Centra launch 2026 All-Ireland GAA Senior Hurling Championship
Pictured left to right is is Conor Burke (Dublin), Patrick Horgan (Cork), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Brian Hayes (Cork) and Paddy Deegan (Kilkenny) at St. Vincent’s GAA club in Dublin at Centra’s launch of the 2026 Senior Hurling Championship and the Centra GAA Sharpshooter Competition. Winners will receive a €1,000 prize for their local GAA club plus the opportunity for their team to play at the 2026 Hurling for Cancer Research Charity Match later this year.
Centra, Ireland’s leading convenience retailer and longest-serving sponsor of the All-Ireland GAA Hurling Senior Championship, has officially launched the 2026 Senior Hurling Championship and the Centra GAA Sharpshooter Competition in partnership with Patrick Horgan, the all-time leading Championship points scorer.
The launch event took place at St Vincent’s GAA Club in Dublin and was attended by some of the game’s most recognisable stars, including Brian Hayes (Cork), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Paddy Deegan, (Kilkenny) and Conor Burke, (Dublin).
Having spearheaded the 2025 Sharpshooter competition, Patrick Horgan returns once again to launch the nationwide initiative designed to discover and nurture the next generation of hurling sharpshooters.
Centra and Patrick “Pa” Horgan, who finished his career as the record Championship points scorer with a total of 32-683 (779), are calling on all children aged 8–12 to show their accuracy and skill by collecting a Sharpshooter target sticker in participating Centra stores, placing it on their local club’s ball wall, and uploading their content to social media tagging @CentraIRL and their local GAA club.
Winners will receive a €1,000 prize for their local GAA club plus the opportunity for their team to play at the 2026 Hurling for Cancer Research Charity Match later this year.
Having sponsored the All-Ireland GAA Hurling Senior Championship since 2010, Centra remains the longest-serving sponsor of the competition. The 2026 season marks another chapter in this enduring partnership, reinforcing Centra’s dedication to supporting hurling communities across Ireland.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns said:
“The beginning of a new Championship season always brings renewed excitement and anticipation for players and supporters alike. Centra’s continued commitment to the All-Ireland GAA Hurling Senior Championship is a testament to their support for our games at every level. The Sharpshooter Competition is a wonderful initiative that will inspire young boys and girls across the country to showcase and sharpen their skills. We look forward to another thrilling summer of hurling in 2026.”
Rita Kirwan, Director of Marketing, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, added:
“Centra has proudly supported the All-Ireland GAA Hurling Senior Championship since 2010, and we are delighted to officially launch the 2026 season surrounded by so many legends of the game. Our partnership with the GAA reflects our deep-rooted commitment to local communities. Centra retailers support approximately 1,000 GAA clubs nationwide to the value of over €1.5 million annually and with our extensive footprint across the country and our support for Gaelic games we truly believe where there’s hurling, there’s Centra. The new GAA Sharpshooter Competition is about nurturing young talent, celebrating skill, and giving the next generation of players a platform to shine. We look forward to once again seeing the skills of Ireland’s boys and girls over the coming weeks.”
Fans can follow Centra Ireland’s social media channels for updates, competition details and exclusive Championship content throughout the 2026 season.
In 2026 Centra announced title sponsorship of the Centra Camogie Leagues further extending their support of Gaelic games.
For full competition Terms and Conditions, visit www.centra.ie.
