The 2016 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 129th staging of the All-Ireland championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. It is the top tier of senior inter-county championship hurling.Hurling tiers – 1. All-Ireland (Liam MacCarthy) 2. Christy Ring 3. Nicky Rackard 4. Lory Meagher
The championship began on 1 May 2016 and ended on 4 September 2016.
Kilkenny were the defending champions. Kerry qualified for the competition for the first time since 2004
Tipperary won the title for the 27th time and for the first time since 2010, defeating Kilkenny in the final, 2–29 to 2–20.
Format
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is a double-elimination tournament based on the Leinster and Munster provincial championships. Fourteen teams take part.
Leinster and Munster Hurling Championships
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Seven Leinster counties compete. Galway and Kerry, though not in Leinster, also participate. The competition begins with a qualifier group consisting of the four weakest teams. Two teams from the qualifier group progress and the remainder of the competition is knock-out. Most of the beaten teams enter the All-Ireland qualifiers – the two bottom teams in the Leinster qualifier group do not.
In 2016 the bottom team in the Leinster qualifier group will be relegated to next year's Christy Ring Cup (2nd tier). Their place in next year's Leinster qualifier group will be taken by the winner of 2016's Christy Ring Cup.
Kerry qualified for this year's Leinster Championship by winning the 2015 Christy Ring Cup.
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Five Munster counties compete. Kerry participates in The Leinster Hurling Championship (see above). The competition has a knock-out format. All of the beaten teams enter the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Qualifiers
All teams beaten in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Leinster and Munster Hurling Championships enter the All-Ireland hurling qualifiers which are knock-out. The qualifiers eventually result in two teams who play the beaten finalists of the Leinster and Munster championships in the two All-Ireland quarter-finals.
All-Ireland
The Leinster and Munster champions play the winners of the two quarter finals in the semi-finals. The final normally takes place on the first Sunday in September.
Non-participating Provincial Championships
Connacht and Ulster teams can qualify for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship by winning the Christy Ring Cup (tier 2).
Connacht Senior Hurling Championship
This competition is no longer organised. Galway represent Connacht and participate in the Leinster Championship.
Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
Although this competition takes place, it is not part of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Currently no Ulster teams qualify for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
Team changes
To Championship Promoted from the Christy Ring Cup
Kerry
From Championship Relegated to the Christy Ring Cup
Antrim
Teams
General information Fourteen counties will compete in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: nine teams in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship and five teams in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. CountyLast provincial titleLast championship titlePosition in 2015 championshipCurrent championshipAppearance Carlow — —Group Stage (Leinster Senior Hurling Championship)Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Clare19982013Round 2Munster Senior Hurling Championship Cork20142005Quarter-finalsMunster Senior Hurling Championship Dublin20131938Quarter-finalsLeinster Senior Hurling Championship Galway20121988Runners-upLeinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipKerry1891 1891Champions (Christy Ring Cup)Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Kilkenny20152015ChampionsLeinster Senior Hurling Championship Laois19491915Round 1Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Limerick20131973Round 2Munster Senior Hurling Championship Offaly19951998Round 1Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Tipperary20152010Semi-finalsMunster Senior Hurling Championship Waterford20101959Semi-finalsMunster Senior Hurling Championship Westmeath — —Round 1Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Wexford20041996Round 1Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Overview All bar one of the teams from the 2015 championship participated in hurling's top tier in 2016.
Antrim, who finished bottom of the 2015 Leinster qualifier group, were relegated to the 2016 Christy Ring Cup. Their place in the 2016 Leinster qualifier group went to Kerry who won the 2015 Christy Ring Cup and gained automatic promotion. It was the first time since 2004 that Kerry participated in the All-Ireland senior championship.
List of teams TeamColoursSponsorCaptain(s)Vice-captain(s)Manager(s)Most recent successAll-IrelandProvincialLeagueCarlowDan Morrissey Ltd.Séamus Murphy Alan CorcoranPat EnglishClarePat O'DonnellTony Kelly Cian DillonColin Ryan Shane O'DonnellDavy Fitzgerald201319982016CorkChill InsuranceStephen McDonnellSéamus HarnedyKieran Kingston200520141998DublinAIGLiam RusheGer Cunningham193820132011GalwaySupermac'sDavid BurkeJoe CanningMicheal Donoghue198820122010KerryKerry GroupDaniel CollinsTom MurnaneCiarán Carey18911891KilkennyGlanbiaShane PrendergastBrian Cody201520152014LaoisMW Hire ServicesCharles DwyerSéamus Plunkett19151949LimerickSporting LimerickNickie QuaidSéamus HickeyT. J. Ryan197320131997OffalyCarroll CuisineColin EganJames Dempsey James MulrooneyÉamonn Kelly199819951990–91TipperaryIntersport/ElverysBrendan MaherPádraic MaherMichael Ryan201020152008Waterford3Kevin MoranDerek McGrath195920102015WestmeathRenaultAonghus ClarkeMichael RyanWexfordGainMatthew O'HanlonLee ChinLiam Dunne199620041972–73
Summary
Championships
Other Championship Tiers Level on PyramidCompetitionChampionsRunners upTier 12016 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Tipperary KilkennyTier 1 (Leinster)2016 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Kilkenny GalwayTier 1 (Munster)2016 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Tipperary WaterfordTier 1 (Ulster)2016 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship Antrim ArmaghTier 22016 Christy Ring Cup Meath AntrimTier 32016 Nicky Rackard Cup Mayo ArmaghTier 42016 Lory Meagher Cup Louth Sligo
Changes from 2015 championship
Hawkeye was used for the first time in the Munster Hurling Championship in Thurles when Tipperary played Cork on 22 May 2016. Previously it was only installed in Croke Park.
