Inter-county , is Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) terminology which refers to competitions or matches between counties, as used in Gaelic games (differently from legal counties). The term can also be used to describe the players on the teams.
103-696: The Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship , known simply as the Munster Championship , is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county hurling competition in the province of Munster , and has been contested every year since the 1888 championship . The final, usually held on the first Sunday in July, serves as
206-671: A Connacht , Leinster or Ulster team win the Joe McDonagh Cup, the bottom team in the Leinster group are relegated to the following year's Joe McDonagh Cup and replaced in the Leinster championship by the Joe McDonagh champions. As of the 2018 championship , qualification for the All-Ireland Championship has changed due to the abolition of the qualifiers . The Leinster champions continue to receive
309-453: A Leinster final took place on Network 2 on 14 July 1996. In 2007, it was announced that TV3 had signed a three-year broadcasting deal with the GAA, resulting in senior inter-county championship games not being broadcast exclusively on RTÉ for the first time since 1962. TV3's first live championship broadcast was the final between Kilkenny and Wexford on 6 July 2008. Following the completion of
412-631: A bye to the All-Ireland semi-final while the defeated Leinster finalists enter the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The third-placed team in the group enter the All-Ireland Championship at the preliminary quarter-final stage where they play either the champions or runners-up of the Joe McDonagh Cup . Six counties will compete in the 2025 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship : In spite of Leinster consisting of twelve counties, many of these are dominated by Gaelic football and do not compete at
515-430: A bye to the All-Ireland semi-final while the defeated Munster finalists enter the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The third-placed team in the group enter the All-Ireland Championship at the preliminary quarter-final stage where they play either the champions or runners-up of the Joe McDonagh Cup . Five counties will compete in the 2025 Munster Senior Hurling Championship : The number of years that each county has played in
618-664: A county dominated by Gaelic football . Because of this the inter-county hurling team went into a sharp decline. Kerry's championship appearances were sporadic by the 1950s and the county eventually stopped fielding a team at senior level before regrading to the All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship . After some successes in the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship , Kerry returned to the Munster Championship after
721-471: A group stage for the five designated "weakest" teams. Antrim, Carlow, Laois, London and Westmeath contested the group stage with each team playing each other once. The top two teams in the league advanced to the quarter-finals of the championship proper. The team placed fourth played the Christy Ring Cup winner in a promotion play-off, while the bottom-placed was relegated to the Christy Ring Cup for
824-515: A location that was deemed to be halfway between the two participants; however, teams eventually came to home and away agreements depending on the capacity of their stadiums. Teams that previously had agreements prior to the restructuring of the championship were Cork and Tipperary, Limerick and Cork and Limerick and Tipperary. Every second meeting between these teams was played at the home venue of one of them. Waterford and Clare, in spite of having home stadiums, did not have home and away agreements with
927-615: A nineteen-year absence in 1977. A decade later the team made a more permanent return to the championship, however, Kerry only recorded one championship victory from then until their last appearance in the championship in 2004. Due to a lack of competition in the Connacht Championship , the Galway County Board proposed a regrading to the junior championship in January 1958. This led to a wider debate regarding
1030-582: A restructured Leinster Championship on a trial basis for three years. Dublin, Wexford and Offaly spoke against the move; however, when put to a vote approximately 80% of delegates voted in favour. Antrim remained in the championship until their relegation to the Christy Ring Cup in 2015. In 2016 Kerry , in spite of being based in the province of Munster , joined the Leinster Championship after gaining promotion following victory in
1133-399: A second replay took place and so on until a winner was found. Extra-time was eventually adopted in the event of a draw for all championship games except the final. The dominance of Kilkenny and Wexford throughout the 1960s and 1970s lead to both these teams being placed on opposite sides of the championship draw, however, this seeding system was later abolished. The Leinster Council expanded
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#17327720314681236-433: A semi-final between Clare and Limerick, on 4 June 2017, while RTÉ had live coverage of the other three matches including the final. The possibility of unlikely victories in the various rounds of the championship, where lower ranked teams beat higher placed opposition in what is known as a "giant killing", is much anticipated by the public. Such upsets are considered an integral part of the tradition and unpredictable nature of
