All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1996

Infobox Hurling All-Ireland
year=1996


team=Wexford
titles=6th
captain=Martin Storey
manager=Liam Griffin
munster=Limerick
leinster=Wexford
ulster=Antrim
connacht=Galway
poty=Larry O'Gorman
matches=22
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1996 (known for sponshorhip reasons as the Guinness Hurling Championship) was the 110th edition of Ireland’s premier hurling knockout competition. The championship ran from May to September of that year, culminating with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin on 1 September. The match was contested by Wexford and Limerick, with Wexford taking the title by 1-13 to 0-14. It was Wexford’s sixth All-Ireland title ever and their first since 1968.

Format

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was run on a provincial basis as usual. All games were played on a knockout basis whereby once a team lost they were eliminated from the championship. The format for the All-Ireland series of games ran as follows:
* The winners of the Munster Championship advanced directly to the first All-Ireland semi-final.
* The winners of the Leinster Championship advanced directly to the second All-Ireland semi-final.
* The winners of the Ulster Championship advanced directly to the first All-Ireland semi-final where they played the Munster champions.
* As a gesture to the exiled hurling teams New York played London in a first preliminary round to the All-Ireland series.
* The winners of the New York-London game advanced to a second preliminary game where they played the winners of the All-Ireland ‘B’ championship.
* Galway, a team who faced no competition in the Connacht Championship, entered the championship at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage. Here they played the winners of the second preliminary game.

Results

Connacht Senior Hurling Championship

footballbox
date = July 6
Final
team1 = Galway
score = 3-19 - 2-10
team2 = Roscommon
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon----

Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

footballbox
date = July 14
Final
team1 = Antrim
score = 1-20 - 2-12
team2 = Down
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Casement Park, Belfast----

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

footballbox
date = May 5
Preliminary Round 1
team1 = Carlow
score = Draw
team2 = Westmeath
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Castletown-Geoghegan----footballbox
date = May 19
Preliminary Round 1 Replay
team1 = Carlow
score = Lose – Win
team2 = Westmeath
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow----footballbox
date = May 26
Preliminary Round 2
team1 = Meath
score = Win – Draw
team2 = Westmeath
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Castletown-Geoghegan----footballbox
date = June 2
Quarter-Final
team1 = Offaly
score = 2-18 – 2-12
team2 = Meath
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Croke Park, Dublin----footballbox
date = June 2
Quarter-Final
team1 = Wexford
score = Win – Lose
team2 = Kilkenny
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Croke Park, Dublin----footballbox
date = June 23
Semi-Final
team2 = Wexford
score = Lose – Win
team1 = Dublin
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Croke Park, Dublin----footballbox
date = June 23
Semi-Final
team2 = Laois
score = Win – Lose
team1 = Offaly
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Croke Park, Dublin----footballbox
date = July 14
Final
team1 = Wexford
score = 2-23 – 2-15
team2 = Offaly
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 34,365----

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

footballbox
date = May 26
Quarter-Final
team2 = Limerick
score = 1-8 – 3-18
team1 = Cork
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork----footballbox
date = June 2
Quarter-Final
team1 = Waterford
score = Lose – Win
team2 = Tipperary
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Walsh Park, Waterford----footballbox
date = June 15
Semi-Final
team1 = Kerry
score = Lose – Win
team2 = Tipperary
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Austin Stack Park, Tralee----footballbox
date = June 16
Semi-Final
team1 = Limerick
score = 0-25 – 2-10
team2 = Clare
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Gaelic Grounds, Limerick----footballbox
date = July 7
Final
team1 = Limerick
score = 0-19 – 1-16
team2 = Tipperary
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
Attendance: 43,525----footballbox
date = July 14
Final Replay
team1 = Limerick
score = 4-7 – 0-16
team2 = Tipperary
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
Attendance: 40,000----

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

footballbox
date = June 16
Preliminary Round 1
team1 = New York
score = 1-16 – 0-14
team2 = London
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Gaelic Park, New York----footballbox
date = July 7
Preliminary Round 2
team1 = New York
score = 4-16 – 0-13
team2 = Derry
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Gaelic Park, New York----footballbox
date = July 20
Quarter-Final
team1 = Galway
score = 4-22 – 0-8
team2 = New York
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Athenry----footballbox
date = August 4
Semi-Final
team1 = Limerick
score = 1-17 – 0-13
team2 = Antrim
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Croke Park, Dublin----footballbox
date = August 4
Semi-Final
team1 = Wexford
score = 2-13 – 3-7
team2 = Galway
goals1 =
goals2 =
stadium = Croke Park, Dublin

All-Ireland final

Overview

Sunday 1 September was the date of the 1996 All-Ireland senior hurling final between Wexford and Limerick. It was their first meeting in the championship since the 1955 All-Ireland semi-final when Wexford were the winners. It was an historic occasion as both sides were looking for a championship title after prolonged absences. Wexford last won the All-Ireland in 1968, however, they last lined out in the championship decider in 1977 when they lost to Cork for a second year in-a-row. Limerick’s last triumph came in 1973 while they last appeared in the final in 1994 when they were defeated by Offaly after a memorable comeback.

The game was scrappy, however, a goal in the 19th minute gave Wexford the lift they needed. Limerick attacked again, whiitling the lead down to 2 points, however, it wasn't enough to stop Wexford from winning their sixth All-Ireland final.

tatistics

footballbox
date=1994-09-01
15:30 BST
team1=Wexford
score=1-13 – 0-14
team2=Limerick
report=
goals1=
goals2=
stadium=Croke Park, Dublin
attendance=65,846
referee= Pat Horan (Offaly)

{| width=100% style="font-size: 90%"MATCH RULES
*70 minutes.
*Replay if scores level.
*Three named substitutes

References

* Corry, Eoghan, "The GAA Book of Lists" (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
* Donegan, Des, "The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games" (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).
* Sweeney, Éamonn, "Munster Hurling Legends" (The O'Brien Press, 2002).

See also