07	Carnew Emmets	St. Loman's Park, Trim
	O Carney 1–1, PJ McKeown 0–2, B Dixon 0–1, J Connolly 0–1, J Mitchell 0–1.		B Molloy 1–1, L Collins 1–0, T Sullivan 0–2, S Brennan 0–2, P Doyle 0–1, M Doyle 0–1.

Ringtown v Carlow Town

19 October 1980 First round	Ringtown	2–14 – 3–07	Carlow Town	Delvin
	M Kilcoyne 1–7, D Kilcoyne 0–4, JJ Mulvey 1–0, C Brssil 0–1, N Murphy 0–1, P Kilcoyne 0–1.		P Cassin 1–5, R Moore 1–1, L McGough 1–0, R Nolan 0–1.

Quarter-finals

Ardclough v Camross

1 November 1980 Quarter-final	Ardclough	3–13 – 3–09	Camross	Sallins Road, Naas
	J Walsh 2–7, N Walsh 0–4, B Maguire 1–0, J Tompkins 0–1, D Maguire 0–1.		PJ Cuddy 1–2, Martin Cuddy 1–1, M Collier 1–1, G Cuddy 0–2, Mick Cuddy 0–1, M Delaney 0–1.

Ringtown v Rathnure

2 November 1980 Quarter-final	Ringtown	1–12 – 1–15	Rathnure	Delvin
	J Coffey 1–0, M Kiloyne 0–3, D Kilcoyne 0–2, P Kilcoyne 0–2, C Brassil 0–2, N Murphy 0–1, T Corrigan 0–1, MJ Corrigan 0–1.		J Quigley 0–6, P Codd 1–1, J Mulvey 0–3, J Houlihan 0–2, D Quigley 0–1, J Murphy 0–1, S Redmond 0–1.

Ballyhale Shamrocks v St Brendan's

8 November 1980 Quarter-final	Ballyhale Shamrocks	2–15 – 0–09	St Brendan's	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	L Fennelly 1–2, B Fennelly 0–4, P Holden 1–0, S Grace 0–3, G Fennelly 0–2, S Reid 0–2, M Mason 0–1, M Kelly 0–1.		M Gorman 0–5, G Hayes 0–2, M Barrett 0–1, J Bermingham 0–1.

Carnew Emmets v Coolderry

16 November 1980 Quarter-final	Carnew Emmets	2–07 – 3–11	Coolderry	Aughrim County Ground, Aughrim
	S Brennan 1–3, T Collins 1–1, M Doyle 0–2, T Sullivan 0–1.		M Kennedy 2–4, O Kennedy 1–3, D Loughnane 0–2, P McLoughney 0–1, M King 0–1.

Semi-finals

Coolderry v Ardclough

16 November 1980 Semi-final	Coolderry	2–05 – 1–07	Ardclough	O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
	D Loughnane 1–3, S Kennedy 1–0, P McLoughney 0–1, M Kennedy 0–1.		J Walsh 0–5, E Walsh 1–1, N O'Sullivan 0–1.

Ballyhale Shamrocks v Rathnure

16 November 1980 Semi-final	Ballyhale Shamrocks	3–09 – 2–12	Rathnure	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow
	G Fennelly 0–5, S Grace 1–1, P Holden 1–1, B Fennelly 1–0, M Kelly 0–2.		J Quigley 0–10, P Codd 2–1, J Houlihan 0–1.

Ballyhale Shamrocks v Rathnure

30 November 1980 Semi-final replay	Ballyhale Shamrocks	2–10 – 1–10	Rathnure	Geraldine Park, Athy
	L Fennelly 2–1, B Fennelly 0–6, G Fennelly 0–2, M Fennelly 0–1.		J Houlihan 1–1, D Quigley 0–4, J Quigley 0–3, S Murphy 0–1, M Quigley 0–1.

Final

Ballyhale Shamrocks v Coolderry

14 December 1980 Final	Ballyhale Shamrocks	3–10 – 1–08	Coolderry	Geraldine Park, Athy
	P Holden 2–1, B Fennelly 0–4, M Kelly 1–0, L Fennelly 0–2, G Fennelly 0–1, S Reid 0–1, S Grace 0–1.		D Loughnane 1–0, P Moloughney 0–3, P Carroll 0–2, O Kennedy 0–2, M King 0–1.

Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship

Quarter-final

St. Finbarr's v Causeway

19 October 1980 Quarter-final	St. Finbarr's	1–19 – 0–07	Causeway	Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
	J Cremin 0–10, T Masher 1–0, J Meyler 0–3, J O'Shea 0–2, M Kennedy 0–2, E Fitzpatrick 0–1, J Barry-Murphy 0–1.		J Regan 0–2, P Moriarty 0–2, R Hussey 0–1, M Burke 0–1, S Carroll 0–1.

