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.

1996 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Championship details
Dates	5 May – 1 September 1996
Teams	21
All-Ireland champions
Winning team	Wexford (6th win)
Captain	Martin Storey
Manager	Liam Griffin
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Limerick
Captain	Ciarán Carey
Manager	Tom Ryan
Provincial champions
Munster	Limerick
Leinster	Wexford
Ulster	Antrim
Connacht	Galway
Championship statistics
No. matches played	22
Top Scorer	Gary Kirby (1-35)
Player of the Year	Larry O'Gorman
All-Star Team	See here
← 1995 1997 →

Clare were the defending champions, however, they were beaten by Limerick in the Munster semi-finals.^[1][2][3][4]

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.^[5][6] 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.^[7]

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

Province	Team	Colours	Sponsor	Captain	Manager	Most recent success
						All-Ireland	Provincial	League
Leinster	Carlow	Red, green and yellow			Moling Morrissey
	Dublin	Navy and blue	Arnotts		Jimmy Gray	1938	1961	1938-39
	Kilkenny	Black and amber	Avonmore	Michael Phelan	Nickey Brennan	1993	1993	1994-95
	Laois	Blue and white	Esso Ultron		Michael "Babs" Keating	1915	1949
	Meath	Green and gold	Kepak		John Davis
	Offaly	Green, white and gold	Carroll Meats	Shane McGuckin	Éamonn Cregan	1995	1994	1990-91
	Westmeath	Maroon and white	Bennett Construction		Georgie Leahy
	Wexford	Purple and gold	Wexford Creamery	Martin Storey	Liam Griffin	1996	2019	1973
Munster	Clare	Saffron and blue	Pat O'Donnell	Anthony Daly	Ger Loughnane	1995	1995	1977-78
	Cork	Red and white	Barry's Tea	Mark Mullins	Jimmy Barry-Murphy	1990	1992	1992-93
	Kerry	Green and yellow	Kerry Group		John Meyler	1891	1891
	Limerick	Green and white	Shaws	Ciarán Carey	Tom Ryan	1973	1994	1991-92
	Tipperary	Blue and gold	Finches	Michael Cleary	Tom Fogarty	1991	1993	1993-94
	Waterford	White and blue	Tedcastles Oil	Fergal Hartley	Tony Mansfield	1959	1963	1962-63
Connacht	Galway	Maroon and white	Supermac's	Michael Coleman	Mattie Murphy	1988	1995	1995-96
	Roscommon	Blue and yellow	747 Travel		Michael Kelly
Ulster	Antrim	Saffron and white	Matbro		Dominic McKinley		1994
	Down	Red and black	No sponsor		Paddy Braniff Brian Gilmore Gerard Lennon		1995
	Derry
Britain	London
North America	New York

Provincial championships

Connacht Senior Hurling Championship

July 6
Final

Roscommon	2-10 - 3-19	Galway
C. Kelly (0–5), R. Mulry (1–1), R. Dooley (1–0), P. Feeney (0–1), J. Mannion (0–1), D. Lohan (0–1), M. Cunniffe (0–1).		F. Forde (2–8), K. Broderick (1–2), J. Cooney (0–3), L. Burke (0–3), M. Donoghue (0–1), M. Coleman (0–1), J. Rabbitte (0–1).

Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon

Referee: P. Horan (Offaly)

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Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

July 14
Final

Antrim	1-20 - 2-12	Down
A. McCloskey (0–7), Gregory O'Kane (1–2), A. Elliott (0–2), P. Jennings (0–2), Gary O'Kane (0–2), J. Connolly (0–2), P. McKillen (0–2), S. P. McKillop (0–1).		D. O'Prey (1–4), N. Sands (1–3), M. McGrattan (0–2), M. Braniff (0–1), P. Coulter (0–1), M. Coulter, Snr (0–1).

