Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship Once a team is defeated they are eliminated from the championship. The Leinster Championship has wider implications for the All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship. The winners of the Munster final automatically qualify for the semi-final stages of the All-Ireland series of games. Unlike the final runners-up in the minor and senior championships, there is no 'back-door system' at under-21 level. Eight of the twelve counties of Leinster – Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Wexford – participate in the championship. At the end of the Leinster final, the winning team is presented with a trophy. The cup, named the
2017 Kehoe Cup from counties participating in the Leinster Championship Qualifier Group (i.e. Laois, Meath and Westmeath) or playing in the 2017 Christy Ring Cup (i.e. Carlow and Kildare) unless the hurler is in receipt of a college scholarship. Universities have ‘first call’ on county hurlers up to a maximum of six, chosen from Dublin, Kilkenny, Offaly, Wexford and Galway. After the Kehoe Cup group stage is completed hurlers who played with their university may play for their county in the final if their college did not qualify for the Kehoe Cup final. 2017 Kehoe Cup The 2017 Kehoe Cup was an inter-county