The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1986 was the 100th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Galway 4–13 to 2–15 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.

Format

Munster Championship

Participating counties (5): Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford Quarter-final (1 match): This is a single match between the first two teams drawn from the province of Munster. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the semi-finals. Semi-finals (2 matches): The winner of the lone quarter-final joins the other three Munster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final. Final (1 match): The winner of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.

Leinster Championship

Participating counties (6): Dublin, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford Quarter-finals: (2 matches): These are two matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Leinster. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the semi-finals. Semi-finals (2 matches): The winners of the two quarter-finals join the other two Leinster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final. Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.

All-Ireland Championship

Quarter-final (1 match): This is a single match between Galway and the winners of the All-Ireland 'B' championship. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the semi-final where they play the Leinster champions. Semi-finals (2 matches): The winners of the lone quarter-final join the Munster and Leinster champions and Antrim to make up the semi-final pairings. The provincial champions are kept apart in separate semi-finals. Two teams are eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the final. Final (1 match): The two winners of the semi-finals contest this game.

Team changes

To Championship

Qualified from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

From Championship

Regraded to the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

Teams

General information

Fourteen 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, five 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.

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

Scoring

Top scorers

Season

Single game