The new championship format presented by the Galway Hurling Review Group was passed unanimously at the convention last night. This new format means no Senior team relegated in 2011. There are now 21 teams, with the first two rounds of the new championship as open draw. The Intermediate Champions (Moycullen) enter the race in the third round. This also means Kinvara, who Pearses defeated in the Relegation Final retain their Senior status, survive the drop.
The new format of the Galway Senior Hurling Championship is as follows: Initial Rounds andamp;bull; Round 1: 20 Senior teams (10 v 10) in Open Draw = 10 winners.andamp;bull; Round 2: 10 teams who lost in Round 1 (5 v 5) in Open Draw = 5 Winners.andamp;bull; 15 Senior teams Qualify from Round 1 and Round 2.andamp;bull; Intermediate Champions enter Round 3 to make 16 teams for the Group Stages. Championship Group Stagesandamp;bull; 4 Groups of 4 Teams. (4 v 4), no seeding. andamp;bull; Each team plays 3 group games (Round 3, 4 and 5).andamp;bull; Top 2 teams qualify for Quarter Finals.andamp;bull; Bottom 2 teams go into Shield Quarter-Finals.andamp;bull; Semi-Finals of Championship and Shield.andamp;bull; Final of SHC and SH Shield.Relegation andamp;bull; 5 losing teams from Round 2 go into Round Robin Play-off (1 group of 5 teams). andamp;bull; Each team plays 4 group games.andamp;bull; Bottom team relegated to Intermediate.