Casement Park, Belfast

Referee: P. Aherne (Carlow)

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Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

	Preliminary round					First round					Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Leinster Final
	Carlow		1-15, 2-08
	Westmeath		2-12, 3-07			Meath		2-11
						Westmeath		1-05
											Offaly		2-18
											Meath		2-12
																Offaly		4-17
																Laois		2-10
																					Offaly		2-15
																					Wexford		2-23
											Wexford		1-14
											Kilkenny		0-14
																Dublin		1-09
																Wexford		2-12

May 5
Preliminary round 1

Carlow	1–15 – 2–12	Westmeath
N. English (1–9), P. Coady (0–2), J. Kavanagh (0–2), B. Murphy (0–1), V. English (0–1).		S. McLoughlin (1–6), R. Galvin (1–1), B. Kennedy (0–2), P. Galvin (0–1), P. Connaughton (0–1), P. Clancy (0–1).

Castletown-Geoghegan

Referee: J. Guinan (Kilkenny)

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May 19
Preliminary round 1 replay

Carlow	2–8 – 3–7	Westmeath
J. Byrne (2–2), P. Coady (0–2), N. English (0–2), S. Spruhan (0–1), M. Farrell (0–1).		B. Kennedy (1–1), S. McLoughlin (1–1), P. Connaughton (1–0), P. Clancy (0–2), R. Galvin (0–2), P. Galvin (0–1).

Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow

Referee: J. Guinan (Kilkenny)

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May 26
Preliminary round 2

Meath	2–11 – 1–5	Westmeath
D. Martin (0–6), M. Cole (1–1), N. Horan (1–1), P. Cahill (0–1), W. Donnelly (0–1), P. Potterton (0–1).		P. Galvin (1–1), S. McLoughlin (0–2), R. Galvin (0–1), B. Kennedy (0–1).

Castletown-Geoghegan

Referee: P. Dunphy (Kilkenny)

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June 2
Quarter-Final

Offaly	2–18 – 2–12	Meath
Johnny Dooley (0–7), D. Pilkington (1–1), J. Errity (1–0), J. Troy (0–3), B. Dooley (0–3), J. Pilkington (0–2), Joe Dooley (0–2).		D. Martin (1–6), M. Cole (1–0), N. Horan (0–2), P. Donnelly (0–1), B. Murray (0–1), W. Donnelly (0–1), D. Murray (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: P. Delaney (Laois)

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June 2
Quarter-Final

Wexford	1–14 – 0–14	Kilkenny
M. Storey (0–5), B. Byrne (1–0), E. Scallan (0–3), A. Fenlon (0–2), P. Codd (0–1), R. McCarthy (0–1), L. Dunne (0–1), L. O'Gorman (0–1).		A. Lawlor (0–3), C. Brennan (0–3), M. Phelan (0–2), J. Power (0–2), P. J. Delaney (0–1), D. J. Carey (0–1), S. Ryan (0–1), P. Larkin (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)

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June 23
Semi-Final

Dublin	1–9 – 2–12	Wexford
J. Twomey (0–4), E. Morrissey (1–0), C. McCann (0–2), K. Flynn (0–2), J. Brennan (0–1).		G. Laffan (1–2), E. Scallan (0–4), D. Fitzhenry (1–0), M. Storey (0–2), L. Murphy (0–1), T. Dempsey (0–1), S. Flood (0–1), A. Fenlon (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 30,008

Referee: P. Horan (Offaly)

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June 23
Semi-Final

Offaly	4–17 – 2–10	Laois
J. Troy (2–2), Johnny Dooley (0–8), J. Errity (2–0), Joe Dooley (0–2), B. Dooley (0–2), D. Pilkington (0–1), B. Whelehan (0–1), J. Pilkington (0–1).		D. Cuddy (0–6), N. Delaney (1–1), P. J. Cuddy (1–0), O. Coss (0–3).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 30,008

Referee: P. Aherne (Carlow)

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July 14
Final

Wexford	2–23 – 2–15	Offaly
T. Dempsey (1–05 ), M. Storey (0–5), E. Scallan (0–4), L. Murphy (0–4), D. Fitzhenry (1–0), R. McCarthy (0–3), L. O'Gorman (0–2).	Report	B. Dooley (1–2), M. Duignan (1–1), Johnny Dooley (0–4), J. Pilkington (0–4), Joe dooley (0–3), D. Pilkington (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 34,365

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Munster Senior Hurling Championship

May 26
Quarter-Final

Cork	1–8 – 3–18	Limerick
A. Browne (1–1), B. Egan (0–3), K. Murray (0–1), J. Cashman (0–1), B. Corcoran (0–1), S. McCarthy (0–1).		P. Tobin (2–0), G. Kirby (0–6), O. O'Neill (1–1), T. J. Ryan (0–4), M. Galligan (0–2), M. Houlihan (0–2), D. Quigley (0–1), Seán O'Neill (0–1), C. Carey (0–1).

Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork

Referee: W. Barrett (Tipperary)

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June 2
Quarter-Final

Waterford	1–11 – 1–14	Tipperary
P. Flynn (1–5), J. Brenner (0–3), T. Fives (0–1), P. Queally (0–1), K. McGrath (0–1).		L. Cahill (1–2), M. Cleary (0–4), T. Dunne (0–4), N. English (0–2), L. McGrath (0–1), J. Leahy (0–1).

Walsh Park, Waterford

Attendance: 15,655

Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford)

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June 15
Semi-Final

Kerry	2–11 – 4–19	Tipperary
Jerry O'Sullivan (1–2), M. McKivergan (1–0), M. Hennessy (0–3), C. Walsh (0–3), P. O'Connell (0–1), C. Ross (0–1), L. O'Connor (0–1).		J. Leahy (2–2), L. Cahill (1–4), T. Dunne (1–3), M. Kennedy (0–3), M. Cleary (0–3), D. Ryan (0–1), P. Fox (0–1), A. Butler (0–1), N. English (0–1).

Austin Stack Park, Tralee

Attendance: 4,300

Referee: J. O'Leary (Cork)

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June 16
Semi-Final

Limerick	1–13 – 0–15	Clare
G. Kirby (1–7), B. Foley (0–2), M. Galligan (0–1), T. J. Ryan (0–1), C. Carey (0–1), M. Houlihan (0–1).	Report	J. O'Connor (0–5), S. McMahon (0–3), F. Tuohy (0–3), G. O'Loughlin (0–2), E. Taaffe (0–2).

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Attendance: 43,534

Referee: W. Barrett (Tipperary)

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Main article: 1996 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final

July 7
Final

Limerick	0–19 – 1–16	Tipperary
G. Kirby (0–10), T. J. Ryan (0–3), F. Carroll (0–2), M. Galligan (0–1), O. O'Neill (0–1), C. Carey (0–1), Seán O'Neill (0–1).		L. Cahill (1–3), M. Cleary (0–4), D. Ryan (0–2), T. Dunne (0–2), J. Leahy (0–2), K. Tucker (0–1). N. English (0–1), L. McGrath (0–1).

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Attendance: 43,525

Referee: J. O'Leary (Cork)

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July 14
Final Replay

Limerick	4–7 – 0–16	Tipperary
O. O'Neill (2–0), F. Carroll (1–1), T. J. Ryan (1–1), D. Quigley (0–2), B. Foley (0–1). C. Carey (0–1), G. Kirby (0–1).		M. Cleary (0–7), D. Ryan (0–4), N. English (0–3), L. McGrath (0–1), L. Cahill (0–1).

Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork

Attendance: 40,000

Referee: J. O'Leary (Cork)

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All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Main article: All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Bracket

	Preliminary round 1					Preliminary round 2					Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	New York		1-16
	London		0-14			New York		4-16
						Derry		0-13
											Galway		4-22
											New York		0-08
																Wexford		2-13
																Galway		3-07
																					Wexford		1-13
																					Limerick		0-14
																Limerick		1-17
																Antrim		0-13

All-Ireland preliminary round 1

June 16
Preliminary round 1

New York	1–16 – 0–14	London

Gaelic Park, New York City

All-Ireland preliminary round 2

July 7
Preliminary round 2

New York	4–16 – 0–13	Derry

Gaelic Park, New York City

All-Ireland quarter-finals

July 20
Quarter-Final

Galway	4–22 – 0–08	New York
K. Broderick (3–1), F. Forde (1–5), J. Rabbitte (0–4), C. Moore (0–4), M. Coleman (0–3), O. Fahy (0–2), B. Keogh (0–1), J. Cooney (0–1), O. Canning (0–1).		R. Hogan (0–3), J. Madden (0–2), O. Cummins (0–1), I. Conroy (0–1), B. McCabe (0–1).

