The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1994 was the 108th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Offaly won the championship, beating Limerick 3–16 to 2–13 in a sensational final at Croke Park, Dublin.

Pre-championship Prior to the opening of the championship Kilkenny were installed as the favourites to retain the All-Ireland title for a third consecutive year. The last time they achieved this was in 1913, however, no final took place that year and Kilkenny were awarded the title as Limerick refused to play. Since then they failed to capture the 'three-in-a-row', in spite of having the opportunity in 1933, 1976 and 1984. National League champions Tipperary and runners-up Galway were regarded as the two teams that would provide the strongest challenges to Kilkenny's supremacy. Cork at 4/1, regarded as a team in decline, and Wexford at 6/1 formed the next grouping of teams who hoped to claim the All-Ireland crown. Offaly, a team who claimed three Leinster titles in succession in the late 1980s but failed to reach the All-Ireland final, were regarded as outsiders at 16/1. Antrim, Down, Limerick and Dublin were rank outsiders at 25/1 each.

Team changes

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

Roscommon (qualified) Westmeath Wicklow

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

None

The Championship

Participating counties

ProvinceCountyMost recent successAll-IrelandProvincialLeinsterDublin19381961CarlowKilkenny19931993Laois19151949MeathOffaly19851990Westmeath1937Wexford19681977WicklowMunsterClare19141932Cork19901992Kerry18911891Limerick19731981Tipperary19911993Waterford19591963ConnachtGalway19881922UlsterAntrim1993Down1992

Format

Munster Championship

Quarter-final: (2 matches) These are two lone matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Munster. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the next round.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two quarter-finals join the other two Munster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the next round.

Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.

Leinster Championship First round: (2 matches) These are two lone matches between two 'weaker' teams drawn from the province of Leinster. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the next round.

Second Round: (1 match) The winners of the first round play each other in a lone second-round game. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the Leinster quarter-final.

Quarter-finals: (2 matches) The winner of the second-round game joins three other Leinster teams to make up the two quarter-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the Leinster semi-finals.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two quarter-finals join two other Leinster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while two teams advance to the Leinster final.

Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.

Ulster Championship Final: (1 match) This is a lone match between the two competing Ulster teams. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.

All-Ireland Championship Quarter-final: (1 match) This is a lone match between Galway and the All-Ireland 'B' champions. One team is eliminated at this stage, while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where they play the Leinster champions.

Semi-finals: (2 matches) The Munster and Leinster champions will play the winners of the lone quarter-final and the Ulster champions. The Munster and Leinster winners will be in opposite semi-finals. Two teams are eliminated at this stage, while the two winners advance to the All-Ireland final.

Final: (1 match) The two semi-final winners will contest the All-Ireland final.

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Bracket

All-Ireland quarter-finals

All-Ireland semi-finals

All-Ireland final

Statistics Scoring Widest winning margin: 18 points Wexford 4–24 (36) : (18) 4–6 Laois (Leinster semi-final) Limerick 2–23 (29) : (11) 0–11 (11) Antrim (All-Ireland semi-final) Most goals in a match: 8 Wexford 4–24 : 4–6 Laois (Leinster semi-final) Limerick 4–14: 4–11 Cork (Munster quarter-final) Most points in a match: 35 Limerick 0–25 : 2–10 Clare (Munster final) Most goals by one team in a match: 4 Wexford 4–24 : 4–6 Laois (Leinster semi-final) Limerick 4–14: 4–11 Cork (Munster quarter-final) Most goals scored by a losing team: 4 Laois 4–6 : 4–24 Wexford (Leinster semi-final) Cork 4–11 : 4–14 Limerick (Munster quarter-final) Most points scored by a winning team: 25 Limerick 0–25 : 2–10 Clare (Munster final) Most points scored by a losing team: 14 Wexford 0–14 : 1–18 Offaly (Leinster final)

Top scorers

Overall Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Gary KirbyLimerick4–334559.002Johnny DooleyOffaly1–262947.253Éamonn ScallanWexford2–162245.504Martin StoreyWexford1–161944.755Billy DooleyOffaly3–91844.506David DoyleCarlow3–81728.50Liam BurkeGalway1–141728.50Pat PottertonMeath1–141735.669Mike GalliganLimerick1–131653.2010Jamesie O'ConnorClare0–151535.00

Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1David DoyleCarlow2–612WicklowLiam BurkeGalway1–912Roscommon3Gary KirbyLimerick2–511Cork4Gary KirbyLimerick1–710WaterfordÉamonn ScallanWexford2–410Laois6Paul FinnWexford2–39DublinDamien QuigleyLimerick2–39OffalyGary KirbyLimerick1–69AntrimBrendan HaydenCarlow1–69WicklowJohnny DooleyOffaly0–99WexfordMichael ClearyTipperary0–99ClareGary KirbyLimerick0–99Clare

References Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005). Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005). Fullam, Brendan, Captains of the Ash (Wolfhound Press, 2002).

External links All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1994 Results

See also