It is the highest inter-county hurling competition for male players between the ages of 17 and 20 in the province of Munster.

[1] The final, currently held in May, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during a six-week period, and the results determine which team receives the J. J. Kenneally Perpetual Memorial Cup..

The inaugural Munster Championship featured Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.

Tipperary equalled this record with their own four-in-a-row between 1978 and 1981 and, after defeat in 1982, came back to win a further three titles in succession between 1983 and 1985.

Waterford were the only team beside Cork and Tipperary to win the championship, with their lone title being claimed in 1974.

Waterford made the breakthrough by claiming championship wins in 1992 and 1994, however, the rest of the decade belonged to Cork and Tipperary once again.

[4] At the GAA Congress on 24 February 2018, the age limit of the championship was changed to twenty, following a successful motion by the Offaly County Board.

In contrast to Gaelic football, under-20 hurlers are eligible to play both under-20 and senior hurling for their county.

If a match is drawn there is a period of extra time, however, if the sides still remain level a replay is required.

An open draw is made in which three of the five teams automatically qualify for the semi-final stage of the competition.

In spite of contesting the inaugural Munster Championship in 1964, Kerry had always been known as a county that was dominated by Gaelic football.

Due to a lack of meaningful competition in Connacht, Galway competed in the senior, intermediate and minor championships in Munster since 1959.

Munster Championship matches were traditionally played at neutral venues or at a location that was deemed to be halfway between the two participants; however, teams eventually came to home and away agreements depending on the capabilities of their stadiums.

Stadium attendances are a significant source of regular income for the Munster Council and for the teams involved.

[7] The cup was retired in 2018 when Shane Kingston of Cork was the last person to captain a team to the Munster Under-21 Championship title.

The winning captain accepts the cup on behalf of his team before giving a short speech.