1339-415: A serious level in hurling. Louth became the fifth team to join the championship in 1889 , however, they subsequently withdrew and only contested three further championships in 1901 , 1919 and 1920 . Kildare also had a similar relationship with the championship. After fielding a team in the inaugural provincial campaign their involvement in later campaigns was sporadic. Wexford , in spite of contesting
1442-609: A short speech. Individual members of the winning team then have an opportunity to come to the rostrum to lift the cup. The present Munster Cup is the third to be used. The first was used from 1928, when it was donated by the Munster Council, until 1990 when a replica was commissioned due to old age. In 2021, a proposal from the Limerick County Board to have the Munster Cup named in honour of Mick Mackey
1545-482: A significant source of regular income for the Leinster Council and for the teams involved. For the 2016 championship proper , average attendances were 11,571 with a total aggregate attendance figure of 69,429. The 2017 final between Galway and Wexford saw a record attendance of 60,032. Fixtures in the five group stage rounds of the championship are played at the home ground of one of the two teams. Each team
1648-411: A team was defeated they were eliminated from the championship. In the early years the pairings were drawn at random and there was no seeding. Each match was played as a single leg. If a match ended in a draw there was a replay. Drawn replays were settled with extra time; however, if both sides were still level at the end of extra time a second replay took place and so on until a winner was found. Extra-time
1751-538: A trophy in his memory. The Bob O'Keeffe Memorial Cup was bought for £700 in 1949 and first presented in 1950. Standing three feet eight inches in height, weighing 564 ounces and with a capacity of 6 gallons, the cup was one of the most recognisable due to its sheer size. The Celtic chase work was taken from the Book of Kells . The hurler depicted on the top of the cup was barefooted – a reference to O'Keeffe who often played matches in his bare feet. The original Bob O'Keeffe Cup
1854-457: A walkover to Clare. On Sunday 28 September 1890, the first Munster final took place. Cork won their first title on the field of play after a 2–00 to 0–01 defeat of Kerry. Since then the championship title has been awarded every year except in 1908 when Tipperary were awarded the title after being granted a walkover by Kerry. In spite of winning the Munster title in 1891, Kerry eventually became
1957-557: Is available for students going on a J-1 visa , which allows a temporary transfer to Canada , New York or North America . Inter-county travel is movement from one county to another. It became a feature during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland when restrictions (including a travel ban) were imposed. Leinster Senior Hurling Championship The Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship , known simply as
2060-501: Is guaranteed two home games. Between 1888 and 1978 the semi-finals were played at a selection of venues around the province. A series of poorly-attended semi-finals by the 1970s lead to the decision by the Leinster Council to play both semi-finals at the same venue as part of a double-header. This occurred for the first time on 24 June 1979 when Kilkenny played Dublin and Wexford played Offaly at Geraldine Park in Athy . From 1980 until 2001
2163-480: Is related to the individual county boards. From 2018, all inter-county head coaches must be Award 2 qualified. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and an extensive backroom team consisting of various coaches. Prior to the development of the concept of a manager in the 1970s, teams were usually managed by a team of selectors with one member acting as chairman. In this capacity, Paddy Leahy won several Munster Championship titles served as chairman of
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#17327720314682266-753: Is the most watched event in Ireland's sporting calendar. Usually each of the 32 GAA counties in Ireland participates in the inter-county leagues and in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship ; Kilkenny does not compete in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship , and Cavan does not currently compete in the National Hurling League , though Fingal (part of Dublin) recently did. London also competes in
2369-500: The United Irishman newspaper. In 1886, county committees began to be established, with several counties affiliating over the next few years. The GAA ran its inaugural All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1887 . The decision to establish that first championship was influenced by several factors. Firstly, inter-club contests in 1885 and 1886 were wildly popular and began to draw huge crowds. Clubs started to travel across
2472-437: The United Irishman newspaper. In 1886, county committees began to be established, with several counties affiliating over the next few years. The GAA ran its inaugural All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1887 . The decision to establish that first championship was influenced by several factors. Firstly, inter-club contests in 1885 and 1886 were wildly popular and began to draw huge crowds. Clubs started to travel across
2575-418: The 2017 championship , average attendances were 31,998 with a total aggregate attendance figure of 127,992. For a four-game championship, it was the highest cumulative figure since 2008 (136,868). The 2017 figure represented the highest combined total for a Munster Championship since 2009, when 136,908 fans attended five games, including a semi-final replay between Limerick and Waterford. The change of format for
