Overview
The Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling U-21 All-Ireland Championship was created in 1964 in response to a Congress motion put forward by the Kerry County Board. Since then the competition has grown in importance and profile. The championship is run on an inter-county provincial basis with the winners from Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht playing off against each other in two semi-finals. The reigning champions at this level are Galway. The 2006 final went to a replay after a last gasp Kilkenny goal earned a 2–14 to 2–14 draw. The replay ended 1–11 to 0–11.
Cork in the past were the most successful team in the championship with their four-in-a-row from 1968 to 1971. The most notable feat in recent years was the Limerick three-in-a-row between 2000 and 2002. The coveted treble of winning senior, under-21 and minor titles in the same year has been achieved by Cork in 1970 and by Kilkenny in 1975 and 2003. Kilkenny repeated that feat in 2008 and also won the intermediate becoming the first county in the history of the GAA to win all four major championships in a single year. In 2009, Clare won their first ever All-Ireland under-21 title with a 0–15 to 0–14 win over Kilkenny at Croke Park.
Read more about this topic: All-Ireland Under 21 Hurling Championship