Region Ireland (GAA) No. of teams 8 Sponsors Bord Gáis Energy | Trophy Richie McElligott Cup Title holders Meath (2nd title) | |
Irish Craobh Iomána Fé-21 B na hÉireann | ||
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Under-21 B Championship, the second tier competition in hurling is an annual series of games for male players under the age of 21 and is organized by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).
The final, usually held in September, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during the summer months, and the results determine which county's team receives the All-Ireland shield. The championship has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the series. In the present format, it begins in August and consists of several stages, beginning with quarter-finals and culminating in a final.
Teams that are deemed ineligible or "too weak" for the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Under-21 Championship participate in the B championship. It is one of the few All-Ireland championships not to be run on a provincial basis.
Meath are the current holders.
Qualification
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Under-21 B Championship features eight teams in the final tournament. Seven teams gain automatic entry to the All-Ireland quarter-final stages while the winners of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Under-21 C Championship make up the eight quarter-final teams.