Roscrea v Tallow

19 October 1980 Quarter-final	Roscrea	1–10 – 1–07	Tallow	St. Cronan's Park
	J Butler 1–2, F Loughnane 0–5, P Queally 0–1, J Stone 0–1, G O'Connor 0–1.		M Curley 1–0, R O'Brien 0–3, C Curley 0–2, K Ryan 0–1, P Daly 0–1.

Semi-finals

Killeedy v St. Finbarr's

16 November 1980 Semi-final	Killeedy	3–07 – 3–14	St. Finbarr's	Dromcollogher Sportsfield
	T Mulcahy 2–0, W Fitzmaurice 0–4, P Fitzmaurice 1–0, M Fitzmaurice 0–1, M Scanlon 0–1, D O'Connor 0–1.		C McCarthy 1–4, J Cremin 0–5, T Maher 1–0, J Barry-Murphy 1–0, E Fitzpatrick 0–3, J Meyler 0–1, N Kennefick 0–1.

Newmarket-on-Fergus v Roscrea

16 November 1980 Semi-final	Newmarket-on-Fergus	2–08 – 2–10	Roscrea	Newmarket-on-Fergus GAA Ground
	J McNamara 2–0, S Liddy 0–5, C Woods 0–2, D Hayes 0–1.		L Spooner 0–4, F Loughnane 0–4, J Butler 1–0, M Shanahan 1–0, J Stone 0–1, K O'Connor 0–1.

Final

St. Finbarr's v Roscrea

30 November 1980 Final	St. Finbarr's	2–12 – 1–14	Roscrea	Páirc Mac Gearailt
	C McCarthy 0–6, J Barry-Murphy 1–2, E Fitzpatrick 1–0, J Cremin 0–2, C Ryan 0–1, N Kennefick 0–1.		G O'Connor 1–1, F Loughnane 0–4, K O'Connor 0–3, L Spooner 0–2, P Queally 0–2, J Stone 0–1, J Tynan 0–1.

Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship

Semi-finals

Cúchulainns v Ballycastle McQuillans

19 October 1980 Semi-final

Cúchulainns

2–04 – 3–13

Ballycastle McQuillans

Athletic Grounds, Armagh

Final

Ballycran v Ballycastle McQuillans

26 October 1980 Final	Ballycran	0–13 – 1–20	Ballycastle McQuillans	McKenna Park
	B Gilmore 0–8, M O'Flynn 0–2, P Hughes 0–1, B Mullan 0–1, T Acheson 0–1.		P Boyle 0–12, B Donnelly 0–4, O Laverty 1–0, S Boyle 0–1, P Watson 0–1, C McVeigh 0–1, T Barton 0–1.

All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship

Quarter-final

McQuillan's v Brian Boru's

12 April 1981 Quarter-final

McQuillan's

1–14 – 2–04

Brian Boru's

Páirc Mac Uílín

Semi-finals

McQuillan's v Ballyhale Shamrocks

26 April 1981 Semi-final	McQuillan's	0–12 – 2–11	Ballyhale Shamrocks	Páirc Mac Uílín
			L Fennelly 2–0, B Fennelly 0–5, M Kelly 0–3, G Fennelly 0–1, P Holden 0–1.

St. Finbarr's v Sarsfield's

26 April 1981 Semi-final	St. Finbarr's	2–11 – 1–03	Sarsfield's	Páirc Uí Chaoimh
	J Allen 1–5, E Fitzpatrick 1–1, J Cremin 0–1, J Meyler 0–1, J Barry-Murphy 0–1, J O'Shea 0–1, C McCarthy 0–1.

Final

Ballyhale Shamrocks v St. Finbarr's

17 May 1981 Final	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1–15 – 1–11	St. Finbarr's	Semple Stadium
	B Fennelly 0–11, L Fennelly 1–1, G Fennelly 0–3.		C McCarthy 0–5, J Barry-Murphy 1–0, J Cremin 0–2, T Maher 0–2, C Ryan 0–1, J Allen 0–1.	Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

Championship statistics

Top scorers

Top scorers overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Brendan Fennelly	Ballyhale Shamrocks	1–30	33	6	5.50
2	Jackie Kilroy	Tremane	7-06	27	3	9.00
3	Liam Fennelly	Ballyhale Shamrocks	6-06	24	6	4.00
4	John Cremin	St. Finbarr's	0–20	20	5	4.00
5	Charlie McCarthy	St. Finbarr's	1–16	19	4	4.75
	John Quigley	Rathnure	0–19	19	3	6.33

Miscellaneous

• McQuillan's of Antrim become the first team to win three successive Ulster titles.
• Ballyhale Shamrocks win the All-Ireland title for the first time. In doing so they deny St. Finbarr's a unique double as their Gaelic footballers would later claim the All-Ireland title in that code.