Antrim were the defending champions and successfully claimed their ninth consecutive title, beating finalists Down.

Antrim received a bye to the final, Down and Derry to the quarter-final and London to the second round.

Antrim instead entered that competition through the preliminary round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.

The entry for 2009, ten, matched the 2008 record, and for many marked a second foray back into senior championship hurling.

In order to avoid mismatches, and to allow Antrim to take part in the 2009 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship the draw was set so that the weaker counties were not faced with the prospect of facing regional powers Antrim at an early stage; instead all the other counties took part in a series of elimination matches for the right to meet Antrim in the final.