Conor McGurk Cup

Conor McGurk Cup
CodeHurling
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018)
RegionUlster (GAA)
TrophyConor McGurk Cup Trophy
No. of teams10 (as of 2023)[1]
Title holders Donegal (1st title)
SponsorsBank of Ireland (as of 2018)[2]

The Conor McGurk Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association. It has been held annually since 2018.[3]

The series of games are played during January. The McGurk Cup is effectively a pre-season tournament,[4] allowing teams to experiment prior to the opening of the National Hurling League.[citation needed]

The 2019 competition, the third year of the event, involved nine teams competing in three sections.[5] The 2022 tournament involved seven teams, including both county teams and college teams.[3]

The Down county hurling team won the 2022 final,[1] followed by Donegal in the 2023 competition.[6]

Teams

As of 2023 the competition involved 10 teams, including:[1][7]

Teams (10) County / University Province Cup titles Last cup title
Antrim County Ulster 3 2021
Armagh County Ulster 0 —
Cavan County Ulster 0 —
Donegal County Ulster 2 2024
Down County Ulster 2 2022
Fermanagh County Ulster 0 —
Louth County Leinster 0 —
Monaghan County Ulster 0 —
Queen's University Belfast University Ulster 0 —
Ulster University University Ulster 0 —

List of finals

Year Winners Runners-up #
Team Score Team Score
2024 Donegal 2-25 Down 0-22
2023 Donegal 5-28 Ulster University 0-21 [6]
2022 Down 1-22 Donegal 2-18 [8]
2021 Antrim 4-24 Down 1-19 [9]
2020 Antrim 2-19 Down 0-13 [10]
2019 Down 1-19 Ulster University 0-19 [11]
2018 Antrim 3-26 Down 1-14 [12]

Roll of honour

County Titles Runners-up Years Won Years Runners-up
Antrim 3 0 2018, 2020, 2021 —
Down 2 4 2019, 2022 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024
Donegal 2 1 2023, 2024 2022
Ulster University 0 2 — 2019, 2023

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Familiar foes get Conor McGurk Cup underway". irishnews.com. 3 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Bank of Ireland Launch Sponsorship of Conor McGurk Cup". bankofirelanduk.com (Press release). 15 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b "2022 Conor McGurk Cup fixtures confirmed". ulster.gaa.ie. 22 December 2021.
  4. ^ "GAA: Derry opt out of pre-season Conor McGurk Cup". derrynow.com. 13 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Official launch of the 2020 Conor McGurk Cup". ulster.gaa.ie. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Donegal land Conor McGurk Cup with emphatic win over Ulster University". Irish News. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Conor McGurk Cup 2023". ulster.gaa.ie. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023. There are ten teams participating in the 2023 Conor McGurk Cup [..] Two University sides (Ollscoil na Ríona and Ollscoil Uladh), seven Ulster counties (Aontroim, Ard Mhacha, An Cabhán, An Dún, Dún na nGall, Fear Manach and Muineachán) and one Leinster county (An Lú)
  8. ^ "Down capture McGurk Cup with dramatic late turnaround". Belfast Telegraph. 20 January 2022.
  9. ^ "GAA: Saffrons show strength-in-depth to retain Conor McGurk Cup". belfastmedia.com. 29 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Antrim claim Conor McGurk Cup with victory over Down". ulster.gaa.ie. 6 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Conor McGurk Cup 2019". ulster.gaa.ie. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Antrim put the foot Down to claim McGurk Cup crown". irishnews.com. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2022.