# 2014 Christy Ring Cup

The 2014 Christy Ring Cup was the tenth staging of the Christy Ring Cup hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2005. The cup competition began on 3 May 2014 and ended on 7 June 2014.
Down were the defending champions; however, they lost their opening two games and avoided relegation by defeating Armagh in a play-off, before being awarded the final promotion/relegation playoff when Tyrone withdrew.

## Team changes
### To Championship

Relegated from the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
* None
Promoted from the Nicky Rackard Cup
* None

### From Championship

Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
* None
Relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup
* None

## Teams
### General Information

| County | Last Cup title | Last Provincial title | Last All-Ireland title | Position in 2013 Championship | Appearance |
| Armagh | — | — | — | Round 2 | 4th |
| Derry | — | 2001 | — | Quarter-finals | 9th |
| Down | 2013 | 1997 | — | Champions | 10th |
| Kerry | 2011 | 1891 | 1891 | Runners-up | 10th |
| Kildare | — | — | — | Semi-finals | 10th |
| Mayo | — | 1909 | — | Round 2 | 10th |
| Meath | — | — | — | Semi-finals | 9th |
| Wicklow | — | — | — | Quarter-finals | 10th |

### Personnel and kits

| County | Manager | Sponsor | Grounds |
| Armagh | John Lennon | Rainbow Communications | Athletic Grounds |
| Derry | Ger Rogan | Specialist Joinery Group | Owenbeg Centre of Excellence |
| Down | Gerard Monan | Canal Court Hotel | Páirc Esler |
| Kerry | Éamonn Kelly | Kerry Group | Austin Stack Park |
| Kildare | Brian Lawlor | Brady's Family Ham | St. Conleth's Park |
| Mayo | Christy Phillips | Elvery's | Elvery's MacHale Park |
| Meath | Cillian Farrell | MyClubShop.ie | St. Loman's Park |
| Wicklow | Casey O'Brien | WH Scott Lifting | Pearse Park |

## Championship statistics
### Scoring

* First goal of the championship: Shane Nolan for Kerry against Derry (3 May 2014)
* Widest winning margin: 32 points
** Kerry 4-31 - 0-11 Derry (3 May 2014)
* Most goals in a match: 7
** Down 5-24 - 2-15 Armagh (31 May 2014)
* Most points in a match: 51
** Kildare 1-27 - 2-24 Wicklow (3 May 2014)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 5
** Down 5-24 - 2-15 Armagh (31 May 2014)
* Highest aggregate score: 60
** Kildare 1-27 - 2-24 Wicklow (3 May 2014)
** Down 5-24 - 2-15 Armagh (31 May 2014)
* Lowest aggregate score: 28
** Meath 0-17 - 1-8 Down (3 May 2014)
* Most goals scored by a losing team: 3
** Wicklow 3-13 - 1-20 Kildare (10 May 2014)
** Armagh 3-13 - 3-19 Wicklow (17 May 2014)

### Top Scorer
#### Overall

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Mikey Lee | Wicklow | 4-38 | 50 | 4 | 12.50 |
| 2 | Paul Divilly | Kildare | 0-48 | 48 | 6 | 8.00 |
| 3 | Kenny Feeney | Mayo | 0-37 | 37 | 4 | 9.25 |
| 4 | Shane Nolan | Kerry | 4-24 | 36 | 4 | 9.00 |

#### Single game

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Mikey Lee | Wicklow | 2-14 | 20 | Kildare |
| 2 | Shane Nolan | Kerry | 1-10 | 13 | Derry |
| 3 | Kenny Feeney | Mayo | 0-12 | 12 | Armagh |
| 4 | Declan Coulter | Armagh | 2-5 | 11 | Wicklow |
| 4 | Mikey Lee | Wicklow | 1-8 | 11 | Kildare |
| 4 | Shane Nolan | Kerry | 1-8 | 11 | Kildare |
| 7 | Andy O'Brien | Wicklow | 2-4 | 10 | Armagh |
| 7 | Mikey Lee | Wicklow | 1-7 | 10 | Armagh |
| 7 | Kenny Feeney | Mayo | 0-10 | 10 | Meath |
| 7 | Ruairí Convery | Derry | 0-10 | 10 | Down |

### Clean sheets

| Rank | Goalkeeper | County | Clean sheets |
| 1 | Donal O'Brien | Mayo | 2 |
| 1 | Charlie Bird | Meath | 2 |
| 1 | Paul Dermody | Kildare | 2 |
| 2 | Tadhg Flynn | Kerry | 1 |
| 2 | Stephen Keith | Down | 1 |
| 2 | Simon Doherty | Armagh | 1 |