Topping the table hasn’t always proven fruitful in winning the Carlow SHC but there’s not much in it percentage wise.
By Leo McGough
For the last three years the team that topped the Carlow SHC league table did not go on to win the championship and the general consensus would appear that Sunday’s final could well complete a ‘four-in-a-row’ in that department, Mount Leinster Rangers favourites to beat ’table-toppers’ St Mullins.
The Carlow SHC was first played on a league basis in 1983 and since then, apart from 2005 when a mini-knock-out, back-door system was experimented with, there have been 40 championships decided by dent of a league qualifier and the subsequent knock-out stage.
The ‘double’ of topping the table and winning the championship has been completed on 18 occasions, a 45% strike-rate for the table-topper.
Year Table Toppers/County Champions
2024 St Mullins/?
2023 St Mullins/Mount Leinster Rangers
2022 Mount Leinster Rangers/St Mullins
2021 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2020 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2019 Mount Leinster Rangers/St Mullins
2018 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2017 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2016 Mount Leinster Rangers/St Mullins
2015 Mount Leinster Rangers/St Mullins
2014 St Mullins/St Mullins
2013 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2012 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2011 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2010 Mount Leinster Rangers/St Mullins
2009 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2008 St Mullins/Naomh Bríd
2007 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2006 Mount Leinster Rangers/Mount Leinster Rangers
2005 Not on league basis/Naomh Eoin
2004 Naomh Eoin/Naomh Bríd
2003 Mount Leinster Rangers/Naomh Eoin
2002 St Mullins/St Mullins
2001 Naomh Eoin/Ballinkillen
2000 Ballinkillen/St Mullins
1999 Naomh Eoin/St Mullins
1998 Naomh Eoin/Naomh Eoin
1997 Naomh Eoin/St Mullins
1996 Naomh Bríd/Naomh Bríd
1995 Naomh Eoin/Naomh Eoin
1994 St Mullins/Naomh Eoin
1993 St Mullins/Naomh Eoin
1992 St Mullins/Naomh Eoin
1991 Naomh Eoin/Naomh Eoin
1990 St Mullins/Naomh Eoin
1989 Naomh Eoin/St Mullins
1988 Naomh Eoin/Carlow Town
1987 St Mullins/Naomh Eoin
1986 Naomh Eoin/Naomh Eoin
1985 Naomh Eoin/Naomh Eoin
1984 St Mullins/St Mullins
1983 Naomh Eoin/St Mullins
