2021 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship
{{Short description|Annual hurling competition season}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox hurling championship
| name = 2021 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| dates = 30 July – 19 September 2021
| teams = 9
| sponsor = Garvey's SuperValu
| champions = File:Colours-of-Kerry.png Kilmoyley
| count = 26
| champions captain = Flor McCarthy
| champions manager = John Meyler
| runners-up = File:Colours-of-Cavan.png St Brendan's
| runners-up captain = Stephen Leen
| runners-up manager = Tomás Moloney
| promoted =
| relegated =
| matches = 14
| goals = 31
| points = 431
| top scorer = File:Colours-of-Cavan.png Cian Hussey (1-48)
| previous year = 2020
| previous tournament = 2020 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship
| next year = 2022
| next tournament = 2022 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship
}}
The 2021 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship was the 120th staging of the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Kerry County Board in 1889. The draw for the group stage pairings took place on 15 July 2021.{{cite news|url=https://kerrysportshub.ie/2021/05/17/hurling-championship-format-revealed/|title=Hurling Championship format revealed |access-date=7 August 2023|publisher=Kerry Sports Hub|date= 17 May 2021|first=|last=}} The championship ran from 30 July to 19 September 2021.
Kilmoyley entered the championship as the defending champions.{{cite news |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40052063.html|title=Record-equaling 25th Kerry SHC crown for Kilmoyley in thriller |access-date=7 August 2023|publisher=Irish Examiner |date= 2 September 2020|first=|last=}}
The final was played on 19 September 2021 at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, between Kilmoyley and St Brendan's, in what was their fifth meeting in the final overall and a first final meeting in six years. Kilmoyley won the match by 1–14 to 1–11 to claim a record-breaking 26th championship title overall and a second title in succession.{{cite news |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40701596.html|title=Kerry SHC: Late goal secures 26th Kerry crown for John Meyler's Kilmoyley |access-date=9 August 2022 |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=19 September 2021}}
Cian Hussey was the championship's top scorer with 1-48.
Team changes
=To championship=
Promoted from the Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship
Group 1
=Group 1 table=
{{legend2|#ACE1AF|Advance to knockout stage|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!rowspan=2 width=165|Team !colspan=4|Matches !colspan=3|Score !rowspan=2width=20|Pts | ||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!width=20|Pld !width=20|W !width=20|D !width=20|L !width=45|For !width=45|Against !width=30|Diff | ||||||||
| align=center style="background:#ACE1AF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|Causeway | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 29 | 19 | 4 |
| align=center style="background:#ACE1AF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|St Brendan's | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 50| | ||
| 14 | 2 | |||||||
| align=center
|style="text-align:left;"|Ballyduff | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 42| | ||
| 5 | 0 |
=Group 1 results=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 31 July 2021
| round = Round 1
| team1 = Causeway
| score = 3-20 - 0-13
| team2 = St Brendan's
| report =
| goals1 = B Lyons 0-8, G Dooley 2-1, K Carmody 0-4, S Leahy 1-0, C Harty 0-3, G Leen 0-1, G Carey 0-1, A Feely 0-1, J Diggins 0-1.
| goals2 = C Hussey 0-8, B O'Connor 0-2, F Mackessy 0-2, P O'Sullivan 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 8 August 2021
| round = Round 2
| team1 = Ballyduff
| score = 1-13 - 1-16
| team2 = Causeway
| report =
| goals1 = P Boyle 0-9, A Boyle 1-1, M Boyle 0-1, D Moriarty 0-1, K Goulding 0-1.
| goals2 = B Lyons 0-9, B Murphy 1-1, J Leahy 0-2, S Leahy 0-1, J Diggins 0-1, T Casey 0-1, G Dooley 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 13 August 2021
| round = Round 3
| team1 = St Brendan's
| score = 2-17 - 1-18
| team2 = Ballyduff
| report = [https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/sport/gaa/rejuvenated-st-brendans-see-off-14-man-ballyduff/40770363.html Report]
| goals1 = C Hussey 0-14 (0-7 frees, 0-1 ’65), F Mackessy 1-2, S Brosnan 1-1.
