title: 1951 Railway Cup Hurling Championship
text: # 1951 Railway Cup Hurling Championship
  
  The 1951 Railway Cup Hurling Championship was the 25th series of the inter-provincial hurling Railway Cup. Three matches were played between 18 February 1951 and 17 March 1951 to decide the title. It was contested by Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.
  
  Munster entered the championship as the defending champions.
  
  On 17 March 1951, Munster won the Railway Cup after a 4-09 to 3-06 defeat of Leinster in the final at Croke Park, Dublin. It was their 19th Railway Cup title overall and their fourth title in succession.
  
  Leinster's Shem Downey was the Railway Cup top scorer with 5-02.
  
  ## Results
  
  Semi-finals
  
  Final
  
  ## Top scorers
  
  ### Overall
  
  | Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Shem Downey | Leinster | 5-02 | 17 | 2 | 8.50 |
  | 2 | Christy Ring | Munster | 2-08 | 14 | 2 | 7.00 |
  | 3 | Derry McCarthy | Munster | 4-00 | 12 | 2 | 6.00 |
  | 4 | Nicky Rackard | Leinster | 3-02 | 11 | 2 | 5.50 |
  
  ### Single game
  
  | Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Shem Downey | Leinster | 3-02 | 11 | Ulster |
  | 2 | Nicky Rackard | Leinster | 2-01 | 7 | Ulster |
  | 2 | Christy Ring | Munster | 1-04 | 7 | Connacht |
  | 2 | Christy Ring | Munster | 1-04 | 7 | Leinster |
  
  ## Sources
  
  * Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).
  