# 1948 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The 1948 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 62nd staging of the All-Ireland hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. The championship began on 16 May 1948 and ended on 5 September 1948.
Kilkenny were the defending champions, however, they were defeated in the provincial championship. Waterford won the All-Ireland crown for the first time in their history, following a 6-7 to 4-2 defeat of Dublin in the final.

## 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 Leinster Championship advanced directly to the first All-Ireland semi-final.
* The winners of the Munster Championship advanced directly to the second All-Ireland semi-final.
* Antrim, the representatives from the Ulster Championship, were drawn to play the Leinster champions in the All-Ireland semi-final.
* Galway, a team who faced no competition in the Connacht Championship, entered the championship at the All-Ireland semi-final stage where they were drawn to play the Munster champions.

## Provincial championships
### Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

First round
Semi-finals
Final

### Munster Senior Hurling Championship

First round
Semi-finals
Final

## Championship statistics
### Top scorers
#### Overall

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | John Keane | Waterford | 4-08 | 20 | 4 | 5.00 |
| 1 | Jimmy Kennedy | Tipperary | 4-08 | 20 | 4 | 5.00 |
| 2 | Mickey Williams | Dublin | 6-01 | 19 | 4 | 4.75 |
| 3 | Jim Prior | Dublin | 5-02 | 17 | 4 | 4.25 |
| 4 | Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin | Dublin | 3-07 | 16 | 4 | 4.00 |
| 5 | Nicky Rackard | Wexford | 4-03 | 15 | 2 | 7.50 |
| 6 | Fint Moloney | Laois | 4-01 | 13 | 3 | 4.66 |
| 6 | Harry Gray | Laois | 2-07 | 13 | 3 | 4.66 |
| 7 | Jackie Power | Limerick | 4-00 | 12 | 2 | 6.00 |
| 7 | Paddy Lalor | Laois | 4-00 | 12 | 3 | 4.00 |

#### In a single game

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Nicky Rackard | Wexford | 4-00 | 12 | Offaly |
| 2 | Jim Prior | Dublin | 3-02 | 11 | Antrim |
| 3 | Liam White | Laois | 2-04 | 10 | Westmeath |
| 4 | Paddy Lalor | Laois | 3-00 | 9 | Kilkenny |
| 4 | Jackie Power | Limerick | 3-00 | 9 | Tipperary |
| 4 | Willie McAllister | Clare | 3-00 | 9 | Waterford |
| 4 | Mickey Williams | Dublin | 3-00 | 9 | Antrim |
| 5 | John Keane | Waterford | 2-02 | 8 | Dublin |
| 5 | Jimmy Kennedy | Dublin | 2-02 | 8 | Waterford |
| 6 | Paddy Kehoe | Wexford | 2-01 | 7 | Offaly |
| 6 | Mickey Williams | Dublin | 2-01 | 7 | Laois |
| 6 | Jim Devitt | Tipperary | 2-01 | 7 | Limerick |
| 6 | Jack Lynch | Cork | 2-01 | 7 | Limerick |
| 6 | Christy Ring | Cork | 1-04 | 7 | Waterford |
| 6 | Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin | Dublin | 1-04 | 7 | Antrim |
| 6 | Josie Gallagher | Galway | 1-04 | 7 | Waterford |

## Sources

* Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
* Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).