nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2026 (Munster & Leinster Championships, Liam McCarthy Cup)

PTH2009

Munster Championship

Clare

Cork

Limerick

Tipperary

Waterford
5 teams played on Round Robin Basis

Top 2 into the Munster final (Winner into All Ireland Semi Finals, Runner up into All Ireland Quarter Finals vs 3rd placed Leinster team)

3rd placed team (into All Ireland Quarter Finals vs Leinster Final Runners Up)

Round 1- Sun 19th April

Clare vs Waterford 2pm

Tipperary vs Cork 4pm

Limerick Bye

Round 2- Sun 26th April

Cork vs Limerick 2pm

Waterford vs Tipperary 4pm

Clare Bye

Round 3

Clare vs Limerick (Sun 3rd May 2pm)

Waterford vs Cork (Sat 9th May 6pm)

Tipperary Bye

Round 4

Tipperary vs Clare (Sat 16th May 7pm)

Limerick vs Waterford (Sun 17th May 3pm)

Cork Bye

Round 5- Sun 24th May

Limerick vs Tipperary 4pm

Cork vs Clare 4pm

Waterford Bye

Final- Sun 7th June 2pm

Leinster Championship

Dublin

Galway

Kildare

Kilkenny

Offaly

Wexford

6 teams played on Round Robin Basis

Top 2 into the Leinster final (Winner into All Ireland Semi Finals, Runner up into All Ireland Quarter Finals vs 3rd placed Munster team)

3rd placed team (into All Ireland Quarter Finals vs Munster Final Runners Up)

Round 1-Sat 18th April

Galway v Kilkenny 4.30

Kildare v Wexford 6.30

Offaly v Dublin 6.30

Round 2

Kilkenny v Wexford (Sat 25th April 6.30pm)

Dublin v Kildare (Sun 26th April 3pm)

Galway v Offaly (Sun 26th April 3.30pm)

Round 3

Kildare v Galway (Sat 9th May 3.30pm)

Wexford v Dublin (Sun 10th May 4pm)

Offaly v Kilkenny (Sun 10th May 3pm)

Round 4- Sat 16th May

Galway v Dublin 4.30pm

Kilkenny v Kildare 6pm

Offaly v Wexford 6pm

Round 5- Sun 24th May

Dublin v Kilkenny 2pm

Wexford v Galway 2pm

Kildare v Offaly 2pm

Final- Sat 6th June 6pm Croke Park

All Ireland Quarter Finals- Sat 20th June /Sun 21st June

Leinster Runner Up (Home) vs 3rd Placed Munster Round Robin

Munster Runner Up (Home) vs 3rd Placed Leinster Round Robin

All Ireland Semi Finals- Sat 4th July/Sun 5th July

Leinster Champions vs All Ireland QF Winner (Sat 4th July)

Munster Champions vs All Ireland QF Winner (Sun 5th July)

All Ireland Final- Sun 19th July 3.30pm

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

Pablo Escobar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569390#Comment_124569390

I’m struggling with this one. Cork have 14 senior All Ireland’s in that period. Could you clarify that point you’re trying to land?

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569338#Comment_124569338

I would agree with this and if we got two good semi finals and final we will be saying what a great championship it was.

That said, I still think improvements can be made to the game and format. It's very clear how strong Munster is compared to Leinster and I think we need to see how can we get Leinster up to a stronger level and if we continue with AI quarter finals and semi finals how do we ensure we have the best 6 teams competing.

ShamoBuc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569445#Comment_124569445

They were trying to be smart.

The irony of the post is what makes it funny.

JanuarySnowstor

Cork miles ahead this weekend both on and off the pitch. They demolished Offaly.

Not far off a sell out in Thurles, yet last night's Clare/ Dublin could barely muster 13k. Quite simply Cork on fire!, both on and off the pitch!

Straight Talker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569477#Comment_124569477

He must've confused Cork hurling with Galway football who have only won two senior all Irelands since the 60's themselves.

moby2101

2 great semi finals in prospect.
For the last 4/5 years Clare have gone toe to toe with us (Limerick)

Delighted we have a game in Croker

Cork probably the best team in Ireland since 2024 , Galway look hungry and very impressive.
Poor Championship overall but we have the best 4 teams in hurling in the mix when it matters most.

Cant wait!!!!

giveitholly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569539#Comment_124569539

How can Cork be the best team in Ireland since 2024 when they haven't won the All-Ireland?

FazyLucker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569465#Comment_124569465

The only way you will ever get the 6 best teams at this stage is a round robin championship with seeded teams (e.g. team 1 = provincial winner, team 2 = runner up, etc). And even then, there is no guarantee because there will always be an imbalance in the strength of the two provinces.

I agree with you that improvements can be made to the game and the format though - but the provinces can't have 20+ games to eliminate 1 or 2 teams. It also needs to be a structure to encourage Kildare, Laois, etc to continue to invest time and money in the game. What that format is would rely on concessions which I don't believe the provinces want to make.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569445#Comment_124569445

This narrative of Corks tradition of winning all irelands is a non factor. When you've won 4 all irelands in 50 years what happened before that doesnt matter.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569526#Comment_124569526

Again, almost identical to Cork. Both counties underachieving. Dress it up any way you want. At least im honest about my county.

moby2101

Beat the reigning All Ireland Champions in a round robin in PUC in a cauldron of a game when everything wss on he line, do or die for them. I was there, it was intimidating and interesting to say the least.
Beat Limerick in an All Ireland semi….

