{{short description|Irish hurling competition}} {{Infobox hurling championship |name=2008 Croke Cup |image= |imagesize= |caption= |dates= 23 March – 19 April 2008 |teams=5 |sponsor= |champions= [[File:Maroon Gold GAA Flag.png|border|20x20px]] [[De La Salle College Waterford|DLS College Waterford]] |count= 2 |champions captain= [[Noel Connors]] (captain)<br>[[Philip Mahony (hurler)|Philip Mahony]] |champions manager= |runners-up= [[File:Colours of Tipperary.svg|20px|border]] [[Thurles CBS]] |runners-up captain= Kevin O'Gorman |runners-up manager= |promoted= |relegated= |matches= 5 |goals= 12 |points= 117 |top scorer= [[File:Maroon Gold GAA Flag.png|border|20x20px]] Stephen Power (2-22) |previous year=2007 |previous tournament=2007 Croke Cup |next year=2009 |next tournament= 2009 Croke Cup }} The '''2008 Croke Cup''' was the 57th staging of the [[Dr Croke Cup|Croke Cup]] since its establishment by the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] in [[1944 Croke Cup|1944]]. The competition ran from 23 March to 19 April 2008.
[[De La Salle College Waterford]] were the [[2007 Croke Cup|defending champions]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/power-base-sees-de-la-salle-land-first-title/26266955.html|title=Power base sees De La Salle land first title|publisher=Irish Independent|date=23 April 2007|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/article/index/76120|title=Power the De La Salle hero|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=23 April 2007|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}}</ref>
The [[#Final|final]], a replay, was played on 19 April 2008 at [[Nowlan Park]] in [[Kilkenny]], between De La Salle College Waterford and [[Thurles CBS]], in what was their first ever meeting in the final but their third meeting that season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://galwaybayfm.ie/sports/pres-athenry-defeats-kilkenny-cbs-croke-cup-hurling-semi-final/|title=Pres Athenry Defeats Kilkenny CBS In Croke Cup Hurling Semi-Final|publisher=Galway Bay FM|date=19 March 2018|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}}</ref> De La Salle College Waterford won the match by 2–09 to 2–08 to claim their second Croke Cup title overall and their second title in succession.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/greene-point-earns-replay-for-thurles/26437424.html|title=Greene point earns replay for Thurles|publisher=Irish Independent|date=14 April 2008|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/supersub-purcell-fires-winner-in-de-la-salle-triumph/26440247.html|title=Supersub Purcell fires winner in De La Salle triumph|publisher=Irish Independent|date=21 April 2008|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-20060765.html|title=De La Salle hold their nerve|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=21 April 2008|access-date=26 June 2023|first=|last=}}</ref>
Stephen Power was the [[#Top scorers|top scorer]] with 2-22.
==Results== ===Quarter-final===
{{footballbox collapsible | date = 23 March 2008 | round = Quarter-final | team1 = [[Thurles CBS]] | score = 0-22 - 0-10 | team2 = [[CBS Kilkenny|Kilkenny CBS]] | report = | goals1 = D Butler 0-9, K Morris 0-4, J O'Neill 0-2, P O'Brien 0-2, D Maher 0-1, C Shelly 0-1, M Russell 0-1, C Ryan 0-1, T Comerford 0-1. | goals2 = P Guinan 0-5, M Gaffney 0-3, M Bambrick 0-1, R Doyle 0-1. | stadium = [[Graigue–Ballycallan GAA|Tom Ryall Park]] | referee = J O'Mahony (Limerick) }}
===Semi-finals===
{{footballbox collapsible | date = 29 March 2008 | round = Semi-final | team1 = [[Thurles CBS]] | score = 0-12 - 0-10 | team2 = Dublin Colleges | report = | goals1 = D Butler 0-5, R Ryan 0-2, C Shelly 0-2, J O'Neill 0-1, C Ryan 0-1, M Russell 0-1. | goals2 = N McMorrow 0-5, K O'Loughlin 0-2, C Clinton 0-2, L Rushe 0-1. | stadium = [[Nowlan Park]] | referee = J Owens (Wexford) }} {{footballbox collapsible | date = 29 March 2008 | round = Semi-final | team1 = [[De La Salle College Waterford|DLS College Waterford]] | score = 4-14 - 1-05 | team2 = [[Gort Community School]] | report = | goals1 = S Power 1-11, B O'Sullivan 1-0, P McCarthy 1-0, D Smith 1-0, E Barrett 0-1, Paudie Mahony 0-1, I Power 0-1. | goals2 = P O'Connor 1-0, G Hennelly 0-2, R Cummins 0-2, S Lambert 0-1. | stadium = [[JK Brackens GAA|Páirc Shíleáin]] | referee = B Kelly (Westmeath) }}
===Final===
{{footballbox collapsible | date = 12 April 2008 | round = Final | team1 = [[De La Salle College Waterford|DLS College Waterford]] | score = 2-12 - 1-15 | team2 = [[Thurles CBS]] | report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/power-base-sees-de-la-salle-land-first-title/26266955.html Report] | goals1 = S Power 0-8 (8f); P Mahony 1-3; P McCarthy 1-0; K Fitzgerald 0-1. | goals2 = K Morris 0-5 (4f); J O'Neill 1-2; P O'Brien 0-3; D Butler, M Russell, M Greene, A McCormack, C Shelley 0-1 each. | stadium = [[Nowlan Park]] | referee = J McGrath (Armagh) }} {{footballbox collapsible | date = 19 April 2008 | round = Final replay | team1 = [[De La Salle College Waterford|DLS College Waterford]] | score = 2-09 - 2-08 | team2 = [[Thurles CBS]] | report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/supersub-purcell-fires-winner-in-de-la-salle-triumph/26440247.html Report] | goals1 = S Power 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-1f, 0-1 65), P Mahony 1-3, D Purcell 0-2, P McCarthy 0-1. | goals2 = K Morris 2-5, (0-3f), R Ryan, C Shelley and A. McCormack 0-1 each. | stadium = [[Nowlan Park]] | referee = J Owens (Wexford) }}
==Statistics== ===Top scorers===
;Overall
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Rank ! Player ! County ! Tally ! Total ! Matches ! Average |- |rowspan=1 align=center|1 |Stephen Power |[[De La Salle College Waterford|DLS College]] |align=center|2-22 |align=center|28 |align=center|3 |align=center|9.33 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|2 |[[Kieran Morris]] |[[Thurles CBS]] |align=center|2-14 |align=center|20 |align=center|4 |align=center|5.00 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|3 |David Butler |[[Thurles CBS]] |align=center|0-15 |align=center|15 |align=center|4 |align=center|3.75 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|4 |[[Pauric Mahony]] |[[De La Salle College Waterford|DLS College]] |align=center|2-07 |align=center|13 |align=center|3 |align=center|4.33 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|5 |John O'Neill |[[Thurles CBS]] |align=center|1-05 |align=center|8 |align=center|4 |align=center|2.00 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Dr Croke Cups}}
[[Category:2008 in Irish sport]] [[Category:2008 in hurling|Croke Cup]]