2004 Croke Cup
{{short description|Irish hurling competition}}
{{Infobox hurling championship
|name=2004 Croke Cup
|image=
|imagesize=
|caption=
|dates= 4 April - 3 May 2004
|teams=3
|sponsor=
|champions= File:Colours of Sligo.svg St Kieran's College
|count= 16
|champions captain= John Walsh
|champions manager=
|runners-up= File:Colours of Cork.svg St Raphael's College
|runners-up captain=
|runners-up manager=
|promoted=
|relegated=
|matches= 2
|goals= 5
|points= 51
|top scorer= File:Colours of Sligo.svg Richie Power (1-17)
|previous year=2003
|previous tournament=2003 Croke Cup
|next year=2005
|next tournament= 2005 Croke Cup
}}
The 2004 Croke Cup was the 53rd staging of the Croke Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1944. The competition ran from 4 April to 3 May 2004.
St Kieran's College were the defending champions.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-10033734.html|title=Awesome Kierans take title|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=28 April 2003|access-date=26 June 2023|first=Brendan|last=Larkin}}
The final was played on 3 May 2004 at Parnell Park in Dublin, between St Kieran's College and St Raphael's College, in what was their first ever meeting in the final.{{cite web|url=https://galwaybayfm.ie/sports/pres-athenry-defeats-kilkenny-cbs-croke-cup-hurling-semi-final/|title=Pres Athenry Defeats Kilkenny CBS In Croke Cup Hurling Semi-Final|publisher=Galway Bay FM|date=19 March 2018|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}} St Kieran's College won the match by 3–20 to 1–06 to claim their 16th Croke Cup title overall and a second successive title.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-10045912.html|title=Power-packed St Kieran’s in a different class|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=4 May 2004|access-date=26 June 2023|first=Mark|last=Gallagher}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/power-play-lifts-kierans/25912816.html|title=Power play lifts Kieran's|publisher=Irish Independent|date=4 May 2004|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}}
Richie Power was the top scorer with 1–17.
Qualification
Results
=Semi-final=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 4 April 2004
| round = Semi-final
| team1 = St Kieran's College
| score = 0-17 - 1-08
| team2 = St Flannan's College
| report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/masterly-st-kierans/26219310.html Report]
| goals1 = R Power (0-8), D O'Neill, M McEvoy (0-2) each, N Prendergast, S Prendergast, M Aylward, D Bergin, R Hogan (0-1) each.
| goals2 = B Gaffney, K Kennedy (0-3) each, C Ryan (1-0< J McInerney, S O'Brien (0-1) each.
| stadium = The Ragg
| referee = J McDonnell (Tipperary)
}}
=Final=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 3 May 2004
| round = Final
| team1 = St Kieran's College
| score = 3-20 - 1-06
| team2 = St Raphael's College
| report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/power-play-lifts-kierans/25912816.html Report]
| goals1 = R Power 1-9 (5f); M Aylward 2-1; R Hogan 0-5; M Nolan, D O'Neill, S Prendergast, K Lanigan, J Walsh (f) 0-1 each.
| goals2 = K Haverty 1-1; F Kerrigan 0-2; G Kilcarr 0-2 (2f); S Kelly 0-1.
| stadium = Parnell Park
| referee = J McDonnell (Tipperary)
}}
Statistics
=Top scorers=
;Overall
| class="wikitable" |
| Rank
! Player ! Club ! Tally ! Total ! Matches ! Average |
|---|
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|1
|align=center|1-17 |align=center|20 |align=center|2 |align=center|10.00 |
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|2
|Mark Aylward |align=center|2-02 |align=center|8 |align=center|2 |align=center|4.00 |
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|3
|align=center|0-06 |align=center|6 |align=center|2 |align=center|3.00 |
=Miscellaneous=
- John Walsh of Laois became the first non-Kilkenny man since Lar Dunphy in 1948 to captain St Kieran's College to the All-Ireland title.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/kierans-strength-to-prevail/25912679.html|title=Kieran's strength to prevail|publisher=Irish Independent|date=3 May 2004|access-date=26 June 2023|first=Colm|last=O'Donovan}}