Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Infobox GAA championship main
name=Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship
irish=
sponsors=Guinness, RTÉ, Ethiad Airways
trophy=
first=1888
current=Kilkenny
trophy=
currentordinal=65
super=th
most=Kilkenny
mostordinal=65|The Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship is the premier knockout competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months. The Leinster Hurling Final is usually played in July in Croke Park, Dublin.

Like the Munster Hurling Championship the Leinster Championship is regarded as one of the most skillful and exciting of the provincial hurling championships. Kilkenny are the most successful, having won the championship on 65 occasions and are also the current champions. The 2009 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship will also feature Galway and Antrim. [ [http://www.gaa.ie/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=24620] ]

Format

The format of the 2009 championship will be slightly different from previous years. Firstly, Galway have had no opposition in the Connacht Senior Hurling Championship since 2004. Due to this it has been decided at a special meeting of the GAA's congress for Galway to join the Leinster Championship for a three-year trial period, starting with the 2009 championship. Antrim GAA, being the only Tier 1 team in the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, will also participate in the Leinster Championship on a three-year trial period. Antrim, however, will also still ccompete in the Ulster Championship which will be run as a separate tournament to the All-Ireland Hurling Championship.

7 counties will participate in the 2009 Leinster Championship. These teams are as follows: Antrim, Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly and Wexford.

Quarter-Finals

An open draw shall be made to determine the pairings for the Leinster quarter-finals. Six teams - Antrim, Dublin, Galway, Laois, Offaly and Wexford - will be included in this draw. The winners of these three games shall advance to the Leinster semi-final stages. The three defeated teams are eliminated from the provincial championship, however, they will be entered into the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Semi-Finals

An open draw shall also be made to determine the pairings for the two Leinster semi-finals. Kilkenny shall receive a bye to one of these semi-finals. They will be joined by the three winners from the quarter-final stages. The winners of these two semi-finals shall advance to the Leinster final. The two defeated teams are eliminated from the provincial championship, however, they will be entered into the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Roll of Honour

Leinster Finals

ee also