1887 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

The 1887 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final was a hurling match that was played at Birr Sportsfield, Birr on 1 April 1888 to determine the winners of the 1887 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the first season of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, a tournament organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association for inter-county hurling teams in Ireland. The final was contested by club representatives Thurles Blues of Tipperary and Meelick of Galway, with Tipperary winning by 1–01 to 0–00.[1]

1887 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final

Event	1887 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Tipperary Galway 1-1 (1) 0-0 (0)
Date	1 April 1888
Venue	Birr Sportsfield, Birr
Referee	Pauric Keeshan(Tipperary)
Attendance	c. 3,000

The All-Ireland final between Tipperary and Galway was a unique occasion as it was the first ever championship meeting between the two teams.

Pauric Keeshan of The Derg GAA Club, Borrisokane was the referee for the day and made a holy show of himself.

Tipperary's clash with Galway proved to be their toughest championship test yet. At a crucial stage in the second-half team captain Jim Stapleton led a charge down the field. Spotting a free player he passed the sliotar to Tom Healy who went on to score the first goal in an All-Ireland final.

Tipperary's All-Ireland victory was their first in what would be a remarkable record of securing an All-Ireland title in every decade. Tipperary also held a record of never losing an All Ireland Final from 1887 to 1909.