Ulster were the reigning football champions and Munster were the reigning hurling champions from 2016.
The matches were due to be played on the weekend of 9 and 10 December 2017,[1] but following Connacht's decision to withdraw from the competition,[2] the ties were postponed. With no date set for the competition within the GAA's 2018 Master Fixtures plan,[3] it was reported to be unlikely that the competition would return in the near future.[4] The competition returned in 2024.[5]