Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship


The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the champion senior clubs in the province of Leinster in Ireland. It is the most prestigious club competition in Leinster hurling.
Introduced in 1971, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open to all 12 county senior champions from the 1970 championship season. The competition is currently limited to the eight champion club teams from the strongest hurling counties in Leinster.
In its current format, the Leinster Club Championship begins in November following the completion of the individual county championships. The eight participating teams compete in a single-elimination tournament which culminates with the final match on the first Sunday in December. The winner of the Leinster Club Championship, as well as being presented with the O'Neill Cup, qualifies for the subsequent All-Ireland Club Championship.
The competition has been won by 18 teams, 10 of which have won it more than once. Kilkenny clubs have accumulated the highest number of victories with 23 wins. Ballyhale Shamrocks is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 12 times.
St Martin's are the reigning champions, having beaten Ballyhale Shamrocks by 0-24 to 2-17 in the 2025 final.

Format

Overview

The Leinster Championship is a single elimination tournament. Each team is afforded only one defeat before being eliminated from the championship. Pairings for matches are drawn at random and there is no seeding.
Each match is played as a single leg. If a match is drawn there is a period of extra time, however, if both sides are still level at the end of extra time a replay takes place and so on until a winner is found.

Format

Quarter-finals: Eight teams contest this round. The four winning teams advance directly to the semi-final stage. The four losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Semi-finals: The two winning teams advance directly to the final. The two losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Final: The final is contested by the two semi-final winners.

Teams

Qualification

CountyChampionshipQualifying team
CarlowCarlow Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
DublinDublin Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
KildareKildare Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
KilkennyKilkenny Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
LaoisLaois Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
OffalyOffaly Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
WestmeathWestmeath Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions
WexfordWexford Senior Hurling ChampionshipChampions

2024 teams

73 clubs will compete in the 2024 Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship:
CountyNo.Clubs competing in county championship
Carlow5Bagenalstown Gaels, Ballinkillen, Mount Leinster Rangers, Naomh Eoin, St Mullin's
Dublin10Ballyboden St Enda's, Cuala, Craobh Chiaráin, Kilmacud Crokes, Lucan Sarsfields, Na Fianna, St Brigid's, St Jude's, St Vincent's, Whitehall Colmcille
Kildare8Ardclough, Celbridge, Coill Dubh, Confey, Éire Óg-Corrachoill, Leixlip, Maynooth, Naas
Kilkenny12Ballyhale Shamrocks, Bennettsbridge, Clara, Dicksboro, Erin's Own, Glenmore, Graigue-Ballycallan, James Stephens, Mullinavat, O'Loughlin Gaels, Thomastown, Tullaroan
Laois10Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, Borris-in-Ossory–Kilcotton, Camross, Castletown, Clough–Ballacolla, Portlaoise, Rathdowney–Errill, Rosenallis, The Harps
Offaly10Ballinamere, Belmont, Birr, Coolderry, Kilcormac–Killoughey, Kinnitty, Seir Kieran, Shinrone, St Rynagh's, Tullamore
Westmeath6Castlepollard, Castletown Geoghegan, Clonkill, Lough Lene Gaels, Raharney, St Oliver Plunkett's
Wexford12Cloughbawn, Crossabeg–Ballymurn, Faythe Harriers, Ferns St Aidan's, Glynn–Barntown, Naomh Éanna, Oulart–The Ballagh, Oylegate–Glenbrien, Rapparees, Shelmaliers, St Anne's, St Martin's

Note: Bold indicates title-holders.

Managers

Managers in the Leinster Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches.
ManagerTeamWinsWinning years
Pad Joe WhelehanBirr51997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007
Adrian FinanJames Stephens22004, 2005
Maurice AylwardBallyhale Shamrocks22006, 2008
Mattie KennyCuala22016, 2017
Henry ShefflinBallyhale Shamrocks22018, 2019
Pádraig HoranBirr11994
Tom RyanGlenmore11995
Frank KeenanCamross11996
Dan QuigleyRathnure11986,1987,1998
Jim NearyGraigue-Ballycallan12000
Michael NolanO'Loughlin Gaels12003
Mick FennellyBallyhale Shamrocks12009
Michael NolanO'Loughlin Gaels12010
Ken HoganCoolderry12011
Danny OwensKilcormac–Killoughey12012
Tom MullallyMount Leinster Rangers12013
Andy MoloneyBallyhale Shamrocks12014
Frank FlanneryOulart–The Ballagh12015
James O' ConnorBallyhale Shamrocks12021
Pat HobanBallyhale Shamrocks12022

Qualification for subsequent competitions

The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship winners qualify for the subsequent All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship. The winners contest the All-Ireland semi-finals with the other three provincial representatives.

Titles listed by club

#ClubCountyWinsRunners UpYears wonYears runners up
1 Ballyhale ShamrocksKilkenny1231978, 1980, 1983, 1989, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 20221988, 1991, 2025
2 BirrOffaly731991, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 20072003, 2006, 2008
3 RathnureWexford621971, 1973, 1977, 1986, 1987, 19981970, 1972
4 St. Rynagh'sOffaly441970, 1972, 1982, 19931973, 1974, 1975, 1992
4 James StephensKilkenny411975, 1981, 2004, 20051976
6 Buffer's AlleyWexford311985, 1988, 19921982
6 O'Loughlin GaelsKilkenny312003, 2010, 20232016
8 CamrossLaois231976, 19961979, 1986, 1990
8 CualaDublin222016, 20171989, 2015
8 GlenmoreKilkenny201990, 1995-
11 Oulart–The BallaghWexford1620151994, 1995, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
11 Kilcormac–KillougheyOffaly1320122014, 2017, 2024
11 The FeniansKilkenny1119741977
11 CrumlinDublin1119791978
11 CoolderryOffaly1120111980
11 Na FiannaDublin1120242023
11 St. Martin'sKilkenny101984
11 Graigue-BallycallanKilkenny102000
11 Mount Leinster RangersCarlow102013
11 St Martin'sWexford102025
21 KinnittyOffaly031983, 1984, 1985
21 CastletownLaois031997, 1999, 2001
21 University College DublinDublin032000, 2004, 2005
21 PortlaoiseLaois021987, 1998
21 Ballyboden St. Enda'sDublin022007, 2018
21 BennettsbridgeKilkenny011971
21 Faythe HarriersWexford011981
21 DicksboroKilkenny011993
21 O'Toole'sDublin011996
21 Young IrelandsKilkenny012002
21 TullamoreOffaly012009
21 St. Mullin'sCarlow012019
21 Clough–BallacollaLaois012021
21 Kilmacud CrokesDublin012022

Records and statistics

Team

Teams

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Leinster Championship titles, is as follows:

Successful defending

Only 5 teams of the 14 who have won the championship have ever successfully defended the title. These are:

Gaps

Top five longest gaps between successive championship titles: