As predicted the big 3 finished in the top three spots and the 3 less established teams were realistically fighting it out for the 4th promotion spot and to avoid the drop. Barrog did really well to clinch the 4th place with big wins over what could be considered their peer clubs.
Craobh struggled all through the group stage, think they had a few missing which you really don't need.
Grpup 2 was fiercely competitive, a bad start to proceedings, while missing players, really hampered OPER and Cuala, and as the group stage wore on it seemed like the number of dual players caught up with Whitehall a bit. Eoghan O'Donnell was missing for a few of the games, as was Lee Gannon and i think Cossie missed a few as well.
Brigids were far more competitive then last year, goes to show you a bit of luck with injuries and probably the best forward in the county currently fit and in flying form can make a world of difference. Crokes were cruising through the group until they met a Cuala with their full team back fighting for their survival.
Relegation Play Offs:
The Relegation Play off were:
Craobh put up an almighty fight for survival bringing Whitehall to Extra time, where the lost agonisingly by a single point. I think they'll do okay in SHC2 if they can get everyone back fit.
OPER also gave Judes a right battle on O'Toole park. they have some good youngsters coming through so will hope to reorganise in SHC2 and push for promotion.
The Quarter-Finals played out like this:
Some brilliant games at the quarter-final stage, none more so then the Na Fianna v Cuala game, a game where Cuala looked like they might pull off a shock, but Na Fianna just about managed to claw their way back into it and get to Extra time where they finally got ahead. Cuala will be a force to be reckoned with if they can get everyone starting in Round 1 next year.
Elsewhere Lucan took care of a good Brigids team realiviley comfortably. Boden v Vincets was another cracker and Crokes fairly comfortably beat Barrog, who did brlliantly to get tot heir first SHC1 Quarter-Final.
The Semi-Finals played out like this:
Na Fianna pulling away from Crokes was the surprise of the semi-Final weekend, Crokes seemed to have too many guys injured or just back from long layoffs and really didnt get going in the forwards as a reasult - which was ironic as it was Na Fianna hwo i thought had more injury issues in the build up to the game, having had 4 players limp off in the semi-final, i had assumed that was advantage Crokes but as it happened they all made the starting 15 except for Ciaran Stacy - who is still out and who i think they'll need for Leinster.
Lucan were brilliant in the first half v Boden, perhaps a precursor to their final performance. but Boden battled back in the second half to make a right game of it. I was impressed the way lucan somehow managed to stem the tide and turn the momentum back their way to win by 4 in the end as it looked like Boden had all the momentum reeling in the lead like they did.
You can read our preview and review of the Final on our Preview-Review post.
The final was a very entertaining game to round off a very good Champsionship.
So the teams were:
So for 2026 this will look like this:
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