2678-425: The 2018 championship almost doubled attendances. A combined total of 248,809 attended 11 championship games, seeing a 95% increase on the previous year and a 147% rise on 2016. The highest ever attendance at a Munster Championship game was recorded on 30 July 1961 when a crowd of 62,175 attended the Munster final between Cork and Tipperary. This is the officially-recorded attendance, however, due to spectators storming
2781-629: The 2024 final . Hurling is the more prominent of the two Gaelic games in Munster. As such the Munster Championship is regarded as the most skillful and exciting of all the provincial hurling championships. The Munster final, particularly when played in Semple Stadium in Thurles , is considered one of the biggest and best sporting occasions in Ireland. Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in
2884-497: The Emerald GAA Grounds against Carlow on 27 April 2014. Leinster Championship matches were traditionally played at neutral venues or at a location that was deemed to be halfway between the two participants; however, teams eventually came to home and away agreements depending on the capacity of their stadiums. Every second meeting between these teams was played at the home venue of one of them. Stadium attendances are
2987-577: The Leinster Championship , is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county hurling competition in the province of Leinster , and has been contested every year since the 1888 championship . The final, usually held on the first Sunday in July, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during May and June, and
3090-459: The Munster Championship , are rewarded by advancing directly to the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland series of games. The losers of the Leinster final enter the All-Ireland series at the quarter-final stage, while the third-placed team advances to the preliminary quarter-finals. Each year, the lowest finishing team is relegated to the Joe McDonagh Cup . Six teams currently participate in the Leinster Championship. Fifteen teams have competed since
3193-639: The hurling and Gaelic football championships and leagues, winning the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship once in 1901, Warwickshire competes in the hurling championship only, while New York competes in the Men's Football Championship; in the past they also competed in the Hurling Championship. The British Provincial Council organises inter-county competitions for the seven counties under its control on
Munster Senior Hurling Championship - Misplaced Pages Continue
3296-529: The 1960s when they regraded. They made a brief return to the championship in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Wicklow first fielded a team in the championship in 1943 , however, their appearances in subsequent championship campaigns were sporadic. After winning the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship in 1962, Carlow fielded a team at senior level for the first time the following year. They remained in
3399-475: The All-Ireland Championship used an open draw format. Six teams entered the first championship, however, this number increased to nine in 1888. Because of this, and in an effort to reduce travelling costs, the GAA decided to introduce provincial championships in Leinster and Munster. The inaugural Munster Championship featured Clare , Cork , Limerick , Tipperary and Waterford . Cork and Tipperary contested
3502-462: The All-Ireland Championship used an open draw format. Six teams entered the first championship, however, this number increased to nine in 1888. Because of this, and in an effort to reduce travelling costs, the GAA decided to introduce provincial championships in Munster and Leinster. The inaugural Leinster Championship featured Dublin , Kildare , Kilkenny and Laois . Dublin and Kildare contested
3605-448: The All-Ireland hurling and football finals, the two All-Ireland football semi-finals and the two Railway Cup finals. RTÉ broadcast highlights of the Munster final for the first time on 19 July 1970. These highlights programmes continued for the rest of the decade until the development of a dedicated highlights programme called The Sunday Game . The first edition of the programme on 8 July 1979 featured extensive coverage and analysis of
3708-400: The Christy Ring Cup. They remained in the province for two championship seasons. In 2013, an English team participated in the Leinster Championship for the first time after London gained promotion from the Christy Ring Cup . They made their debut in a 4–17 to 2–13 defeat by Carlow on 18 May 2013. The first Leinster Championship match to be played outside Ireland was London's home match at
3811-462: The Leinster Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players from the club championships. Their influence varies from county-to-county and is related to the individual county boards. From 2018, all inter-county head coaches must be Award 2 qualified. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and an extensive backroom team consisting of various coaches. Prior to
3914-488: The Leinster Championship until regrading in 1966 , however, they were regular participants once again from the 1990s onward. Longford remain the only county never to have fielded a team in the Leinster Championship. Due to a lack of meaningful competition in their own respective provinces, Antrim and Galway pushed for entry to the Leinster Championship in the early 2000s. At a special meeting of Congress on 4 October 2008, delegates voted to include Galway and Antrim in