We know what happened next in both finals

The tempo and speed they WERE capable of playing with was incredible.
Limerick dismantled them in the round robin in 2025 but the Munster final that year was a toss up.
They look like a team and have performed with zeal again this year but I think they should have stuck/stayed with Pat Ryans style of play , more direct more attack minded.

Straight Talker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569575#Comment_124569575

I was going to say something to that, but then i decided i probably shouldn't be derailing the thread with anymore football talk! Anyway i'm expecting a tough game from Galway in a couple of weeks time, but perhaps the lack of quality games in Leinster might be a disadvantage to them.

Straight Talker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569568#Comment_124569568

If you're talking senior hurling your numbers are way off course here!😁🤣

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569589#Comment_124569589

Possibly, 2 weeks we'll know more. If we can put in a performance I'll be happy given the number of young players we have. I expect it to be a lot more competitive than the other semi.

Straight Talker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569596#Comment_124569596

For some reason i actually think Clare are in an ideal position. In the last four with hardly no hurling done except for beating a poor Dublin team.

C4000

Seemed to me that Offaly's approach to the game was similar to when they were playing prelim QFs as a Joe McDonagh team.....they had no expectations of even competing in that match. Their job for the year was done in Leinster and was almost a sense that they were just fulfilling the fixture.

ShamoBuc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569568#Comment_124569568

Reckon Cork have 9 or 10 All Irelands in that time frame alone - twice what Galway have since hurling started.

Anyway.......

C4000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569596#Comment_124569596

Any word on Rory Burke? Id have him down as a key player.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569615#Comment_124569615

I havent heard any update on his injury. He'd be a big loss if hes out. Neary is a very good alternative, bit less physical though. Theres no doubt, Galway will need alot to go right for them to stay the course. Limerick are probably a better match up for us. Corks pace could be our achilles heel.

Pablo Escobar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569568#Comment_124569568

Your posts are creating more questions than answers. I don’t know where your number are coming from and I also don’t know what point you’re making.

another36

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569604#Comment_124569604

Very much under the radar. Everyone will write Clare off so it's a free shot for the players. Hopefully we get a contest.

ShamoBuc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569670#Comment_124569670

I think Clare have a game in them. Injuries will be key for them.

5948ai

I've posted on this previously but that Offaly result today might finally get the GAA to look at the imbalance in the championship structure. A root and branch review required. Hurling is not in a good place. So many poor spectacles this year. The game itself requires rule changes - inconsistancies around black card and penalty, throw balls.. Issues with equipment.. weight of sliotar, rim size, hurl weight and material type.. standardisation of these needed.

I believe the crowds that Cork and to a similar extent Limerick are bringing mask big issues with the game at the moment. GAA HQ happy to have the coffers full and then able to use Croke Park as a concert venue for the prime outdoor season of late July and August.

Football too a far better watch now with competitive games with evenly matched teams. Between the split season, the uneven provincial championships and the overly condensed nature of the format means I'm losing the grá for the game i always loved!

Iecrawfc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124568702#Comment_124568702

That structure has been proven to be sh*t so why would you go back to it...so teams might get 2 games for the whole year and provincials would have no interest

Straight Talker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124567577#Comment_124567577

Some of the all Ireland finals in those years were played a year or two after the actual years they were listed on the records as being won as well. I think we were awarded at least one all Ireland after the other team walked off the pitch in protest! The Eudie Coughlan era and the trilogy of all Ireland finals between Cork and Kilkenny in 1931, is seen by a lot of people as the time period when modern hurling begins. I would be of that opinion as well.

Straight Talker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124568175#Comment_124568175

To quote someone on the Peoples Republic Of Cork site this team is good enough to beat Galway and Limerick and finally get over the line this time. He thinks Limerick are in the final already.🤣 I'm hopeful that Cork will beat Galway but it could be a tricky one all the same, but i wouldn't be surprised if it's another date with Clare in the final. Although there will be some craic and banter out in the Aran Islands if we end up with a Clare and Galway all Ireland final!

littlevillage

Mod Edit

Warning issued.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569955#Comment_124569955

Ha yeah that would be the dream scenario

RMAOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569952#Comment_124569952

I think our (Galway) first all Ireland, in 1923, was actually won in 24. So, there's probably a number of counties that have titles like that.

In general, all this talk about tradition etc is grand for a cold, wet day in winter, but in reality, (imo) it doesnt bear much relevance to today. Take Limerick, for example. They didn't have a great record in finals up.until 2018 (no more than Galway's deplorable record), but since then, they can barely seem to loose one. Traditions etc can change, so I often prefer to discuss what's ahead wrt teams, chances etc than harping on about matches and finals feom.decades before most on here were born. I'd say the same about the Galway football 3 in.a.row from the 60s.

On yesterday's evidence, Galway will do very well to hold Cork to 10 points.

Rebelbrowser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569390#Comment_124569390

well 9 all irelands since 1969 and lost another 10. But otherwise your analogy is spot on