2023 Joe McDonagh Cup

The 2023 Joe McDonagh Cup was the sixth staging of the Joe McDonagh Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2018.
Antrim, winner of the 2022 final, were promoted to the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, replaced by Laois who were relegated back to this competition. Kildare were promoted from the Christy Ring Cup.
The top 2 teams from the round robin stage played off in the final to decide the winner, with Carlow defeating Offaly. Both advanced to the 2023 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship knock-out stages. The bottom team was relegated to Christy Ring Cup.

Team changes

To Championship

Relegated from the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Laois

Promoted from the Christy Ring Cup

Kildare

From Championship

Promoted to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Antrim

Relegated to the Christy Ring Cup

Meath

Format

Cup format

Initially each of the six teams play the other five teams in single round-robin matches. The top two teams after the round robin games compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup final. The Joe McDonagh Cup champions and runners-up also advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals with the Joe McDonagh Cup teams having home advantage.

Promotion

If the Joe McDonagh champions are a non-Munster team, they are automatically promoted to the following year's Leinster Championship. If the champions are a Munster team, they are automatically promoted to the following year's Munster Championship. The Joe McDonagh Cup champions replace the bottom-placed team in the provincial championship containing six teams.

Relegation

The bottom-placed team in the Joe McDonagh Cup are automatically relegated to the following year's Christy Ring Cup and are replaced by the Christy Ring Cup champions.

Teams by province

The participating teams, listed by province, with numbers in parentheses indicating final positions in the 2023 National Hurling League before the championship were:
Connacht None participated
Leinster

Munster

Kerry

Ulster

Down

Teams

General Information

Six counties will compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup:

County	Last Cup Title	Last Provincial Title	Last All-Ireland Title	Position in 2022 Championship	Appearance
Carlow	2018	—	—	3rd	5th
Down	—	1997	—	5th	3rd
Kerry	—	1891	1891	Runners-up	6th
Kildare	—	—	—	Champions	2nd
Laois	2019	1949	1915	6th	3rd
Offaly	—	1995	1998	4th	3rd

Final

Carlow are promoted to the 2024 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, replacing Westmeath.

Stadia and locations

County	Location	Province	Stadium(s)	Capacity
Carlow	Carlow	Leinster	Netwatch Cullen Park	21,000
Down	Rubane	Ulster	McKenna Park	5,000
Kerry	Tralee	Munster	Austin Stack Park	12,000
Kildare	Newbridge	Leinster	Hawkfield Centre of Excellence	1,300
Laois	Portlaoise	Leinster	O'Moore Park	22,000
Offaly	Tullamore	Leinster	O'Connor Park	18,000

Statistics

Scoring events

Doesn't include extra time.

Widest winning margin: 31 points
*Laois 7-24 - 0-14 Down
Most goals in a match: 7
*Laois 7-24 - 0-14 Down
Most points in a match: 51
*Down 0-28 - 6-23 Carlow
Most goals by one team in a match: 7
*Laois 7-24 - 0-14 Down
Most points by one team in a match: 29
*Carlow 1-29 - 0-14 Offaly
Highest aggregate score: 69 points
*Down 0-28 - 6-23 Carlow
Lowest aggregate score: 34 points
*Kildare 0-14 - 1-17 Kerry

Miscellaneous

Carlow won their 1st championship in 5 years, last winning the 2018 Joe McDonagh Cup.
First-time Joe McDonagh Cup meetings:
* Kildare v Offaly
* Laois v Down
* Kildare v Kerry
* Laois v Kildare
* Kildare v Down
Laois broke the record for most goals scored in a Joe McDonagh Cup match after scoring 7 against Down in Round 2.
Offaly qualify to the Joe McDonagh Cup final for the first time.