4017-404: The Leinster Championship was a knockout tournament whereby once a team was defeated they were eliminated from the championship. In the early years the pairings were drawn at random and there was no seeding. Each match was played as a single leg. If a match ended in a draw there was a replay. Drawn replays were settled with extra time; however, if both sides were still level at the end of extra time
4120-435: The Leinster Council awards up to twenty-six gold medals to the winners of the Leinster final. A 2012 Leinster Championship winners' medal was sold on eBay for €570. Since 1995, the Leinster Championship has been sponsored. The sponsor has usually been able to determine the championship's sponsorship name. In the early years of coverage Radio Éireann had exclusive radio coverage of championship games. When Telefís Éireann
4223-481: The Leinster champions received a bye to the All-Ireland semi-final. The "back door" system was replaced in 2002 by the All-Ireland Qualifiers which afforded every defeated team in the Leinster Championship the chance of qualifying for the All-Ireland Championship. Between 2005 and 2007 both Leinster finalists qualified for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, however, this system was abolished in 2008 with
Munster Senior Hurling Championship - Misplaced Pages Continue
4326-411: The Leinster champions receiving a bye to the All-Ireland semi-final. In 2017, the majority delegates voted to restructure the championship once again. The new format led to the introduction of the round robin within the championship and the creation of the Joe McDonagh Cup . Group stage: There are six teams in the Leinster Championship. During the course of a season (from May to June) each team plays
4429-417: The Munster Championship the chance of qualifying for the All-Ireland Championship. Between 2005 and 2007 both Munster finalists qualified for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, however, this system was abolished in 2008 with the Munster champions receiving a bye to the All-Ireland semi-final. In 2017, the majority delegates voted to restructure the championship once again. The new format led to the introduction of
4532-409: The Munster Championship the chance of qualifying for the All-Ireland Championship. Between 2005 and 2007 both Munster finalists qualified for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, however, this system was abolished in 2008 with the Munster champions receiving a bye to the All-Ireland semi-final. The Munster Championship was an integral part of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Between 1888 and 1996
4635-407: The Munster Championship. Seven teams have competed since the inception of the Munster Championship in 1888. The title has been won at least once by all six of the Munster counties, five of which have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Cork, who have won the championship on 54 occasions. Limerick are currently six in-a-row title holders, defeating Clare by 1-26 to 1–20 in
4738-472: The Munster Council once again voted against allowing Waterford to play home games in Nowlan Park. On 28 February 2019, it was confirmed that Waterford would play their two home championship games at Walsh Park after resolving a 'structural issue' which reduced the venue's capacity in 2018. Stadium attendances are a significant source of regular income for the Munster Council and for the teams involved. For
4841-483: The Munster SHC between 1888 and 2024. A total of 7 counties have competed in at least one season of the Munster SHC. Cork have participated in the most championships. The counties in bold participate in the 2024 Munster Senior Hurling Championship . The following teams have competed in the Munster Championship for at least one season. Munster Championship matches were traditionally played at neutral venues or at
4944-461: The Munster final between Cork and Limerick. The first live broadcast of a Munster final took place on Network 2 on 2 July 1989. In 2007, it was announced that TV3 had signed a three-year broadcasting deal with the GAA, resulting in senior inter-county championship games not being broadcast exclusively on RTÉ for the first time since 1962. TV3's first live championship broadcast was a semi-final between Limerick and Waterford on 1 June 2008. Following
5047-416: The Munster final winners automatically qualified for either the All-Ireland semi-final or final. The introduction of the "back door" system in 1997 allowed the defeated Munster finalists access to the All-Ireland quarter-final, while the Munster champions received a bye to the All-Ireland semi-final. The "back door" system was replaced in 2002 by the All-Ireland Qualifiers which afforded every defeated team in
5150-416: The Munster final winners automatically qualified for either the All-Ireland semi-final or final. The introduction of the "back door" system in 1997 allowed the defeated Munster finalists access to the All-Ireland quarter-final, while the Munster champions received a bye to the All-Ireland semi-final. The "back door" system was replaced in 2002 by the All-Ireland Qualifiers which afforded every defeated team in
5253-455: The Munster final, like their counterparts in the Leinster Championship , are rewarded by advancing directly to the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland series of games. The losers of the Munster final enter the All-Ireland series at the quarter-final stage, while the third-placed team advances to the preliminary quarter-finals. Each year, the lowest finishing team are possibly relegated to the Joe McDonagh Cup . Five teams currently participate in
