1996 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The 1996 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 110th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament. The draw for the various provincial championships took place on 22 October 1995. The championship ran from 5 May to 1 September 1996.

Clare were the defending champions, however, they were beaten by Limerick in the Munster semi-finals.

The All-Ireland final was played on 1 September 1996 at Croke Park in Dublin, between Wexford and Limerick, in what was their third meeting in the final overall, a first meeting in the final in 78 years and a first championship meeting in 41 years. Wexford won the match by 1–13 to 0–14 to claim their sixth All-Ireland title overall and a first title in 26 years.

Limerick's Gary Kirby was the championship's top scorer with 1–35. Wexford's Larry O'Gorman was named Hurler of the Year.

 Team changes 

 To Championship 
Promoted from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

 Derry (qualified)

Entered Championship

 New York

 From Championship 
Regraded to the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

 None

Teams
Personnel and kits

ProvinceTeamColoursSponsorCaptainManagerMost recent successAll-IrelandProvincialLeagueLeinsterCarlowRed, green and yellowMoling MorrisseyDublinNavy and blueArnottsJimmy Gray193819611938–39KilkennyBlack and amberAvonmoreMichael PhelanNickey Brennan199319931994–95LaoisBlue and whiteEsso UltronMichael "Babs" Keating19151949MeathGreen and goldKepakJohn DavisOffalyGreen, white and goldCarroll MeatsShane McGuckinÉamonn Cregan199519941990–91WestmeathMaroon and whiteBennett ConstructionGeorgie LeahyWexfordPurple and goldWexford CreameryMartin StoreyLiam Griffin199620191973MunsterClareSaffron and bluePat O'DonnellAnthony DalyGer Loughnane199519951977–78CorkRed and whiteBarry's TeaMark MullinsJimmy Barry-Murphy199019921992–93KerryGreen and yellowKerry GroupJohn Meyler18911891LimerickGreen and whiteShawsCiarán CareyTom Ryan197319941991–92TipperaryBlue and goldFinchesMichael ClearyTom Fogarty199119931993–94WaterfordWhite and blueTedcastles OilFergal HartleyTony Mansfield195919631962–63ConnachtGalwayMaroon and whiteSupermac'sMichael ColemanMattie Murphy198819951995–96RoscommonBlue and yellow747 TravelMichael KellyUlsterAntrimSaffron and whiteMatbroDominic McKinley1994DownRed and blackNo sponsorPaddy BraniffBrian GilmoreGerard Lennon1995DerryBritainLondonNorth AmericaNew York

 Provincial championships 

 Connacht Senior Hurling Championship 

 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship 

 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship 

 Munster Senior Hurling Championship 

 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 

 Bracket 

 All-Ireland preliminary round 1 

 All-Ireland preliminary round 2 

 All-Ireland quarter-finals 

 All-Ireland semi-finals 

 All-Ireland final 

Championship statistics
Scoring

First goal of the championship: Robert Galvin for Westmeath against Carlow (Leinster preliminary round 1)
Last goal of the championship: Tom Dempsey for Wexford against Limerick (All-Ireland final)
First hat-trick of the championship: Kevin Broderick for Galway against New York (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Widest winning margin: 26 points
Galway 4–22 : 0–8 New York (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Most goals in a match: 6
Offaly 4–17 : 2–10 Laois (Leinster semi-final)
Kerry 2–11 : 4–19 Tipperary (Munstersemi-final)
Most points in a match: 38
Wexford 2–23 : 2–15 Offaly (Leinster final)

 Top scorers 

 Season 
 Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Gary KirbyLimerick1–353866.332Francis FordeGalway3–152438.003Tom DempseyWexford2–152154.204Johnny DooleyOffaly0–191936.33Liam CahillTipperary3–101944.756Michael ClearyTipperary0–181844.50Kevin BroderickGalway5–31836.00

 Single game 
 Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Francis FordeGalway2–814Roscommon2Niall EnglishCarlow1–912Westmeath3Kevin BroderickGalway3–110New YorkGary KirbyLimerick1–710TipperaryGary KirbyLimerick0–1010Tipperary6Seán McLoughlinWestmeath1–69CarlowDavid MartinMeath1–69OffalyGary KirbyLimerick0–99Antrim9John ByrneCarlow2–28WestmeathJohn TroyOffaly2–28LaoisJohn LeahyTipperary2–28KerryTom DempseyWexford1–58OffalyPaul FlynnWaterford1–58TipperaryFrancis FordeGalway1–58New York

Miscellaneous

 Cork's 3–18 to 1–8 defeat by Limerick in the Munster quarter-final was the team's biggest defeat since 1936.  It was also Cork's first championship defeat at home since 1923.

Debutantes
The following players made their début in the 1996 championship:

 Player Team Date Opposition GameDerek BarrettCorkMay 26LimerickMunster quarter-finalJoe DeaneCorkMay 26LimerickMunster quarter-finalSeán Óg Ó hAilpínCorkMay 26LimerickMunster quarter-finalKen McGrathWaterfordJune 2TipperaryMunster quarter-finalKevin FlynnDublinJune 23WexfordLeinster semi-finalOllie CanningGalwayJuly 6RoscommonConnacht final

Retirees
The following players played their last game in the 1996 championship:

 Player Team Date Opposition Game DébutJim CashmanCorkMay 26LimerickMunster quarter-final1986Nicky EnglishTipperaryJuly 14LimerickMunster final1982

References

Sources
 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).

External links
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1996 Results

1996