The 1987 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 101st staging of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament. The championship began on 24 May 1987 and ended on 6 September 1987.

Cork were the defending champions but were defeated by Tipperary in the Munster final. Kerry fielded a team in the provincial championship for the first time since 1978.

On 6 September 1987, Galway won the championship following a 1–12 to 0–9 defeat of Kilkenny in the 100th All-Ireland final. This was their third All-Ireland title, their first in seven championship seasons.

Tipperary's Pat Fox was the championship's top scorer with 3–45. Galway's Joe Cooney was the choice for Texaco Hurler of the Year.

Team changes

To Championship Qualified from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

London

From Championship Relegated to the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

None

Teams

General information Fifteen counties will compete in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: one team from the Connacht Senior Hurling Championship, six teams in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, six teams in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship, one team from the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship and one team from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship. CountyLast provincial titleLast championship titlePosition in 1986 ChampionshipCurrent championship Antrim1946—Ulster Senior Hurling Championship Clare19321914Munster Senior Hurling Championship Cork19861986Munster Senior Hurling Championship Dublin19611938Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Galway19221980Connacht Senior Hurling ChampionshipLondon—1901All-Ireland Senior B Hurling ChampionshipKerry18911891Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipKilkenny19861983Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Laois19491915Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipLimerick19811973Munster Senior Hurling Championship Offaly19851985Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipTipperary19711971Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipWaterford19631959Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipWestmeath——Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipWexford19771968Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Provincial championships

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Bracket

All-Ireland quarter-finals

All-Ireland semi-finals

All-Ireland Final

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

Kerry take part in the Munster series of games for the first time since 1978. In the Munster semi-final replay against Limerick, Cork's John Fenton scored, what is often regarded as, one of the greatest hurling goals of all-time. Playing in his usual midfield position he struck the sliotar on the ground and scored a goal from forty-five yards out. In 2005 this goal was listed as one of RTÉ's Top 20 GAA Moments and, in a TG4 poll in 2009 it was voted the second greatest hurling goal of all-time. At the Munster final between Cork and Tipperary the official attendance is given as 56,005. Two gates, however, were broken down before the start of the game and an estimated 3,000 people gained free entry to the Killinan terrace. The Leinster final between Kilkenny and Offaly is postponed due to damage to the Croke Park pitch following a U2 concert in June.

Top scorers

Overall Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Pat FoxTipperary3–455469.002John FentonCork1–3841410.253Nicky EnglishTipperary5–153065.004Ger FennellyKilkenny0–292955.805Harry RyanKilkenny3–142354.606Paddy KellyLimerick0–181836.007Christy HeffernanKilkenny2–101644.00Mark CorriganOffaly0–161635.339Danny McNaughtonAntrim3–61527.5010Liam FennellyKilkenny3–41352.60

Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Pat FoxTipperary1–1013KerryJohn FentonCork0–1313Tipperary3John FentonCork0–1212Tipperary4Christy HeffernanKilkenny2–511WestmeathHarry RyanKilkenny2–511AntrimJohn FentonCork1–811LimerickPat FoxTipperary0–1111Cork8Nicky EnglishTipperary2–410ClarePaddy KellyLimerick0–1010Waterford10Ger FennellyKilkenny0–99OffalyPat FoxTipperary0–99CorkJohn HoulihanWexford0–99Kilkenny

Clean sheets

Rank Goalkeeper County Clean sheets1Jim TroyOffaly1Kevin FennellyKilkennyKen HoganTipperaryGer CunninghamCorkJohn ComminsGalway

References Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005). Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).

External links All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1987 Results