The Westmeath Senior B Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Slevin's Coaches Westmeath Senior B Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Westmeath SBHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 2020 for the second tier senior hurling teams in the county of Westmeath in Ireland.
| Westmeath Senior B Hurling Championship | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition: 2024 Westmeath Senior B Hurling Championship | |
 | |
| Irish | Craobh Sinsear B Iomána na hIarmhí |
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Region | Westmeath (GAA) |
| Trophy | Mickey Power Cup |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Title holders |  Fr Dalton's (2nd title) |
| First winner | Fr Dalton's |
| Most titles | Fr Dalton's (2 titles) |
| Sponsors | Slevin's Coaches |
| TV partner(s) | Iarmhí TV |
| Official website | Westmeath GAA |
In its current format, the Westmeath Senior B Hurling Championship begins with a group stage. The six participating teams play each other in a round-robin system. The three top-ranking teams proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at TEG Cusack Park. The winner of the Westmeath Senior B Championship qualifies for the subsequent Leinster Intermediate Club Championship.
Fr Dalton's are the title holders after defeating Delvin by 3-12 t0 3-11 in the 2024 final.
History
editThe Westmeath Intermediate Championship was founded in 1985 in an effort to bridge the standard of play between the Westmeath Senior Championship and the Westmeath Junior Championship. For 35 years, the Westmeath Intermediate Championship was the second tier championship in the Westmeath hurling championship system.
A review of Westmeath's hurling championships in 2019 proposed that the Westmeath SHC and Westmeath IHC be restructured. This resulted in the creation of the Westmeath SBHC. Each of the three championships would consist of six teams. The inaugural championship in 2020 featured three regraded teams from Group B of the 2019 Westmeath SHC, the loser of the SHC relegation playoff and the two 2019 Westmeath IHC finalists.[1]
Format
editGroup stage
editSix clubs start in the group stage. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed five group games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the group stage table by points gained, then scoring difference and then their head-to-head record. The top three teams qualify for the knockout stage
Knockout stage
editSemi-finals: The second and third-placed teams from the group stage contest this round. The winner of this game advances to the final.
Final: The top team from the group stage and the semi-final winner contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.
Relegation
editThe fifth and sixth-placed teams from the group stage, if level on points, take part in a relegation playoff to the Westmeath Intermediate Hurling Championship.
Teams
edit2025 Teams
editThe 6 teams competing in the 2025 Westmeath Senior B Hurling Championship are:
| Club | Location | Colours | Position in 2024 | In championship since | Championship titles | Last championship title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brownstown
|
Archerstown | Blue and white | Group stage (Westmeath IHC) | 2025 | 0 | — |
 Crookedwood
|
Crookedwood | Group stage | ? | 1 | 2020 | |
| Cullion
|
Cullionmore | Maroon and white | Group stage | ? | 1 | 2021 |
| Delvin
|
Delvin | Runners-up | ? | 0 | — | |
| Ringtown
|
Ringtown | Green and yellow | Semi-finals | ? | 0 | — |
 St Oliver Plunkett's
|
Mullingar | Green and white | Group stage (Westmeath SHC) | 2025 | 1 | 2023 |
Qualification for subsequent competitions
editAt the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Leinster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship, the winner of which progresses to the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.
Sponsorship
editSlevin's Coaches had been providing sponsorship for a number of years and were unveiled as the sponsor of the Westmeath SBHC in July 2020.[2]
Trophy and medals
editThe Mickey Power Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It was commissioned to honour Mickey Power, a member of the Cullion club who served in a number of administrative roles with the Westmeath County Board, including as Chairman of the Hurling Board.[3] He died in February 2020, shortly before the start of the inaugural championship.
In accordance with GAA rules, the County Board awards a set of gold medals to the championship winners. The medals depict a stylised version of the Westmeath GAA crest.
List of finals
editList of Westmeath SBHC finals
edit| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Venue | # | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Score | Club | Score | |||
| 2024 | Fr Dalton's
|
3-12 | Delvin
|
3-11 | TEG Cusack Park | |
| 2023 | St Oliver Plunkett's
|
2-21 | Ringtown
|
0-10 | TEG Cusack Park | [4] |
| 2022 | Fr Dalton's
|
1-20 | Delvin
|
3-13 | TEG Cusack Park | [5] |
| 2021 | Cullion
|
5-20 | Delvin
|
0-11 | TEG Cusack Park | [3] |
| 2020 | Crookedwood
|
0-16 | Fr Dalton's
|
1-10 | TEG Cusack Park | [6] |
Roll of honour
editBy club
edit| # | Club | Titles | Runners-up | Championship wins | Championship runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fr Dalton's
|
2 | 1 | 2022, 2024 | 2020 |
| 2 | Crookedwood
|
1 | 0 | 2020 | — |
| Cullion
|
1 | 0 | 2021 | — | |
| St Oliver Plunkett's
|
1 | 0 | 2023 | — | |
| 5 | Delvin
|
0 | 2 | — | 2021, 2022, 2024 |
| Ringtown
|
0 | 1 | — | 2023 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "New format agreed for Senior Hurling Championship". Topic Westmeath. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ "Championship games will be all-ticket affairs". Topic. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ a b Hughes, Paul (6 November 2021). "SHC 'B' final: Delvin blown away by Gillen and co". Westmeath Independent. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ https://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/2023/10/11/goals-for-oleary-and-curley-as-plunketts-blitz-ringtown-2/
- ^ "McCabe wonder score seals historic victory for Fr Dalton's". Westmeath Independent. 2 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
- ^ "Crookedwood club notes". Hogan Stand. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2023.