2008 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

2008 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
Dates	17 May 2008; – 8 July 2008
Teams	10
Champions	Antrim (48th title)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	9
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The 2008 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship was the 63rd installment of the annual Ulster Senior Hurling Championship held under the auspices of the Ulster GAA. Antrim were the defending champions and successfully claimed their ninth consecutive title, beating finalists Down.

Format

The draw for the Ulster championship was seeded, and took place in a staggered single elimination format. Antrim and Down received byes until the semifinal, Armagh and Derry to the quarterfinal and London and Donegal to the second round. All four other teams entered in the first round. ^{[citation needed]}

This was the last year where a winning team was granted entry from the Ulster Championship to the 2008 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship proper. Antrim entered that competition through the Qualifier series. From 2009 onwards, the Ulster championship continued as a stand alone tournament

The other Ulster teams took part in lower tier competitions, such as the 2008 Christy Ring Cup, the second tier All-Ireland hurling championship.

The number of teams in the championship grew enormously from 2007. The entry for 2008, ten, was a record, and for many marked a first foray back into senior championship hurling. All nine historic counties of Ulster took part, in addition to London.

In order to avoid mismatches, the draw was set so that the weaker counties were not faced with the prospect of facing regional powers Antrim or Down at an early stage; instead all the other counties took part in a series of elimination matches for the right to meet Antrim or down in the semifinal.

Team changes

To Championship

Re entered championship

From championship

Withdrew from championship

None

Teams

General Information

Ten counties will compete in the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship:

County	Last Provincial Title	Last All-Ireland Title	Position in 2007 Championship
Antrim	2006	—	Champions
Armagh	—	—	Quarter-finals
Derry	2001	—	Semi-finals
Down	1997	—	Runners-up
Cavan	—	—	—
Donegal	1932	—	—
Fermanagh	—	—	—
London	—	1901	Semi-finals
Monaghan	1915	—	—
Tyrone	—	—	—

Personnel and kits

County	Manager	Captain(s)	Sponsor
Antrim
Armagh
Derry
Down
Cavan
Donegal
Fermanagh
London
Monaghan
Tyrone

Team statistics

Antrim	Armagh	Derry	Down	Cavan
Titles
47	0	4	4	0
Last title
2007	n/a	2001	1997	n/a
Fermanagh	Tyrone	Monaghan	Donegal	London
Titles
0	0	2	3	0
Last title
n/a	n/a	1915	1932	n/a

Bracket

Premiliminary Round		Second round Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Ulster SHC Final

		London	2-23 (29)
		Armagh	4-16 (28)
				London	1-16 (19)
Tyrone	1-11 (14)			Down	4-16 (28)
Fermanagh	2-7 (13)	London	2-13 (19)
		Tyrone	1-6 (9)
						Antrim	3-18 (27)
						Down	2-16 (22)
		Donegal	1-14 (17)
Monaghan	2-15 (21)	Monaghan	1-15 (18)
Cavan	1-16 (19)			Antrim	2-17 (23)
				Derry	1-12 (15)
		Derry	7-23 (44)
		Monaghan	3-13(22)