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#17327720314685356-542: The Tipperary senior hurling selection committee between 1949 and 1965. Jim "Tough" Barry was trainer for all bar one of Cork's Munster Championship-winning teams between 1926 and 1966. At the end of the Munster final, the winning team is presented with a trophy. The Munster Cup, which is similar in design to the Liam MacCarthy Cup , is held by the winning team until the following year's final. Traditionally,
5459-416: The beginning, the championship has been dominated by Cork and Tipperary. They have won a combined total of 96 of the 135 championship titles. The two teams began their hegemony by winning 18 championship titles between 1890 and 1909 with Cork setting a number of records during this time — becoming the first team to win successive titles in 1893, claiming a first three-in-a-row the following year and setting
5562-425: The championship and the 6th placed team is relegated to the Joe McDonagh Cup. In the event of teams finishing on equal points, the tie shall be decided by the following means (in the order specified): Final: The top two teams in the group stage contest the final. The winning team are declared champions. A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Leinster Championship and the Joe McDonagh Cup . If
5665-480: The championship has a fondly remembered giant-killing act in its history. It is considered particularly newsworthy when a top championship team suffers an upset defeat. Legend For each year, the number of teams in each championship (in brackets) are shown. The number of years that each county has played in the Leinster SHC between 1888 and 2024. A total of 16 counties have competed in at least one season of
5768-503: The championship with the introduction of a group stage for the four "weakest" teams in 2000. Carlow, Dublin, Laois and Westmeath contested this group stage, with the winning team advancing to the semi-final stage of the championship proper with Kilkenny, Offaly and Wexford. This group stage system was abolished after only one year in favour of a preliminary stage knock-out championship for the "weakest" teams. Carlow, Kildare, Laois, Meath, Wicklow and Westmeath played three knock-out rounds, with
5871-449: The championship's sponsorship name. In the early years of coverage Radio Éireann had exclusive radio coverage of championship games. When Telefís Éireann was established on 31 December 1961, the new station was interested in the broadcasting of championship games. The GAA, however, were wary that live television coverage would result in lower attendances at games. Because of this, the association restricted annual coverage of its games to
5974-441: The championship, and the attention gained by giant-killing teams can be as great as that for winners of the championship. Almost every team in the championship has a fondly remembered giant-killing act in its history. It is considered particularly newsworthy when a top championship team suffers an upset defeat. Legend For each year, the number of teams (in brackets) are shown. Below is a record of each county's performance since
6077-461: The completion of the initial three-year deal in 2010, the GAA were satisfied to give TV3 an expanded role in Gaelic games broadcasting. TV3 broadcast one of the semi-finals over the next three years, however, RTÉ retained the rights to the other matches, including the final. Since 2017, Sky Sports and RTÉ have shared live coverage of championship matches. Sky broadcast their first championship match,
6180-479: The country to play against each other and these matches generated intense interest as the newspapers began to speculate which teams might be considered the best in the country. Secondly, although the number of clubs was growing, many were slow to affiliate to the Association, leaving it short of money. Establishing a central championship held the prospect of enticing GAA clubs to process their affiliations, just as
6283-419: The country to play against each other and these matches generated intense interest as the newspapers began to speculate which teams might be considered the best in the country. Secondly, although the number of clubs was growing, many were slow to affiliate to the Association, leaving it short of money. Establishing a central championship held the prospect of enticing GAA clubs to process their affiliations, just as
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#17327720314686386-540: The county in the All-Ireland championships. The inter-county season begins in January with each province 's warm-up competition and ends in September with the All-Ireland final. The GAA's inter county competitions are the organisation's most attended competitions and are Ireland's most attended sporting events, while the All-Ireland finals are the most watched. and the All-Ireland Football Final
6489-530: The culmination of a series of games played during May and June, and the results determine which team receives the Mick Mackey Cup. The championship was previously played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team lost they were eliminated from the championship; however, as of 2018 , the championship involved a round-robin system . The Munster Championship is an integral part of the wider GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship . The winners of
6592-498: The cup on behalf of his team before giving a short speech. Individual members of the winning team then have an opportunity to come to the rostrum to lift the cup. The cup is named after Bob O'Keeffe . He was an All-Ireland medal winner with Laois in 1915 before later serving as chairman of the Leinster Council and President of the Gaelic Athletic Association . Following his death the GAA decided to donate
