The Waterford Crystal Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2006 for the top inter-county teams and third-level institutes and universities in the province of Munster in Ireland.
The series of games are played during January and February. The prize for the winning team is a special piece of glassware donated by Waterford Crystal. This cup competition has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the series of games.
The Waterford Crystal Cup is effectively a pre-season tournament. It allows teams to blood new players and to experiment prior to the opening of the National Hurling League.
Eleven teams currently participate in the Waterford Crystal Cup, however, twelve teams are actually eligible to participate. Participation or non-participation can be decided on an annual basis.
The title has been won at least once by four teams, two of which have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Tipperary, who have won the competition three times. Clare are the current champions.
Read more about Waterford Crystal Cup: History, Format, Participating Teams, List of Finals
Famous quotes containing the words crystal and/or cup:
“Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe—
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.”
—Eugene Field (1850–1895)
“I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man: wine is not so noble a liquor; and think of dashing the hopes of a morning with a cup of warm coffee, or of an evening with a dish of tea! Ah, how low I fall when I am tempted by them! Even music may be intoxicating. Such apparently slight causes destroyed Greece and Rome, and will destroy England and America.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)