Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship | |
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Current season or competition: 2024 Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship | |
Irish | Craobh Laighean |
Code | Hurling |
Founded | 1970 |
Region | Leinster (GAA) |
Trophy | O'Neill Cup |
No. of teams | 8 |
Title holders | O'Loughlin Gaels (3rd title) |
Most titles | Ballyhale Shamrocks (12 titles) |
Sponsors | Allied Irish Banks |
TV partner(s) | TG4 |
Motto | The toughest of them all |
Official website | Official website |
The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Club 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.
O'Loughlin Gaels are the reigning champions, having beaten Na Fianna by 0-22 to 1-18 in the 2023 final.[1]