The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2008 was the 122nd since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. The first matches of the season were played on 25 May 2008, and the championship ended on 7 September 2008. Kilkenny went into the 2008 championship as defending champions, having won their thirtieth All-Ireland title the previous year. The championship culminated with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin. The match was contested by Kilkenny and Waterford. It was their first meeting in the final since 1963. Kilkenny won the game by 3–30 to 1–13. It was their third All-Ireland title in succession and a record thirty-first for the county. Kilkenny overtook Cork with the most All Ireland Titles. A position which they have not lost since. Format The format of the 2008 championship was slightly different from previous formats: 12 counties participated in Tier 1 of the 2008 Championship. These teams were as follows: Leinster: Dublin, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford Munster: Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford Connacht: Galway Ulster: Antrim Provincial Championships The Leinster and Munster championships were played as usual. The Leinster and Munster champions advanced directly to the All-Ireland semi-finals. All-Ireland Qualifiers Phase 1: (1 match) This was a single match between Antrim and Galway. Phase 2: (2 matches) The winner of the phase 1 game played the team eliminated in the first round of the Leinster Championship. The loser of the phase 1 game played the team eliminated in the first round of the Munster Championship. Phase 3: (2 matches) This phase consisted of two knock-out games between the beaten provincial semi-finalists in Leinster and Munster. Teams from the same province could not meet in these games. Phase 4: (2 matches) The winners from phase 2 played the winners from phase 3 in a knock-out format. All-Ireland Series Quarter-finals: (2 matches) The defeated Munster and Leinster finalists played the winners of the qualifier phase 4 games. Semi-finals: (2 matches) The Munster and Leinster champions played the winners of the quarter-finals. Promotion/relegation The losing teams from the qualifier phase 2 games played off. The loser of this game played a promotion/relegation play-off against the winners of the Christy Ring Cup. Team facts Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Munster Senior Hurling Championship Ulster Senior Hurling Championship 2008 marked the first time in decades that all nine Ulster counties (plus London) competed in the Ulster championship. Due to the historical