6695-408: The development of the concept of a manager in the 1970s, teams were usually managed by a team of selectors with one member acting as chairman. The championship's longest-serving manager was Brian Cody , who has been in charge of Kilkenny from November 1998 until 2022. At the end of the Leinster final, the winning team is presented with a trophy. The Bob O'Keeffe Cup is held by the winning team until
6798-607: The establishment of the FA Cup had done much in the 1870s to promote the development of the Football Association in England . The championships were open to all affiliated clubs who would first compete in county-based competitions, to be run by local county committees. The winners of each county championship would then proceed to represent that county in the All-Ireland series. For the first and only time in its history
6901-429: The establishment of the FA Cup had done much in the 1870s to promote the development of the Football Association in England . The championships were open to all affiliated clubs who would first compete in county-based competitions, to be run by local county committees. The winners of each county championship would then proceed to represent that county in the All-Ireland series. For the first and only time in its history
7004-550: The first match on Sunday 27 May 1888. Despite losing, Cork advanced to the Munster semi-final as Tipperary champions Clonoulty used players from other clubs to supplement their team. Such a format was not yet allowed. A replay was ordered in Cork but Clonoulty refused to play anywhere in Cork stating a preference for Kilmallock . As a result of their refusal to play they were disqualified. The inaugural Munster final between Cork and Clare
7107-410: The following year's final. Traditionally, the presentation is made at a special rostrum in the stand where GAA and political dignitaries and special guests view the match. The cup is decorated with ribbons in the colours of the winning team. During the game the cup actually has both teams' sets of ribbons attached and the runners-up ribbons are removed before the presentation. The winning captain accepts
7210-402: The following year. This format ended in 2017. The Leinster Championship was an integral part of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Between 1888 and 1996 the Leinster final winners automatically qualified for either the All-Ireland semi-final or final. The introduction of the "back door" system in 1997 allowed the defeated Leinster finalists access to the All-Ireland quarter-final, while
7313-479: The gates the attendance could have been as high as 70,000 or more. Fixtures in the five group stage rounds of the championship are played at the home ground of one of the two teams. Each team is guaranteed two home games. The final has historically been played at either Semple Stadium , Páirc Uí Chaoimh or the Gaelic Grounds . As of the 2018 championship, the final is played at one of these venues as per
7416-405: The group contest the Munster final with the third-placed team qualifies to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals. The fourth-placed team are eliminated from the championship and the 5th placed team is may be relegated to the Joe McDonagh Cup. In the event of teams finishing on equal points, the tie shall be decided by the following means (in the order specified): Final: The top two teams in
7519-421: The group stage contest the final. The winning team are declared champions. A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Munster Championship and the Joe McDonagh Cup . If a Munster team win the Joe McDonagh Cup, they will enter a promotion/relegation playoff with the bottom team in that year's Munster Senior Hurling Championship, with the winner entering the following years Munster Championship, and
7622-400: The home and away agreements between Cork, Limerick and Tipperary. If Clare or Waterford were to reach the Munster final the game would be played at a neutral venue. Managers in the Munster Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players from the club championships. Their influence varies from county-to-county and
7725-471: The inception of the Leinster Championship in 1888. The title has been won by 6 different counties, all of whom have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Kilkenny, who have won the championship on 75 occasions. Kilkenny are the title holders, defeating Galway by 4-21 to 2-26 in the 2023 final. Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in
7828-495: The initial three-year deal in 2010, the GAA were satisfied to give TV3 an expanded role in Gaelic games broadcasting. TV3 broadcast one of the semi-finals over the next three years, however, RTÉ retained the rights to the other matches, including the final. Since 2014, Sky Sports and RTÉ have shared live coverage of championship matches. Sky broadcast their first championship match, a quarter-final between Kilkenny and Offaly, on 7 June 2014. The possibility of unlikely victories in
7931-434: The introduction of the qualifier system to the All-Ireland series in 1997. Inter county The first inter-county competitions the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship took place in 1887. County teams select the best players from the clubs within the county, a practice which began in 1892. Before 1892 the winner of each counties club championship would represent
