2011 Christy Ring Cup
# 2011 Christy Ring Cup

The 2011 Christy Ring Cup was the seventh season of the Christy Ring Cup since its establishment in 2005.

## Team changes

### To Championship

Relegated from the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

* None

Promoted from the Nicky Rackard Cup

* Armagh

### From Championship

Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

* Westmeath

Relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup

* None

## Teams

### General Information

| County | Last Cup title | Last Provincial title | Last All-Ireland title | Appearance |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Armagh | — | — | — | 2nd |
| Derry | — | 2001 | — | 6th |
| Down | — | 1997 | — | 7th |
| Kerry | — | 1891 | 1891 | 7th |
| Kildare | — | — | — | 7th |
| Mayo | — | 1909 | — | 7th |
| Meath | — | — | — | 6th |
| Wicklow | — | — | — | 7th |

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Location | Stadium | Stadium capacity |
| - | - | - | - |
| Armagh | Armagh | Athletic Grounds | 19,500 |
| Derry | Banagher | Fr. McNally Park | 5,000 |
| Down | Ballycran | McKenna Park | 5,000 |
| Kerry | Tralee | Austin Stack Park | 18,000 |
| Kildare | Newbridge | St. Conleth's Park | 13,000 |
| Mayo | Castlebar | McHale Park | 49,000 |
| Meath | Páirc Tailteann | Navan | 20,000 |
| Wicklow | Aughrim | Aughrim County Ground | 4,000 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Captain(s) | Sponsor |
| - | - | - | - |
| Armagh | Michael Johnston | — | Morgan Fuels |
| Derry | Ger Rogan | — | Ladbrokes.com |
| Down | Gerard Monan | — | Canal Court Hotel |
| Kerry | John Meyler | Mikey Boyle | Kerry Group |
| Kildare | Michael O'Riordan | — | kildareataclick.ie |
| Mayo | Murt Connolly | Aiden Connolly | Elverys |
| Meath | Cillian Farrell | — | Martin Donnelly & Co. Ltd |
| Wicklow | Casey O'Brien | — | Brennan Hotels.com |

## Format

The tournament has a double elimination format - each team played at least two games before being knocked out.

* The eight teams play four Round 1 matches.
   * The winners in Round 1 advance to Round 2A.
   * The losers in Round 1 go into Round 2B.
* There are two Round 2A matches.
   * The winners in Round 2A advance to the semifinals.
   * The losers in Round 2A go into the quarter-finals.
* There are two Round 2B matches.
   * The winners in Round 2B advance to the quarter-finals.
   * The losers in Round 2B go into the relegation playoff.
      * The losers of the relegation playoff are relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup for 2012.
* There are two quarter-final matches between the Round 2A losers and Round 2B winners.
   * The winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semifinals.
   * The losers of the quarter-finals are eliminated.
* There are two semifinal matches between the Round 2A winners and the quarter-final winners.
   * The winners of the semifinals advance to the final.
   * The losers of the semifinals are eliminated.
* The winners of the final win the Christy Ring Cup for 2011 and were given the option of being promoted to the Liam MacCarthy Cup 2012, Kerry however decided to remain in the Christy Ring Cup in 2012.

## Bracket

| Round 1 Round 2B | Round 1 Round 2B | Round 1 Round 2B | Round 2A Quarter-finals | Round 2A Quarter-finals | Round 2A Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Derry | Derry | 2-17 | | | | | | | | | |
| Down | Down | 1-13 | Derry | Derry | 2-11 | | | | | | |
| Wicklow | Wicklow | 1-19 | Wicklow | Wicklow | 3-16 | | | | | | |
| Mayo | Mayo | 1-17 | | | | Wicklow | Wicklow | 3-11 | | | |
| | | | | | | Kildare | Kildare | 2-11 | | | |
| | | | Derry | Derry | 1-13 | | | | | | |
| Kildare | Kildare | 1-20 | Kildare | Kildare | 4-18 | | | | | | |
| Armagh | Armagh | 2-10 | | | | | | | Wicklow | Wicklow | 2-8 |
| Mayo | Mayo | 0-06 | | | | | | | Kerry | Kerry | 2-21 |
| Down | Down | 1-20 | Down | Down | 1-18 | | | | | | |
| | | | Meath | Meath | 1-07 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Down | Down | 1-17 | | | |
| Kildare | Kildare | 1-21 | | | | Kerry | Kerry | 1-18 | | | |
| Kerry | Kerry | 1-25 | Kerry | Kerry | 1-20 | | | | | | |
| Meath | Meath | 2-21 | Meath | Meath | 1-17 | | | | | | |
| Armagh | Armagh | 1-17 | | | | | | | | | |

## Championship statistics

### Scoring events

* Widest winning margin: 17 points
   * Down 1-20 - 0-06 Armagh (Round 2B)
* Most goals in a match: 5
   * Wicklow 3-16 - 2-11 Derry (Round 2A)
   * Kildare 4-18 - 1-13 Derry (Quarter-final)
   * Wicklow 3-11 - 2-11 Kildare (Semifinal)
* Most points in a match: 46
   * Kerry 1-25 - 1-21 Kildare (Round 1)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 4
   * Kildare 4-18 - 1-13 Derry (Quarter-final)
* Most goals scored by a losing team: 2
   * Derry 2-11 - 3-16 Wicklow (Round 2A)
   * Wicklow 3-11 - 2-11 Kildare (Semifinal)
* Most points scored by a losing team: 21
   * Kildare 1-21 - 1-25 Kerry (Round 1)

### Top scorers

**Overall**

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Darragh O'Connell | Kerry | 1-33 | 36 | 4 | 9.00 |
| 2 | Jonathan O'Neill | Wicklow | 1-30 | 33 | 4 | 8.25 |
| 3 | Billy White | Kildare | 1-15 | 18 | 3 | 6.00 |

**Single game**

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Darragh O'Connell | Kerry | 1-9 | 12 | Wicklow |
| 2 | James Coyle | Down | 0-11 | 11 | Derry |
| 3 | Martin Fitzgerald | Kildare | 2-4 | 10 | Derry |
| 3 | Declan Coulter | Armagh | 1-7 | 10 | Meath |
| 3 | Jonathan O'Neill | Wicklow | 0-10 | 10 | Mayo |
| 3 | Darragh O'Connell | Kerry | 0-10 | 10 | Kildare |
| 7 | Billy White | Kildare | 1-6 | 9 | Wicklow |
| 7 | Nicky Horan | Meath | 1-6 | 9 | Armagh |
| 7 | Peter Durnin | Meath | 1-6 | 9 | Armagh |
| 10 | Andy O'Brien | Wicklow | 2-2 | 8 | Derry |
| 10 | Cathal Freeman | Mayo | 2-2 | 8 | Kildare |
| 10 | Jonathan O'Neill | Wicklow | 1-5 | 8 | Kerry |
| 10 | Jonathan O'Neill | Wicklow | 0-8 | 8 | Derry |
| 10 | Billy White | Kildare | 0-8 | 8 | Mayo |
| 10 | Gareth Johnson | Down | 0-8 | 8 | Armagh |
