Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
Current season or competition: 2024 Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
Code	Hurling
Founded	1887; 137 years ago (1887)
Region	Tipperary (GAA)
Trophy	Dan Breen Cup
No. of teams	16
Title holders	Loughmore–Castleiney (5th title)
Most titles	Thurles Sarsfields (36 titles)
Sponsors	FBD Insurance
TV partner(s)	TG4
Official website	Official website

The Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the FBD Insurance Tipperary County Senior Hurling Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Tipperary in Ireland.

The series of games are played during the summer and autumn months with the county final currently being played at Semple Stadium in October. The prize for the winning team is the Dan Breen Cup. Initially played as a knock-out competition on a divisional basis, the championship currently features a group stage followed by a knock-out stage.

The Tipperary County Championship is an integral part of the wider Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship. The winners of the Tipperary county final join the champions of the other four hurling counties to contest the provincial championship.

16 teams currently participate in the Tipperary County Championship. The title has been won at least once by 25 different teams. The all-time record-holders are Thurles Sarsfields, who have won a total of 36 titles.

The 2024 Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship was won by Loughmore–Castleiney for the fifth time in their history after they defeated Toomevara in the final by 2-19 to 1-17.^[1]

Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in the United Irishman newspaper. County committees were quickly established, with the Tipperary County Board affiliating in 1886. Over the course of the following year, 130 clubs registered with the GAA in Tipperary, making it the strongest county in the country. After difficulties in organising the early championships, the title has been awarded every year except on one occasion since 1894. Civil unrest at the height of the War of Independence resulted in the 1920 championship being cancelled.^{[citation needed]}

Since the beginning, the championship has seen periods of dominance by various teams. Tubberadora became the preeminent team of the first decade, before being superseded by Thurles Sarsfields. After winning the inaugural title in 1887, the Thurles-based club won six championships from a possible nine between 1904 and 1911. Toomevara made their first big breakthrough in 1910 and won titles at regular intervals over the course of the next twenty years. Boherlahen-Dualla won the first of four successive championship titles in 1915 and won a grand total of ten up to and including the 1941 championship. Thurles Sarsfields bounced back in 1929 after an eleven-year period in the doldrums. Over the course of the next 45 years the club established itself as the standard bearer of club hurling in Tipperary by winning 21 titles during this period. The club reached its peak by winning ten titles in eleven championship seasons between 1955 and 1965. Roscrea won their first championship in 1968 before completing a three-in-a-row in 1970. The club won further titles in 1972, 1973 and 1980. Moneygall and Kilruane MacDonagh's shared five titles between 1975 and 1979, while Borris-Ileigh won three titles throughout the 1980s. After failing to win a championship in over thirty years, Toomevara returned to the top table in 1992. Over the course of the next sixteen years the club claimed 11 championship titles. Thurles Sarsfields also returned to their winning ways after a 31-year barren spell by claiming the 2005 championship. They have since become the most successful team of the 21st century by winning eight championships.^{[citation needed]}

The Tipperary senior hurling championship is probably the most complicated system in Ireland as it has striven to accommodate from 25 to, currently, 32 teams. A knockout divisional system and group backdoor system has been introduced to accommodate these teams. Before the new system, the county championship was run on a divisional basis with the teams in the divisional finals going into the county quarter-finals and proceeding from there.

A new format is to be introduced in 2014, with the county championship divided into two sections of 16 teams each, the sections determined by clubs' placings in the 2013 championship. Each section will be divided into four groups of four teams with games played on a round robin basis. The top two teams in each Section 1 group, and the top team in each Section 2 group, qualify for the knockout stages, as do the four divisional champions. The bottom team in each Section 1 group is relegated to Section 2, and the top team in each Section 2 group is promoted to Section 1. The bottom teams in each of the Section 2 groups face relegation play-offs, with two teams relegated to the Intermediate Championship. The Intermediate champions move up to Section 2. Thus in 2015 there will be 31 teams in the Senior Championship.^[2]

The 16 teams competing in the 2024 Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship are:

