The 1938 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 52nd staging of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament. The championship began on 1 May 1938 and ended on 4 September 1938.
Tipperary were the defending champions but were disqualified from the championship after fielding an ineligible player in their Munster semi-final defeat of Clare.
On 4 September 1938, Dublin won the championship following a 2–5 to 1–6 defeat of Waterford in the All-Ireland final. This was their sixth All-Ireland title, their first in eleven championship seasons. It remains their last All-Ireland triumph.
Waterford's Locky Byrne was the championship's top scorer with 4–5.
Teams Overview
The 1938 championship featured no new entrants to the competition. Kerry, a team who had fielded a team throughout much of the 1930s, declined to participate in the Munster Championship.
Galway were the sole representatives from the Conancht Championship and received a bye to the All-Ireland semi-final. There were no representatives from the Ulster Championship.
Summaries TeamColoursGroundsMost recent successAll-IrelandProvincialLeagueClareSaffron and blueCusack Park19141932CorkRed and whiteCork Athletic Grounds193119311929–30DublinBlue and navyCroke Park192719341928–29GalwayMaroon and whitePearse Stadium1923KilkennyBlack and amberNowlan Park193519371932–33LaoisBlue and whiteO'Moore Park19151915LimerickGreen and whiteEnnis Road193619361937–38MeathGreen and goldPáirc TailteannOffalyGreen, white and goldSt. Brendan's ParkTipperaryBlue and goldThurles Sportsfield193719371927–28WaterfordWhite and blueWalsh ParkWestmeathMaroon and whiteCusack ParkWexfordPurple and goldWexford Park19101918
Results Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Quarter-final
Semi-finals
Finals
The Leinster final ended in a draw for the first time since 1934.
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Quarter-final
Semi-finals
Clare later objected to the victory as Tipperary had fielded Jimmy Cooney who was suspended. The objection was upheld and Clare were later awarded the game.
Final
Waterford won the Munster title for the first time in their history.
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Semi-final
Waterford's first championship match against Galway
Final
Waterford's first All-Ireland final and first championship match against Dublin
References