▁in ▁previous ▁years , ▁did ▁not ▁enter . ▁ ▁Dublin ▁were ▁the ▁def ending ▁champions . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁they ▁won ▁a ▁record - equ alling ▁fourth ▁consecutive ▁title , ▁becoming ▁only ▁the ▁fourth ▁team ▁to ▁achieve ▁this ▁fe at ▁( the ▁other ▁four - in - a - row ▁champions ▁were ▁W ex ford ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 – 1 8 ▁and ▁Ker ry ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 – 3 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 8 – 8 1 ). ▁They ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁final , ▁defe ating ▁Ker ry ▁in ▁a ▁re play , ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁G AA ' s ▁first ▁ever ▁five - in - a - row ▁All - I reland ▁senior ▁champions . ▁ ▁Compet ition ▁format ▁ ▁Provin cial ▁Championships ▁format ▁Con n acht , ▁Le in ster , ▁Mun ster ▁and ▁Ul ster ▁each ▁organ ise ▁a ▁provincial ▁championship . ▁Most ▁teams ▁who ▁lose ▁a ▁match ▁in ▁their ▁provincial ▁championship ▁enter ▁the ▁All - I reland ▁qual ifiers ▁– ▁New ▁York ▁does ▁not ▁enter ▁the ▁qual ifiers . ▁ ▁All ▁provincial ▁matches ▁are ▁knock - out . ▁If ▁the ▁score ▁is ▁level ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁normal ▁sevent y ▁minutes , ▁two ▁periods ▁of ▁ten ▁minutes ▁each ▁way ▁are ▁played . ▁If ▁the ▁score ▁is ▁still ▁level ▁the ▁tie ▁goes ▁to ▁a ▁re play . ▁ ▁Qual ifiers ▁format ▁Tw enty ▁eight ▁of ▁the ▁twenty ▁nine ▁teams ▁be aten ▁in ▁the ▁provincial