Club	Location	Division	Colours	Position in 2024	In championship since	Championship titles	Last championship title
Borris–Ileigh	Borrisoleigh	North	Maroon and white	Group stage	?	7	2019
Clonoulty–Rossmore	Clonoulty	West	Green and gold	Group stage	?	4	2018
Drom & Inch	Bouladuff	Mid	Green and white	Group stage	?	1	2011
Holycross–Ballycahill	Holycross	Mid	Green and white	Group stage	?	4	1990
JK Brackens	Templemore, Clonmore and Killea	Mid	Black and white	Quarter-finals	2020	0	—
Kiladangan	Puckane	North	Blue and gold	Quarter-finals	?	2	2023
Kilruane MacDonagh's	Cloughjordan	North	White and black	Quarter-finals	?	6	2022
Lorrha–Dorrha	Lorrha and Dorrha	North	Blue and white	Group stage	2024	0	—
Loughmore–Castleiney	Loughmore and Castleiney	Mid	Green and red	Champions	?	5	2024
Moycarkey–Borris	Littleton	Mid	Red and gold	Semi-finals	?	12	1984
Mullinahone	Mullinahone	South	Green and red	Group stage	2021	1	2002
Nenagh Éire Óg	Nenagh	North	Sky blue and navy blue	Quarter-finals	?	1	1995
Roscrea	Roscrea	North	Red and white	Group stage	2023	6	1980
Templederry Kenyons	Templederry	North	Green and white	Group stage	2022	0	—
Thurles Sarsfields	Thurles	Mid	Blue and white	Semi-finals	?	36	2017
Toomevara	Toomevara	North	Green and gold	Runners-up	?	21	2008

For four years between 2013 and 2016, the championship was sponsored by Clean Ireland Recycling.^[3] In August 2016, the Tipperary County Board announced that they had signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Tipperary Water. The company has since sponsored all of Tipperary's adult county championships.^[4]

The Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship. This place is reserved for club teams only as divisional and amalgamated teams are not allowed in the provincial championship.

Fixtures in the group stage and early knock-out rounds of the championship are usually played at a neutral venue that is deemed halfway between the participating teams. Some of the more common venues include MacDonagh Park, St. Cronan's Park and St. Michael's Park. All games from the quarter-finals onward are played at Semple Stadium.

The final is usually played at Semple Stadium, previously Thurles Sportsfield.

Managers in the Tipperary Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches.

The winning team is presented with the Dan Breen Cup. A native of Donohill, Dan Breen (1894-1969) was a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. In later years, he was a Fianna Fáil politician.

#	Club	Titles	Runners-up	Championships won	Championships runner-up
1	Thurles Sarsfields	36	13	1887, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1929, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1974, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017	1894, 1960, 1968, 1970, 1979, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2021, 2023
2	Toomevara	21	11	1890, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1919, 1923, 1930, 1931, 1960, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008	1889, 1911, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1925, 1929, 1958, 1961, 1996, 2024
3	Moycarkey-Borris	12	3	1899, 1900, 1903, 1905, 1926, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1982, 1984	1931, 1943, 1962
4	Boherlahan-Dualla	11	4	1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1941, 1996	1914, 1930, 1953, 1995
5	Borris-Ileigh	7	7	1949, 1950, 1953, 1981, 1983, 1986, 2019	1947, 1952, 1955, 1972, 1977, 1988, 2017
6	Roscrea	6	11	1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1980	1936, 1945, 1954, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1985
	Kilruane MacDonaghs	6	11	1901 (De Wets), 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985, 2022	1901, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907 (De Wets),1944, 1959, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1986
8	Loughmore-Castleiney	5	4	1988, 2007, 2013, 2021, 2024	1983, 1987, 2014, 2020
9	Clonoulty-Rossmore	4	6	1888, 1989, 1997, 2018	1927, 1928, 1951, 1998, 2010, 2011
	Holycross-Ballycahill	4	3	1948, 1951, 1954, 1990	1964, 1989, 1991
11	Tubberadora	3	4	1895, 1896, 1898	1888, 1914, 1926, 1930
12	Carrick Davins	2	3	1966, 1967	1902, 1965, 1969
	Kiladangan	2	3	2020, 2023	2016, 2019, 2022
	Moneygall	2	0	1975, 1976
14	Upperchurch-Drombane	1	0	1894
	Suir View	1	2	1897	1895, 1896
	Horse and Jockey	1	2	1899	1897, 1898
	Ballytrasna	1	0	1901
	Éire Óg Annacarthy	1	2	1943	1941, 2004
	Carrick Swans	1	3	1947	1935, 1946, 1950
	Moyne-Templetuohy	1	0	1971
	Cappawhite	1	0	1987
	Cashel King Cormacs	1	4	1991	1939, 1940, 1990, 1994
	Nenagh Éire Óg	1	6	1995	1993, 1999, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2018
	Mullinahone	1	1	2002	1997
Drom-Inch	1	2011	2005, 2007, 2009, 2012	4
26	Lorrha	0	5		1905, 1948, 1956, 1966, 1984
	Mid Selection	0	2		1919, 1924
	Killenaule	0	2		1932, 1942
	Racecourse	0	1		1910
	Tipperary O'Leary's	0	1		1912
	North Tipperary	0	1		1887
	Kilmoyler	0	1		1923
	Glengoole	0	1		1908
	Kickhams	0	1		1949
	Na Piarsaigh	0	1		1957
	Silvermines	0	1		1974

