GAA:Carlow representatives were delighted with the news that they will be included in next year's All-Ireland hurling championship after winning a unanimous vote at Special Congress in the Citywest Hotel in Dublin today.
As Christy Ring Cup champions the Barrowsiders have been promoted to the All-Ireland which means a total of 13 counties will now compete for the Liam McCarthy Cup as no team was relegated for 2010.
The decision will see Carlow join a strong Leinster championship with Antrim, Dublin, Galway, Laois, Offaly, Wexford and All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.
"We see it as an opportunity and a challenge for our players to compete at a higher level in 2010 and we are happy about that," said Tommy O'Neill, Carlow county board secretary.
"It is a serious challenge and a serious question for our players but we feel they have done everything that has been asked of them to date. Obviously we are aware that moving up the ladder now is a serious challenge but they deserve the opportunity to compete at this level and see how they cope. And we feel they will equip themselves quite well.
"To see the Leinster championship with Galway and Antrim and now Carlow, there are eight teams there and that has to be good for hurling and the Leinster championship."
O'Neill went on to pay tribute to all those in Carlow who have helped advance hurling in the county.
"For a number of years at juvenile level, club level and schools level there has been a serious amount of time and effort put in by the people on the ground and the skills, we hope, have come through,” added O’Neill.
"We competed in a Leinster minor hurling final a few years ago and there are a number of players coming through the system now. We have a young enough team that are working their way on to the senior panel."
This is the seventh change to the hurling championship in the last 12 years.