Kenny Park, Athenry

All-Ireland semi-finals

August 4
Semi-Final

Limerick	1–17 – 0–13	Antrim
G. Kirby (0–9), F. Craroll (1–2), D. Quigley (0–2), T. J. Ryan (0–1), O. O'Neill (0–1), M. Houlihan (0–1), B. Foley (0–1).		J. Connolly (0–3), A. McCloskey (0–3), Gary O'Kane (0–2), S. P. McKillop (0–1), P. Graham (0–1), G. O'Kane (0–1), A. Elliot (0–1), Conor McCCambridge (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 61,937

Referee: P. Aherne (Carlow)

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August 4
Semi-Final

Wexford	2–13 – 3–07	Galway
T. Dempsey (0–6), R. McCarthy (1–1), B. Byrne (1–0), M. Storey (0–3), L. Murphy (0–1), É. Scallan (0–1), J. O'Connor (0–1).		C. Moore (1–3), K. Broderick (1–0), J. Cooney (1–0), F. Forde (0–2), L. Burke (0–1), B. Keogh (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 61,937

Referee: J. O'Leary (Cork)

All-Ireland final

Main article: 1996 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

September 1
15:30 UTC+1

Wexford	1–13 – 0–14	Limerick
T. Dempsey (1–3), G. Laffan (0–3), L. O'Gorman (0–2), M. Storey (0–2), L. Murphy (0–1), É. Scallan (0–1), J. O'Connor (0–1).	Report	B. Foley (0–4), C. Carey (0–3), G. Kirby (0–2), O. O'Neill (0–1), D. Quigley (0–1), T. J. Ryan (0–1), F. Carroll (0–1), D. Clarke (0–1).

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 65,847

Referee: P. Horan (Offaly)

Wexford

Limerick

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	Average
1	Gary Kirby	Limerick	1–35	38	6	6.33
2	Francis Forde	Galway	3–15	24	3	8.00
3	Tom Dempsey	Wexford	2–15	21	5	4.20
4	Johnny Dooley	Offaly	0–19	19	3	6.33
	Liam Cahill	Tipperary	3–10	19	4	4.75
6	Michael Cleary	Tipperary	0–18	18	4	4.50
	Kevin Broderick	Galway	5–3	18	3	6.00

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Francis Forde	Galway	2–8	14	Roscommon
2	Niall English	Carlow	1–9	12	Westmeath
3	Kevin Broderick	Galway	3–1	10	New York
	Gary Kirby	Limerick	1–7	10	Tipperary
	Gary Kirby	Limerick	0–10	10	Tipperary
6	Seán McLoughlin	Westmeath	1–6	9	Carlow
	David Martin	Meath	1–6	9	Offaly
	Gary Kirby	Limerick	0–9	9	Antrim
9	John Byrne	Carlow	2–2	8	Westmeath
	John Troy	Offaly	2–2	8	Laois
	John Leahy	Tipperary	2–2	8	Kerry
	Tom Dempsey	Wexford	1–5	8	Offaly
	Paul Flynn	Waterford	1–5	8	Tipperary
	Francis Forde	Galway	1–5	8	New 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	Game
Derek Barrett	Cork	May 26	Limerick	Munster quarter-final
Joe Deane	Cork	May 26	Limerick	Munster quarter-final
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín	Cork	May 26	Limerick	Munster quarter-final
Ken McGrath	Waterford	June 2	Tipperary	Munster quarter-final
Kevin Flynn	Dublin	June 23	Wexford	Leinster semi-final
Ollie Canning	Galway	July 6	Roscommon	Connacht final

Retirees

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

Player	Team	Date	Opposition	Game	Début
Jim Cashman	Cork	May 26	Limerick	Munster quarter-final	1986
Nicky English	Tipperary	July 14	Limerick	Munster final	1982