Provincial championships
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Group Stage
Pos Team Qualification1 Westmeath33003–624–39+206Advance to quarter-finals2 Offaly32015–474–53−343 Kerry31023–524–54 −524 Carlow30034–433–58−120Relegation to Christy Ring Cup Knockout Stage
Matches
Leinster Qualifier Group Round 1
Leinster Qualifier Group Round 2
Leinster Qualifier Group Round 3
Leinster Quarter-finals Last year's Leinster champions receive a bye into the semi-finals. The remaining six teams (four seeded teams plus the qualifier group winners and runners-up) play in three quarter-finals. An informal system of promotion or relegation operates in this round; if a team from the qualifier group wins their quarter-final, they will be seeded in next year's Leinster championship and the beaten seeded team will compete in next year's Leinster qualifier group.
Leinster Semi-finals Last year's Leinster champions receive a bye into the semi-finals. They are joined by the winners of the three quarter-finals.
Leinster final
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Munster Format
Five of the six Munster counties compete. Kerry qualify for the qualifier group of the Leinster championship. The competition is straight knock-out.
Munster Quarter-final
Munster Semi-finals
Munster final
Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
Bracket
Ulster Format
The top four Ulster counties compete in a stand alone championship. The rest of the Ulster counties compete in the shield. The competition is straight knock-out.
Ulster Semi-finals
Ulster Final
Cup competitions
Christy Ring Cup (Tier 2)
Finals
Nicky Rackard Cup (Tier 3)
Final
Lory Meagher Cup (Tier 4)
Group stage TeamQualification1 Louth44006–674–47 +268Advance to Final2 Sligo43017–805–53 +3363 Warwickshire420215–569–58 +1644 Leitrim41036–506–67 −1725 Lancashire40044–4613–74 −550
Final
All-Ireland qualifiers
Bracket
All qualifier matches are knock-out.
Qualifiers Round 1
Qualifiers Round 1 Format
The eight teams beaten in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Leinster (5 teams) and Munster (3 teams) provincial championships play in four matches. A draw is made that ensures there are three matches between Leinster and Munster teams and one match between two Leinster teams.
Qualifiers Round 1 Matches
Qualifiers Round 2
Qualifiers Round 2 Format
The four winners of round 1 play in two matches. The draw was made on 4 July. Teams who have already met in the Leinster or Munster championships cannot be drawn to meet again.
Qualifiers Round 2 Matches
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Bracket
All-Ireland Quarter-finals
The beaten finalists from the Leinster and Munster championships play the winners of round 2 of the qualifiers.
All-Ireland Semi-finals
The Leinster and Munster champions play the winners of the two quarter-finals.
All-Ireland final
Championship statistics
Top scorers
Overall Rank Player CountyTally Total Matches Average1Shane Dooley Offaly4–465869.672Séamus Callanan Tipperary2–4753510.603T.J. Reid Kilkenny0–494959.804Niall O'Brien Westmeath0–434358.60Pauric Mahony Waterford0–434358.606Joe Canning Galway1–353857.607Conor McDonald Wexford0–353548.758Shane Dowling Limerick0–292939.669David Treacy Dublin0–282839.3310Tony Kelly Clare0–272746.75
In a single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Shane Dooley Offaly1–1114 LaoisSéamus Callanan Tipperary1–1114 WaterfordShane Dowling Limerick1–1114 WestmeathPauric Mahony Waterford0–1414 Kilkenny5Shane Dooley Offaly1–1013 CarlowShane Dooley Offaly1–1013 KerryConor McDonald Wexford0–1313 CorkSéamus Callanan Tipperary0–1313 Kilkenny9Niall O'Brien Westmeath0–1212 GalwayPatrick Horgan Cork0–1212 Dublin
Clean sheets
Rank Goalkeeper County Clean sheets1Eoin Murphy Kilkenny32Darren Gleeson Tipperary2Anthony Nash Cork2Andrew Fahy Clare2Nickie Quaid Limerick2Colm Callanan Galway27Aiden McCabe Kerry1Paddy Maloney Westmeath1James Dempsey Offaly1Dean Grennan Carlow1Conor Dooley Dubin1Stephen O'Keeffe Waterford1
Scoring events
Widest winning margin: 35 points Clare 5–32 – 0–12 Laois (Qualifier round 1) Most goals in a match: 5 Clare 5–32 – 0–12 Laois (Qualifier round 1) Offaly 3–22 – 2–14 Laois (Leinster quarter-final) Tipperary 5–19 – 0–13 Waterford (Munster Final) Most points in a match: 49 Cork 1–26 – 1–23 Dublin (Qualifier round 1) Tipperary 2–29 – 2–20 Kilkenny (All-Ireland Final) Most goals by one team in a match: 5 Clare 5–32 – 0–12 Laois (Qualifier round 1) Tipperary 5–19 – 0–13 Waterford (Munster Final) Highest aggregate score: 61 Tipperary 2–29 – 2–20 Kilkenny (All-Ireland Final) Lowest aggregate score: 34 Clare 0–19 – 0–15 Limerick (Qualifier Round 2) Most goals scored by a losing team: 2 Offaly 1–17 – 2–11 Carlow (Leinster round robin) Westmeath 0–22 – 2–15 Carlow (Leinster round robin) Tipperary 2–29 – 2–20 Kilkenny (All-Ireland Final)
Miscellaneous
Kerry are the first team from Munster to play in the Leinster Championship and was their first in the senior championship since 2004. Their round 3 qualifier group match against Offaly on 22 May was the first ever championship meeting between the two teams. On 1 May 2016 Westmeath defeated Offaly in the championship for the first time since 1976. Their opening Leinster qualifier group game was also their first championship meeting since then.