Six teams will compete in the Leinster Hurling Championship from next year with no relegation taking place from it this season.
Motion 59 was passed at at the GAA's Annual Congress today with a Yes vote of 95%.
Carlow, Laois, Westmeath, Offaly and Kilkenny all spoke in favour of the motion.
Carlow chairman Sean Campion said: “There is a huge difference in the championship as it stands at the minute.
“If you take the five counties in Munster, they’re entrenched. The bottom team is not relegated. Whereas in Leinster with the five teams, the bottom team is relegated.
“If we persist with the grade as it is, we’re ending up with a yo-yo situation where teams are going up and down. You need at least two years at the highest level to improve."
Meanwhile, a black card and sin bin will not be introduced to hurling to combat potential cynical play.
The motion was heavily defeated at the Congress, with 82% of delegates voting against it.
Among other key motions to be voted down were the introduction of getting two points for scoring from a sideline cut in hurling, increasing club matches from 60 to 70 minutes, All-Ireland semi-finals going to replays after 70 minutes with no extra-time.
One of the key motions to be approved was that Croke Park no longer has to be one of the neutral venues used in the Super 8s, meaning Dublin could play two matches away from GAA Headquarters if they reach that stage of the Championship. 90% voted in favour of Motion 19.
The motion to amend the advanced mark rule passed with 90% approvals, which means defenders will now have the right to tackle players who catch the ball in the small or large square but do not claim the mark.
A number of motions regarding U20 and college GAA were withdrawn and will be heard again at a Special Congress in September. Among them was motion 39 which stated a player who plays senior for their county in the league cannot play U20 Championship in the same calendar year. Another was that the U20 Championship should be played over February and March.
Longford GAA withdrew a motion to put the Minor age back to U18 from U17.
Larry McCarthy was named the new GAA President on Friday night and was welcomed into the role by the outgoing President John Horan on Saturday.
Horan said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to our Uachtarán-Tofa Larry McCarthy on his success on being elected to the role of President last night.
“It is a hugely significant event in anyone’s life and indeed for the future path of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael. I wish him and his family well and know it will be a massive honour for his club, county and Province."
Horan also revealed that the new tier two All-Ireland Football Championship will be called the Tailteann Cup.
He said: “A recent meeting of Ard Chomhairle has agreed to dedicate a new trophy for the Tier 2 senior football championship to be called the Tailteann Cup – a name that honours this link to Ireland’s sporting heritage and crowns modern day sporting heroes in one of our native games.
“This competition came out of a desire from several counties to have a championship that was inclusive and not exclusive."
