Christmas is upon us so what better time to revisit our end of season hurling rankings.

Kilkenny continue to rule the hurling landscape...

1. KILKENNY (no change)

Faced with a three-point deficit at the halfway stage of this year's All-Ireland SHC final, Kilkenny showed their mettle in the second-half to squeeze the life out of Galway's challenge. The Cats made light of the retirements of JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, Henry Shefflin, Aidan Fogarty and David Herity to capture another Leinster and All-Ireland double. And in his 17th season at the helm, Brian Cody masterminded an eleventh MacCarthy Cup success.

2. GALWAY (up 2)

"We gave everything, we've had a super year and we live to fight another day." Anthony Cunningham insisted he and his players wouldn't give up until they get their hands on the Liam MacCarthy Cup but player power ended his tenure. The Tribesmen enjoyed the upper hand during the first-half of this year's All-Ireland decider but fell off the pace once Kilkenny moved up through the gears after the resumption.

3. TIPPERARY (down 1)

In his third, and final, year at the helm, Eamon O'Shea delivered Tipperary's 41st Munster SHC title. The Premier County got the better of Waterford on a scoreline of 0-21 to 0-16 in the provincial decider but the Brendan Maher captained outfit came out second best in an epic All-Ireland semi-final against Galway.

4. WATERFORD (down 1)

Waterford got the disappointment of their Munster SHC final defeat to Tipperary out of their system with a 2-21 to 1-18 All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Dublin. The curtain came down on a memorable year for the Deise with an 0-18 to 1-21 semi-final defeat to eventual champions Kilkenny. Manager Derek McGrath has been handed a three-year extension to his tenure.

5. CORK (no change)

Jimmy Barry-Murphy called it quits as Cork senior hurling manager following their 12-point All-Ireland SHC quarter-final defeat to Galway at Semple Stadium. The iconic JBM commented after the defeat to the Tribesmen: "Galway were much, much better than us and we seemed to be second to every ball all over the field. Very few of our players played up to the standard that we'd expect from them."

6. DUBLIN (no change)

Back-door victories over Laois and Limerick helped the Metropolitans get their Leinster SHC quarter-final replay collapse to Galway out of their system. The Ger Cunningham managed outfit came from eight points down to show the Shannonsiders the exit door on a scoreline of 1-17 to 1-16 but they finished second best against Waterford in the last eight of the Liam MacCarthy Cup race.

7. CLARE (no change)

The high of September 2013 is a distant memory for the Banner County. Since capturing the Liam MacCarthy Cup two years ago, Clare have played six championship matches and a qualifier win over Offaly is all they have to show for their efforts. Their three point qualifier defeat to Cork brought the curtain down on their season but Davy Fitz is staying on at the helm.

8. LIMERICK (no change)

The Treaty County flattered to deceive in this year's championship. They got off to a bang with a one point victory over Clare (1-19 to 2-15) but their frailties were subsequently exposed by Tipperary in the Munster semi-final. A less than convincing qualifier win over Westmeath was followed by a qualifier loss to Dublin.

9. WEXFORD (no change)

Wexford are in the same boat as Limerick having also failed to build on the promise they showed in 2014. Liam Dunne's men failed to recover from the 0-16 to 5-25 mauling they suffered at the hands of Kilkenny in the Leinster SHC semi-final. Cork put them out of their misery in round one of the qualifiers.

10. LAOIS (no change)

The O'Moore County's first championship victory over Offaly since 1972 is one of the stories of the hurling championship but reality hit home for Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett and his team against Galway (Leinster SHC semi-final) and Dublin (All-Ireland SHC qualifier).

11. OFFALY (no change)

The Faithful County have turned to Eamonn Kelly in an attempt to revive their hurling fortunes. It was a year to forget for a county with a proud hurling tradition.