8034-463: The island of Britain . The British Provincial Council is the only area outside Ireland to organise regular inter-county matches. Changing clubs between counties is known as an inter-county transfer and is regulated by the Provincial council if the clubs are in the same province, or by the central council of the GAA when the transferring between clubs in different provinces. A special transfer
8137-510: The loser returning to the following year's edition of the Joe McDonagh Cup. The mechanism has never been employed as Kerry, the only Munster county not competing in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship, has never won the Joe McDonagh Cup. As of the 2018 championship , qualification for the All-Ireland Championship has changed due to the abolition of the qualifiers. The Munster champions continue to receive
8240-432: The new millennium saw a sharing of titles between the "big three" — Tipperary winning four titles, and Cork and Limerick winning 3 each. Waterford lost all of the 5 finals they contested. Limerick continued their successful run into the 2020s and in 2024 have the all-time record of six successive championships titles between 2019 and 2024. Between 1888 and 2017 the Munster Championship was a knockout tournament whereby once
8343-440: The next two decades, winning thirteen championships between 1972 and 1986, including another 5-in-a-row in 1982-1986. The 1990s saw a more equitable period develop in the championship with every team reaching at least one Munster final and title victories for all but Waterford. Waterford then had arguably their strongest period thus far, winning four championships from six final appearances between 2002 and 2010. The second decade of
8446-402: The one remaining team qualifying for the quarter-final stage of the championship proper. This system remained in place, albeit with some minor adjustments, until 2005 when the "weakest" teams moved to the Christy Ring Cup and Nicky Rackard Cup . By 2014 the number of teams participating in the Leinster Championship had risen to ten. A number of one-sided games in recent years saw the return of
8549-431: The open draw All-Ireland Championship in 1887, did not field a team the inaugural Leinster Championship. They first competed in 1890 and, apart from a few absences, have remained in the championship ever since. Offaly 's first involvement in the championship was in 1897 . Westmeath joined the championship in 1913 while Meath entered the championship for the first time in 1919 . They were regular participants until
8652-424: The other teams as their stadiums were initially deemed not to be of an adequate size for Munster Championship games. These teams usually played their games at neutral venues. The introduction of the round robin format in 2018 saw home and away arrangements being agreed by all five teams, with every second meeting between the participating teams being played at the home venue of one of the teams. On 16 March 2018, it
8755-429: The others once (a single round-robin system ) for a total of five games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points and then head-to-head results. The top two teams in the group contest the Leinster final with the third-placed team qualifies to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals. The fourth and fifth-placed teams are eliminated from
8858-411: The presentation is made at a special rostrum in the stand where GAA and political dignitaries and special guests view the match. The cup is decorated with ribbons in the colours of the winning team. During the game the cup actually has both teams' sets of ribbons attached and the runners-up ribbons are removed before the presentation. The winning captain accepts the cup on behalf of his team before giving
8961-454: The province in a single championship season. This practice was eventually abolished with a return to the open draw in which three of the five teams automatically qualified for the semi-final stage of the championship. Two other teams played in a lone quarter-final with the winner joining the other three teams at the semi-final stage. The Munster Championship was an integral part of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Between 1888 and 1996
9064-530: The province until their abolition after the 2017 championship. The final has been played exclusively at Croke Park since 1962. Prior to this, the final had been played at Croke Park on a number of occasions; however, smaller provincial venues were also used, most notably Nowlan Park in Kilkenny or O'Moore Park in Portlaoise . In 2018 the final was held in Semple Stadium in Thurles . Managers in
9167-494: The results determine which team receives the Bob O'Keeffe Cup. The championship was previously played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team lost they were eliminated from the championship; however, as of 2018 , the championship involved a round-robin system . The Leinster Championship is an integral part of the wider GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship . The winners of the Leinster final, like their counterparts in
9270-440: The round robin within the championship and the creation of the Joe McDonagh Cup . Group stage: There are five teams in the Munster Championship. During the course of a season (from May to June) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system ) for a total of four games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points. The top two teams in
9373-478: The semi-finals were played as a double-header at Croke Park, with the exception of 1993 when Dr. Cullen Park in Carlow was the venue. In 2002 the semi-finals were played outside of Leinster for the first time ever when Semple Stadium in Thurles hosted the penultimate games due to reconstruction work taking place at Croke Park. After that the semi-finals were played on different dates and at different venues around