• Most wins: 36:
  • Thurles Sarsfields (1887, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1929, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1974, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
• Most consecutive wins: 5:
  • Thurles Sarsfields (1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959)
  • Thurles Sarsfields (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
• Most appearances in a final: 46:
  • Thurles Sarsfields (1887, 1894, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1929, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1979, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 1974, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
• Most appearances in a final without ever winning: 5
  • Lorrha (1905, 1948, 1956, 1966, 1984)
• Most appearances in a final without losing (streak): 21
  • Thurles Sarsfields (1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1929, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959)
• Most defeats: 11
  • Roscrea (1936, 1945, 1954, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1985)

• Most wins by a player: 14, Mickey Byrne (Thurles Sarsfields) (1944, 1945, 1946, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)

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

• 1890s: 3 for Tubberadora (1895-96-98)
• 1900s: 5 for Thurles Sarsfields (1904-06-07-08-09)
• 1910s: 5 for Toomevara (1910-12-13-14-19)
• 1920s: 5 for Boherlahen-Dualla (1922-24-25-27-28)
• 1930s: 4 each for Moycarkey-Borris (1932-33-34-37) and Thurles Sarsfields (1935-36-38-39)
• 1940s: 4 for Thurles Sarsfields (1942-44-45-46)
• 1950s: 6 for Thurles Sarsfields (1952-55-56-57-58-59)
• 1960s: 5 for Thurles Sarsfields (1961-62-63-64-65)
• 1970s: 3 each for Roscrea (1970-72-73) and Kilruane MacDonagh's (1977-78-79)
• 1980s: 3 for Borris-Ileigh (1981-83-86)
• 1990s: 5 for Toomevara (1992-93-94-98-99)
• 2000s: 6 for Toomevara (2000-01-03-04-06-08)
• 2010s: 6 for Thurles Sarsfields (2010-12-14-15-16-17)

Top ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:

• 101 years: Clonoulty-Rossmore (1888-1989)
• 55 years: Boherlahen-Dualla (1941-1996)
• 42 years: Moycarkey-Borris (1940-1982)
• 37 years: Kilruane MacDonaghs (1985-2022)
• 36 years: Holycross-Ballycahill (1954-1990)
• 32 years: Toomevara (1960-1992)
• 31 years: Thurles Sarsfields (1974-2005)
• 29 years: Toomevara (1931-1960)
• 28 years: Borris-Ileigh (1953-1981)
• 20 years: Toomevara (1890-1910)