12. KERRY (no change)

The Kingdom are on the up. They will compete in the Leinster SHC, as well Division 1B, in 2016 after they enjoyed a 1-20 to 0-12 Christy Ring Cup final victory over Derry. Finding a replacement for Eamonn Kelly is top of the agenda at the moment.

13. WESTMEATH (no change)

Victories over Carlow and Antrim saw the Lake County qualify for the Leinster SHC proper and Michael Ryan's men gave a good account of themselves against both Wexford and Limerick.

14. CARLOW (no change)

Pat English and his players rounded off their Leinster SHC qualifying campaign with a noteworthy 2-18 to 1-11 success over Antrim.

15. ANTRIM (no change)

Antrim hurling's stock plummeted during 2015 as a 14th Ulster SHC title in-a-row is all that the Saffrons have to show for their efforts.

16. DERRY (no change)

The Oak Leafers qualified for their first ever Christy Ring Cup final but they came up short against Kerry in Croke Park.

17. KILDARE (no change)

The Christy Ring Cup holders fell at the penultimate hurdle when finishing second best to the Kingdom by 0-9 to 6-27.

18. DOWN (no change)

The semi-final of the Christy Ring also proved to be one bridge too far for the Mourne County who lost out to Derry on a scoreline of 0-23 to 2-12.

19. LONDON (no change)

A round one Christy Ring Cup replay victory over Kildare was as good as it got for manager Fergus McMahon and the Exiles.

20. MEATH (no change)

Neighbours Kildare once again proved to be the rock on which the Royal County's Christy Ring ambitions perished.

21. WICKLOW (no change)

The Garden County saved their Christy Ring Cup skin with a 1-18 to 1-11 relegation play-off victory against Mayo in Mullingar.

22. ROSCOMMON (no change)

Justin Campbell's side were crowned Nickey Rackard Cup champions following their dramatic  2-12 to 1-14 final victory over Armagh at GAA headquarters.

23. MAYO (no change)

It's the Nicky Rackard Cup for Mayo in 2016 after they lost out by 0-13 to 2-14 to the Rossies in the Christy Ring promotion/relegation play-off.

24. ARMAGH (no change)

Roscommon captain Micheal Kelly's late goal pulled the rug from under the Orchard County's feet in the Nicky Rackard Cup decider.

25. TYRONE (no change)

Eventual champions Roscommon knocked the Red Hands out of the Rackard Cup running at the semi-final stages - 1-16 to 0-14.

26. DONEGAL (no change)

Armagh denied Ray Durack and his players a place in the Rackard Cup decider in the last four, it finished 1-18 to 1-12 in the Orchard County's favour at the Athletic Grounds.

27. MONAGHAN (no change)

The Farney County were no match for Donegal when the two counties met at the quarter-final stages in Clones.

28. FINGAL (no change)

Four points separated Fingal and Tyrone in the last eight of the Nicky Rackard Cup.

29. LONGFORD (no change)

The Midlanders preserved their Nicky Rackard Cup status courtesy of a four point relegation win (2-20 to 2-16) over Louth in St Loman's, Mullingar.

30. FERMANAGH (no change)

Shane Mulholland's team-mates did his memory proud when claiming Lory Meagher Cup honours as well as promotion to the Nicky Rackard Cup.

31. LOUTH (no change)

Fermanagh's 1-15 to 3-8 promotion/relegation play-off victory consigned the Wee County to the Lory Meagher Cup for 2016.

32. SLIGO (no change)

The Yeats County were unable to capitalise on numerical advantage against Fermanagh in the Lory Meagher Cup decider.

33. LEITRIM (no change)

The Connacht county claimed the scalps of Warwickshire and Lancashire.

34. WARWICKSHIRE (no change)

The Pairc na hEireann scoreboard read 3-13 to 2-14 in Warwickshire's favour when they met Lancashire in round 5 of the Lory Meagher Cup.

35. LANCASHIRE (no change)

Lancashire were left empty-handed at the end of their maiden Lory Meagher Cup voyage.

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