Christy Ring Cup 2005

The Christy Ring Cup 2005 began on Saturday, June 4, 2005. 2005 was the first time this new element of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was introduced. It was devised by the Hurling Development Committee to encourage some of the so-called "weaker" hurling counties and to give them the chance of playing more games. It is in effect a "Division 2" for hurling teams in Ireland. The final was played on Sunday, August 14 when Westmeath beat Down at Croke Park, Dublin.

Format

Ten counties contested this year's inaugural competition for the Christy Ring Cup — the prize for the winners of the new Tier Two of the Guinness All-Ireland Hurling Championship. The inaugural competition involved the current middle rank of hurling counties:

• Leinster: Carlow, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath and Wicklow
• Ulster: Down and Derry
• Connacht: Roscommon and Mayo
• Munster: Kerry

These 10 counties are divided into two groups of five and play in a round-robin format, guaranteeing at least four games each. The eventual group winners and runners-up will qualify for the semi-finals of the Christy Ring Cup. The prize for the winners of the final on August 14 will be promotion to Tier One of the Hurling Championship to contest the Liam McCarthy Cup the following year. Westmeath were the champions so they will play in the Leinster Championship in 2006.

The bottom two teams of both groups will be involved in a four-way relegation play-off with the eventual loser being relegated to Tier Three of the championship. Derry was the team that was relegated from the competition so they will play in the Nicky Rackard Cup in 2006.

Results

Key to colours in group tables
Group winners and runners-up advance to the semi-finals
Bottom two teams enter the relegation playoff semi-finals

Group A

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	SF	SA	SD
Down	6	4	3	0	1	14-72 (114)	9-57 (84)	+30
Westmeath	6	4	3	0	1	10-64 (94)	8-49 (73)	+21
Meath	5	4	2	1	1	9-67 (94)	7-52 (73)	+21
Roscommon	2	4	1	0	3	4-46 (58)	13-83 (122)	-54
Derry	1	4	1	1	2	7-49 (70)	7-57 (78)	-8

Game	Date	Venue	Winner	Score	Runner-Up	Score
1st Round	June 11	Lavey, Londonderry	Down	3-17	Derry	3-14
1st Round	June 11	Cusack Park, Ennis	Westmeath	4-19	Roscommon	0-11
2nd Round	June 18	Athleague, Roscommon	Roscommon	1-15	Derry	1-13
2nd Round	June 18	Páirc Tailteann, Navan	Meath	3-16	Westmeath	2-10
3rd Round	June 25	Ballinascreen, Londonderry	Derry	1-14	Meath	2-11
3rd Round	June 25	Ballycran, Down	Down	5-25	Roscommon	2-8
4th Round	July 2	Páirc Tailteann, Navan	Down	3-16	Meath	1-14
4th Round	July 2	Cusack Park, Ennis	Westmeath	1-14	Derry	2-8
5th Round	July 16	Páirc Esler, Newry	Westmeath	3-21	Down	3-14
5th Round	July 16	Athleague, Roscommon	Meath	3-26	Roscommon	1-12

Group B

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	SF	SA	SD
Kildare	6	4	3	0	1	11-54 (87)	7-50 (71)	+16
Carlow	6	4	3	0	1	5-50 (65)	6-52 (67)	-2
Kerry	5	4	2	1	1	12-59 (95)	8-46 (70)	+25
Wicklow	3	4	1	1	2	9-52 (79)	9-52 (79)	+0
Mayo	0	4	0	0	4	7-40 (61)	13-61 (100)	-39

Game	Date	Venue	Winner	Score	Runner-Up	Score
1st Round	June 4	Naas, Kildare	Kildare	4-12	Kerry	1-17
1st Round	June 4	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow	Carlow	2-13	Wicklow	1-13
2nd Round	June 11	Arklow, Wicklow	Kildare	2-13	Wicklow	2-12
2nd Round	June 12	Pearse Stadium, Galway	Carlow	1-12	Mayo	0-13
3rd Round	June 25	Naas, Kildare	Kildare	4-17	Mayo	4-4
3rd Round	July 9	Austin Stack Park, Tralee	Kerry	3-11	Wicklow	2-14
4th Round	July 2	Pearse Stadium, Galway	Kerry	5-16	Mayo	0-12
4th Round	July 6	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow	Carlow	0-17	Kildare	1-12
5th Round	July 16	Austin Stack Park, Tralee	Kerry	3-15	Carlow	2-8
5th Round	July 16	Arklow, Wicklow	Wicklow	3-16	Mayo	3-12

Relegation playoffs

Game	Date	Venue	Winner	Score	Runner-Up	Score
Christy Ring Cup Relegation Semi-Final	July 30	Páirc Tailteann, Navan	Wicklow	2-27	Derry	3-22
Christy Ring Cup Relegation Semi-Final	July 31	Athleague	Roscommon	1-12	Mayo	0-14
Christy Ring Cup Relegation Final	August 13	Markievicz Park, Castlebar	Mayo	4-14	Derry	1-10

Finals

Game	Date	Venue	Winner	Score	Runner-Up	Score
Christy Ring Cup Semi-Final	July 30	Páirc Tailteann, Navan	Westmeath	7-14	Kildare	1-12
Christy Ring Cup Semi-Final	July 31	Parnell Park, Dublin	Down	4-23	Carlow	1-11
Christy Ring Cup Final	August 14	Croke Park, Dublin	Westmeath	1-23	Down	2-18

See also