Final	Top scorer	Team	Score	Total
1980	Francis Loughnane	Roscrea	1-07	10
1981	Noel O'Dwyer	Borris-Ileigh	0-08	8
1982	John Flanagan (D)	Moycarkey-Borris	0-07	7
	John Flanagan (R)	Moycarkey-Borris	1-05	8
1983	Pat McGrath	Loughmore-Castleiney	0-08	8
1984	John Flanagan	Moycarkey-Borris	1-03	6
1985	Eamon O'Shea	Kilruane MacDonagh's	1-04	7
1986	Philip Kenny	Borris-Ileigh	0-06	6
1987	Pat McGrath	Loughmore-Castleiney	1-08	11
1988	Noel O'Dwyer (D)	Borris-Ileigh	0-04	4
	Noel O'Dwyer (R)	Borris-Ileigh	0-04	4
	Séamus Devaney (R)	Borris-Ileigh	0-04	4
1989	Kevin Ryan	Clonoulty-Rossmore	0-04	4
	Stephen Dwan	Holycross-Ballycahill	0-04	4
1990	Tommy Grogan	Cashel King Cormacs	0-06	6
1991	Tommy Grogan	Cashel King Cormacs	1-04	7
1992	Séamus Quinn (D)	Thurles Sarsfields	1-02	5
	Connie Maher (R)	Thurles Sarsfields	1-05	8
1993	Michael Cleary	Nenagh Éire Óg	0-09	9
1994	Tommy Dunne	Toomevara	1-04	7
1995	Michael Cleary	Nenagh Éire Óg	0-08	8
1996	Kevin Kennedy	Toomevara	2-00	6
	Philip O'Dwyer	Boherlahen-Dualla	1-03	6
	Aodán Flanagan	Boherlahen-Dualla	0-06	6
1997	Michael Kennedy	Clonoulty-Rossmore	0-07	7
	John Leahy	Mullinahone	0-07	7
1998	Michael Kennedy	Clonoulty-Rossmore	0-06	6
1999	Tommy Dunne	Toomevara	1-07	10
2000	John O'Brien	Toomevara	2-02	8
2001	John Enright	Thurles Sarsfields	1-09	12
2002	Eoin Kelly (D)	Mullinahone	0-04	4
	Eoin Kelly (R)	Mullinahone	2-07	13
2003	Lar Corbett	Thurles Sarsfields	2-01	7
2004	Paddy O'Brien	Toomevara	2-03	9
2005	Séamus Butler	Drom-Inch	0-11	11
2006	John O'Brien	Toomevara	1-04	7
2007	Evan Sweeney	Loughmore-Castleiney	0-09	9
2008	John Enright	Thurles Sarsfields	0-13	13
2009	John Enright	Thurles Sarsfields	0-05	5
2010	John O'Neill	Clonoulty-Rossmore	1-01	4
	Pa Bourke	Thurles Sarsfields	0-04	4
2011	Timmy Hammersley	Clonoulty-Rossmore	0-06	6
	Séamus Callanan	Drom-Inch	0-06	6
2012	Aidan McCormack	Thurles Sarsfields	1-06	9
	Johnny Ryan	Drom-Inch	0-09	9
2013	Noel McGrath	Loughmore-Castleiney	0-07	7
	Michael Heffernan	Nenagh Éire Óg	0-07	7
2014	Pa Bourke	Thurles Sarsfields	1-03	6
2015	Michael Heffernan	Nenagh Éire Óg	1-04	7
2016	Pa Bourke	Thurles Sarsfields	0-09	9
2017	Aidan McCormack	Thurles Sarsfields	0-09	9
2018	Timmy Hammersley	Clonoulty-Rossmore	0-12	12
2019	James Devaney	Borris-Ileigh	1-04	7
	Willie Connors	Kiladangan	0-07	7
2020	John McGrath	Loughmore-Castleiney	1-10	13
2021	John McGrath (D)	Loughmore-Castleiney	0-12	12
	John McGrath (R)	Loughmore-Castleiney	0-07	7
2022	Willie Cleary (D)	Kilruane MacDonaghs	0-10	10
	Bryan McLoughney (D)	Kiladangan	0-10	10
	Willie Cleary (R)	Kilruane MacDonaghs	0-11	11
2023	Aidan McCormack (D)	Thurles Sarsfields	0-11	11
	Aidan McCormack (R)	Thurles Sarsfields	0-13	13
2024	John McGrath	Loughmore-Castleiney	1-13	16

• List of Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship winners
• Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship
• Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship
• Tipperary Junior A Hurling Championship

• Tipperary on Hoganstand
• Tipperary Club GAA
• Premierview