# 2016 Munster Senior Hurling League

The 2016 Munster Senior Hurling League was the inaugural staging of the Munster Senior Hurling League. The fixtures were announced on 4 December 2015. The league began on 3 January 2016 and ended on 23 January 2016.
On 23 January 2016, Clare won the league following an 0-18 to 0-17 defeat of Limerick in the final.
Limerick's Declan Hannon was the league's top scorer with 1-21.
The league attracted almost 12,000 spectators in total, an average of 1,192 per match.

## Format

Five of the six Munster teams compete in the league, with Tipperary opting not to participate. Unlike its predecessor, the Waterford Crystal Cup, the league is confined to inter-county teams only. This means that third level institutions are not permitted to take part.
Each team plays the other teams in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw. Originally the top two teams were to play each other in the final, but as both Clare and Limerick won their first three games, it was decided that the last group game would double up as the Munster Senior Hurling League final.

## Details
### Table

| | Team | Pld | W | D | L | SF | SA | SD | Pts |
| 1 | Clare | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4-61 | 1-31 | +39 | 6 |
| 2 | Limerick | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8-56 | 1-53 | +24 | 6 |
| 3 | Cork | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3-70 | 4-62 | +5 | 4 |
| 4 | Waterford | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2-56 | 6-62 | –18 | 2 |
| 5 | Kerry | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0-52 | 5-87 | –50 | 0 |

### Fixtures/results

Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Final

## League statistics
### General

* First goal of the championship:
** David Reidy for Limerick against Kerry (3 January 2016)
* Widest winning margin: 25 points
** Clare 2-27 – 0-8 Kerry (13 January 2016)
* Most goals in a match: 4
** Waterford 1-17 – 3-16 Limerick (19 January 2016)
* Most points in a match: 41
** Limerick 2-23 – 0-18 Kerry (3 January 2016)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 3
** Limerick 3-16 - 1-17 Waterford (19 January 2016)
* Highest aggregate score: 47
** Limerick 2-23 – 0-18 Kerry (3 January 2016)
* Lowest aggregate score: 31
** Clare 1-14 - 1-14 Cork (3 January 2016)
* Most goals scored by a losing team: 1
** Waterford 1-9 – 1-20 Clare (17 January 2016)
** Waterford 1-17 – 3-16 Limerick (19 January 2016)

### Scoring
#### Overall

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Declan Hannon | Limerick | 1-21 | 24 | 3 | 8.00 |
| 2 | Colin Ryan | Cork | 0-20 | 20 | 4 | 5.00 |
| 3 | David Reidy | Limerick | 2-10 | 16 | 3 | 5.33 |
| 3 | Shane Nolan | Kerry | 0-16 | 16 | 4 | 4.00 |
| 3 | Maurice Shanahan | Waterford | 0-16 | 16 | 2 | 8.00 |
| 6 | Pa Cronin | Cork | 1-12 | 15 | 2 | 7.50 |
| 7 | Paudie O'Sullivan | Cork | 0-14 | 14 | 3 | 4.66 |
| 8 | Peter Duggan | Clare | 2-6 | 12 | 4 | 3.00 |
| 8 | John Conlon | Clare | 0-12 | 12 | 4 | 3.00 |
| 10 | Luke O'Farrell | Cork | 1-6 | 9 | 2 | 4.50 |
| 10 | Tom Morrissey | Limerick | 1-6 | 9 | 3 | 3.00 |
| 10 | Thomas Ryan | Waterford | 0-9 | 9 | 2 | 4.50 |
| 10 | Conor Lehane | Cork | 0-9 | 9 | 2 | 4.50 |

#### Single game

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Declan Hannon | Limerick | 1-9 | 12 | Cork |
| 2 | Pa Cronin | Cork | 1-8 | 11 | Waterford |
| 3 | Maurice Shanahan | Waterford | 0-9 | 9 | Kerry |
| 4 | Peter Duggan | Clare | 2-2 | 8 | Kerry |
| 4 | David Reidy | Limerick | 1-5 | 8 | Waterford |
| 4 | Colin Ryan | Clare | 0-8 | 8 | Kerry |
| 4 | Shane Nolan | Kerry | 0-8 | 8 | Limerick |
| 8 | David Reidy | Limerick | 1-4 | 7 | Kerry |
| 8 | Paudie O'Sullivan | Cork | 0-7 | 7 | Clare |
| 8 | Declan Hannon | Limerick | 0-7 | 7 | Clare |
| 8 | Thomas Ryan | Waterford | 0-7 | 7 | Clare |
| 8 | Paudie O'Sullivan | Cork | 0-7 | 7 | Limerick |
| 8 | Colin Ryan | Clare | 0-7 | 7 | Waterford |
| 8 | Maurice Shanahan | Waterford | 0-7 | 7 | Limerick |
| 8 | Declan Hannon | Limerick | 0-7 | 7 | Clare |

#### Clean sheets

| Rank | Goalkeeper | County | Clean sheets |
| 1 | Nicky Quaid | Limerick | 2 |
| 1 | Andrew Fahy | Clare | 2 |
| 3 | Ian O'Regan | Waterford | 1 |
| 3 | Donal Tuohy | Clare | 1 |
| 3 | Declan Dalton | Cork | 1 |
| 3 | Anthony Nash | Cork | 1 |
| 3 | Aidan McCabe | Kerry | 1 |

### Miscellaneous

* Initially intended to be a final group game, with Limerick and Clare already through to the final of the competition it was decided to double this fixture up as the final. Both sides advanced having won each of their three group games.