9476-477: The start of the championship was also discussed. At a meeting of the Munster Council on 10 January 1959 it was decided to invite Galway to participate in all grades of hurling in Munster on a temporary basis. This decision was later ratified at the GAA Congress . Galway played in the Munster Championship from 1959 until 1969, however, during that time they won just one of their twelve championship games. Since
9579-465: The structure of the championship. The abolition of the provincial system and the introduction of an open draw was rejected. Galway put forward their own proposal for the creation of a new "province" consisting of Galway, Clare, Laois , Offaly and Westmeath , however, this was also rejected. The possibility of starting the National Hurling League in April in an effort to give Galway some game time before
9682-650: The then all-time record of five successive championships between 1901 and 1905. After twenty years, Limerick emerged to break the dominance of the "big two" when they claimed five championship titles between 1910 and 1923. Limerick enjoyed a second golden era by winning a further five championship titles between 1933 and 1940, including four-in-a-row in 1933-1936. After a period of decline, Cork returned to dominate by winning nine championships between 1942 and 1956. Tipperary then emerged with what many people regard as their greatest ever team — between 1958 and 1971, they won nine championships. However, Cork returned to dominate
9785-401: The various rounds of the championship, where lower ranked teams beat higher placed opposition in what is known as a "giant killing", is much anticipated by the public. Such upsets are considered an integral part of the tradition and unpredictable nature of the championship, and the attention gained by giant-killing teams can be as great as that for winners of the championship. Almost every team in
9888-465: The very first match on Sunday 3 June 1888. Postponements, disqualifications, objections, withdrawals and walkovers were regular occurrences during the initial years of the championship. No championship took place in 1892 as Dublin were the only team to enter and were deemed the Leinster representatives in the subsequent All-Ireland series. Kilkenny rejoined the championship, however, the finals of 1893 and 1894 ended in walkovers. Between 1888 and 2017
9991-415: Was approved by the Munster Council . The second trophy was then retired and replaced with a third one. An earlier attempt at renaming the cup had been rejected several years earlier. In accordance with GAA rules, the Munster Council awards up to twenty-six gold medals to the winners of the Munster final. Since 1995, the Munster Championship has been sponsored. The sponsor has usually been able to determine
10094-691: Was awarded for the last time in 2004. A combination of old age and wear and tear resulted in the cup being retired to the GAA Museum in Croke Park . In 2005 the new Bob O'Keeffe Cup was presented for the first time. The new trophy was made in 1894 in London of Victorian silver, but was idle since 1920 when it was last presented as a racing trophy. Valued at €25,000, the cup was bought in a jewellers' shop in Temple Bar . In accordance with GAA rules,
10197-497: Was confirmed that Waterford would play their two 'home' clashes at a neutral venue instead of Walsh Park . The ground has a capacity of just 8,000 and was deemed unsuitable. Nowlan Park in Kilkenny was mentioned as a possible venue for the Waterford-Tipperary game, however, the Munster Council cited a regulation whereby a change from a home venue can only be to a neutral venue within the province. In November 2018,
10300-438: Was established on 31 December 1961, the new station was interested in the broadcasting of championship games. The GAA, however, were wary that live television coverage would result in lower attendances at games. Because of this, the association restricted annual coverage of its games to the All-Ireland hurling and football finals, the two All-Ireland football semi-finals and the two Railway Cup finals. The first live broadcast of
10403-402: Was eventually adopted in the event of a draw for all championship games except the final. The dominance of Cork and Tipperary eventually led to both these teams being placed on opposite sides of the championship draw. This was later viewed as a mean of penalising the other teams. While it might be possible to beat one of these teams it was deemed near impossible to beat the two strongest teams in
10506-433: Was then decided to play the final in Cork on Sunday 2 September 1888, however, Clare refused to travel and Cork were awarded the title. Postponements, disqualifications, objections, withdrawals and walkovers were regular occurrences during the initial years of the championship. Kerry became the sixth and final team to enter the championship in 1889, however, the championship ended without a final once again as Kerry conceded
10609-432: Was to be played on Wednesday 29 August 1888, however, the provincial showpiece ended in disarray. Clare champions Ogonelloe, who had received a walkover from South Liberties of Limerick in the semi-final, however, this was later disputed. Before the final commenced South Liberties took to the field to play Ogonelloe, with the winners competing in the final later that day. The officials decided then not to play either game. It
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