Kehoe Cup

Kehoe Cup
Current season or competition: 2017 Kehoe Cup
Irish	Corn Mhic Eochaidh
Code	Hurling
Founded	1977
Region	Leinster (GAA)
Trophy	Kehoe Cup
No. of teams	7
Title holders	Maynooth University (1st title)
Most titles	Meath (8 titles)
Sponsors	Bord na Móna
Motto	Commitment, Community, Respect
Official website	http://www.leinstergaa.ie/leinster-accident-tournaments-2012/kehoe-cup-sh-2012.327.html

The Kehoe Cup (Irish: Corn Mhic Eochaidh) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) since 1977 for second- and third-tier inter-county teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland. Nowadays, teams from the provinces of Ulster and Connacht are eligible to compete, as well as teams from third-level institutions within the three provinces. Contested by 16 teams, it operates on a straight knock-out system. The competition runs from January to February, with most games played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the others during weekday evenings. Sponsored by Bord na Móna, it is therefore officially known as the Bord na Móna Kehoe Cup.

The Kehoe Cup is part of a series of GAA tournaments known as the Bord na Móna Leinster GAA Series, along with the Walsh Cup and the O'Byrne Cup. The original purpose of these competitions was to raise funds to supplement an injury scheme for the players. Nowadays, the funds generated are used to alleviate hardship among players, mentors and families who are in financial difficulty. The funds are administered throughout the twelve counties of Leinster. Apart from this, the competitions provide an opportunity for the county teams to select their panel for the year and prepare for the National Hurling League (NHL).

Since the inception of the Kehoe Cup in 1977, a total of 12 teams have won the tournament. Meath and Westmeath are the most successful team with 8 titles. Meath are also the current title holders having won the 2015 tournament.

In 1954, the Leinster Council established a new inter-county tournament in an effort to raise funds to supplement the medical bills of players who were in financial difficulty. This scheme, known as the Players' Injury Fund, was the first of its kind to be offered by a provincial GAA council. Originally known as the Leinster Accident Fund Tournament, it started as a knockout competition for the 12 counties in Leinster. During the fifties and sixties, the hurling tournament, which became known as the Walsh Cup, was dominated by the stronger hurling counties of Kilkenny and Wexford. As a result of this, the Walsh Cup was not contested for much of the seventies. In 1977, a second cup was presented to the Leinster Council for an alternative hurling competition. The cup was dedicated to former GAA President, Michael Kehoe (Wexford), who died on 8 January 1977. The tournament thus became known as the Kehoe Cup. The Leinster Council decided to alternate it with the Walsh Cup between the stronger and developing counties for the Players' Injury Fund. In its inaugural year, it was contested by the stronger hurling counties and was won by Wexford who beat Kilkenny in the final by 2-13 to 1-15 on 21 August 1977 in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. There was a break in the Walsh Cup from 1983 to 1986. When it recommenced in 1987, it was decided by the Leinster Council that the Walsh Cup would be used exclusively for the stronger hurling counties and the Kehoe Cup for the developing counties.

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