| goals2 = P Boyle 0-14 (0-12 frees), A Boyle 1-0, K Goulding 0-2; M Boyle 0-1, K O’Connor 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
Group 2
=Group 2 table=
{{legend2|#ACE1AF|Advance to knockout stage|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!rowspan=2 width=165|Team !colspan=4|Matches !colspan=3|Score !rowspan=2width=20|Pts | ||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!width=20|Pld !width=20|W !width=20|D !width=20|L !width=45|For !width=45|Against !width=30|Diff | ||||||||
| align=center style="background:#ACE1AF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|Kilmoyley | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 36 | 25 | 4 |
| align=center style="background:#ACE1AF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|Lixnaw | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 37| | ||
| 5 | 2 | |||||||
| align=center
|style="text-align:left;"|Ballyheigue | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 50| | ||
| 20 | 0 |
=Group 2 results=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 30 July 2021
| round = Round 1
| team1 = Kilmoyley
| score = 4-23 - 1-16
| team2 = Ballyheigue
| report =
| goals1 = D Collins 1-11, M O'Connor 2-1, R Collins 1-2, J Brick 0-3, R Walsh 0-2, T Murnane 0-2, M Flaherty 0-1, P O'Connor 0-1.
| goals2 = N Guerin 0-8, P Carroll 1-0, C Walsh 0-3, M Leane 0-2, D Mahony 0-2, B O'Riordan 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 7 August 2021
| round = Round 2
| team1 = Ballyheigue
| score = 1-08 - 1-12
| team2 = Lixnaw
| report =
| goals1 = N Guerin 1-7, P Carroll 0-1.
| goals2 = S Conway 0-9, J Buckley 1-2, R Galvin 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 15 August 2021
| round = Round 3
| team1 = Lixnaw
| score = 1-14 - 1-23
| team2 = Kilmoyley
| report = [https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/sport/gaa/second-half-surge-sees-kilmoyley-in-control/40770384.html Report]
| goals1 = S Conway (0-7, 5f), J Buckley (1-0), M Kelliher (0-2), J Brosnan (0-1), B Brosnan (0-1), C O'Keeffe (0-1), E McCarthy 0-1.
| goals2 = D Collins (0-9, 8f), D Nolan 1-1, J Brick (0-3), D McCarthy (0-2), A Royle 0-2, D Kennedy (0-1), F McCarthy (0-1), D Fitzell (0-1), M Flaherty (0-1), R Collins (0-1), R Walsh (0-1).
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
Group 3
=Group 3 table=
{{legend2|#ACE1AF|Advance to knockout stage|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!rowspan=2 width=165|Team !colspan=4|Matches !colspan=3|Score !rowspan=2width=20|Pts | ||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!width=20|Pld !width=20|W !width=20|D !width=20|L !width=45|For !width=45|Against !width=30|Diff | ||||||||
| align=center style="background:#ACE1AF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|Crotta O'Neill's | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 21 | 25 | 3 |
| align=center style="background:#ACE1AF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|Abbeydorney | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 31 | 1 | 3 |
| align=center
|style="text-align:left;"|Dr Crokes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 50| | ||
| 26 | 0 |
=Group 3 results=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 1 August 2021
| round = Round 1
| team1 = Abbeydorney
| score = 0-18 - 0-17
| team2 = Dr Crokes
| report =
| goals1 = K O'Connor 0-7, D Scanlon 0-3, B O'Leary 0-2, A Maunsell 0-1, J O'Connor 0-1, R O'Donovan 0-1, S O'Donovan 0-1, D O'Leary 0-1, D Egan 0-1.
| goals2 = M Heffernan 0-11, D Carroll 0-2, J Lenihan 0-1, T Doyle 0-1, A Murphy 0-1, C Bohane 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 6 August 2021
| round = Round 2
| team1 = Dr Crokes
| score = 1-04 - 3-23
| team2 = Crotta O'Neill's
| report =
| goals1 = A Murphy 1-0, M Heffernan 0-3, T Doyle 0-1.
| goals2 = Declan O'Donoghue 2-2, S Nolan 0-6, D Hunt 1-1, B Mahony 0-4, Darragh O'Donoghue 0-2, J Sheehan 0-2, D Quille 0-1, D Kennelly 0-1, P Quille 0-1, A O'Mahony 0-1, T O'Connor 0-1, R Nolan 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 14 August 2-21
| round = Round 3
| team1 = Crotta O'Neill's
| score = 0-14 - 1-11
| team2 = Abbeydorney
| report = [https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/sport/gaa/crotta-reel-in-abbeydorney-advantage-to-take-share-of-the-spoils/40770365.html Report]
| goals1 = S Nolan ((0-7, 6f), B Mahony (0-2), Declan O'Donoghue (0-2), J Sheehan (0-1).
| goals2 = K O'Connor (0-8, 6f, 2'65), M Slattery (1-0), J Sheehan (0-2), J Parker 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
Knockout stage
=Quarter-finals=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 21 August 2021
| round = Quarter-final
| team1 = Lixnaw
| score = 2-18 - 1-09
| team2 = Abbeydorney
| report = [https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/sport/gaa/lixnaw-firepower-sees-off-understrength-abbeydorney/40785478.html Report]
| goals1 = S Conway (0-7, 7f), J Buckley (0-4), S McElligott 1-0, J Brosnan (1-0), M Conway (0-3), B Brosnan (0-1), C O'Keeffe (0-1), M Kelliher (0-1), J Flaherty 0-1.
