[1] The championship began on 2 May 2010 and concluded with the All-Ireland final at Croke Park on 19 September 2010.

Cork defeated Down by 0-16 to 0-15 to win their seventh All-Ireland senior title, and their first since 1990.

The 2010 championship was unusual in that all four provincial champions (Kerry, Meath, Roscommon and Tyrone) were knocked out in the All-Ireland quarter-finals,[2] and all four provincial runners-up (Limerick, Louth, Sligo and Monaghan) were eliminated in the fourth and final round of the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Kerry and Sligo were defeated by Down, Meath and Monaghan by Kildare, Roscommon and Limerick by Cork, and Tyrone and Louth by Dublin.

The 16 teams which failed to reach a provincial semi-final took part in Round 1 of the qualifiers (New York do not compete).