| goals2 = K O'Connor (0-4, 2f, 1'65), J Sheehan (1-0), D Egan (0-2), J O'Connor (0-1), R O'Donovan (0-1), PJ Keane 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 21 August 2021
| round = Quarter-final
| team1 = St Brendan's
| score = 1-16 - 0-18
| team2 = Crotta O'Neill's
| report = [https://kerrysportshub.ie/2021/08/21/hussey-last-gasp-winner-fires-brendans-into-semi-finals/ Report]
| goals1 = C Hussey 1-13, F Mackessy 0-2, S O'Halloran 0-1.
| goals2 = S Nolan 0-10, C Trant 0-2, D Hunt 0-2, B O'Mahony 0-2, Declan O'Donoghue 0-1, J Sheehan 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
=Semi-finals=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 4 September 2021
| round = Semi-final
| team1 = Kilmoyley
| score = 0-17 - 0-16
| team2 = Lixnaw
| report = [https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40373777.html Report]
| goals1 = D Collins (0-12, 9 frees), P O’Connor, M O’Connor, J Brick, R Walsh, D Nolan (0-1 each).
| goals2 = S Conway (0-12, 10 frees, 1 S/L), B Brosnan (0-2), W Costello, S McElligott (0-1 each).
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 5 September 2021
| round = Semi-final
| team1 = St Brendan's
| score = 1-19 - 2-13
| team2 = Causeway
| report = [https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40373975.html Report]
| goals1 = C Hussey (0-8, 7 frees, 1 65), F Mackessy (1-5), S Brosnan (0-2), E Leen, B O’Connor, J Egan, K Hannafin (0-1 each).
| goals2 = B Murphy (0-5, 4 frees), B Lyons, G Dooley (1-1 each), J Diggins (2 frees), C Harty, D Goggin (0-2 each).
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
=Final=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 19 September 2021
| round = Final
| team1 = Kilmoyley
| score = 1-14 - 1-11
| team2 = St Brendan's
| report = [https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40701596.html Report]
| goals1 = D Collins (0-6, 5 f’s), M O’Connor (1-1), P O’Connor, D Nolan and A Royle (0-2 each), J Brick (0-1).
| goals2 = C Hussey (0-5, 3f), K Hanafin (1-0), F Mackessy and S Brosnan (0-2 each), P O’Sullivan and S O’Halloran (0-1 each).
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee = M Sexton (Limerick)
}}
Championship statistics
=Top scorers=
;Overall
| class="wikitable" |
| Rank
! Player ! County ! Tally ! Total ! Matches ! Average |
|---|
| rowspan=1 align=center|1
|Cian Hussey |align=center|1-48 |align=center|51 |align=center|5 |align=center|10.20 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|2
|align=center|1-38 |align=center|41 |align=center|4 |align=center|10.25 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|3
|align=center|0-35 |align=center|35 |align=center|4 |align=center|8.75 |
| rowspan=2 align=center|4
|align=center|0-23 |align=center|23 |align=center|2 |align=center|11.50 |
| Shane Nolan
|align=center|0-23 |align=center|23 |align=center|3 |align=center|7.66 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|6
|Billy Lyons |align=center|1-18 |align=center|21 |align=center|3 |align=center|7.00 |
| rowspan=2 align=center|7
|align=center|2-13 |align=center|19 |align=center|5 |align=center|3.80 |
| Keith O'Connor
|align=center|0-19 |align=center|19 |align=center|3 |align=center|6.33 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|9
|Nathan Guerin |align=center|1-15 |align=center|18 |align=center|2 |align=center|9.00 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|10
|Mark Heffernan |align=center|0-14 |align=center|14 |align=center|2 |align=center|7.00 |
;Single game
| class="wikitable" |
| Rank
! Player ! Club ! Tally ! Total ! Opposition |
|---|
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|1
|Cian Hussey |align=center|1-13 |align=center|16 |
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|2
|align=center|1-11 |align=center|14 |
| Pádraig Boyle
|align=center|0-14 |align=center|14 |
| Cian Hussey
|align=center|0-14 |align=center|14 |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|5
|align=center|0-12 |align=center|12 |
| Shane Conway
|align=center|0-12 |align=center|12 |
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|7
|Mark Heffernan |align=center|0-11 |align=center|11 |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|8
|Nathan Guerin |align=center|1-07 |align=center|10 |
| Shane Nolan
|align=center|0-10 |align=center|10 |
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|10
|align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |
| Pádraig Boyle
|align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |
| Daniel Collins
|align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |
| Billy Lyons
|align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |