Ulster Junior Hurling Championship

The Ulster Junior Hurling Championship was an annual hurling competition organised by the Ulster council. The championship forms the third-tier of Hurling for senior county teams in the province of Ulster (the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is the first-tier trophy). It is contested by the six county teams ranked 18–23 in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Each year, the champions are promoted to the Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship.

Ulster Junior Hurling Championship
CodeHurling
Founded1947; 77 years ago (1947)
Abolished2004
RegionRepublic of Ireland Ireland (GAA)
TrophyNicky Rackard Cup
No. of teams9
Last Title holders Down (8th title)
Most titles Antrim (15 titles)
Official websiteOfficial website

The Ulster Championship was an integral part of the wider All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship. The winners of the Ulster final, like their counterparts in the other provinces, are rewarded by advancing to the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland series of games.

The title has been won by 9 different counties, 8 of whom have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Antrim, who have won the championship on 15 occasions. Down are the title-holders, defeating Fermanagh by 1–11 to 1–09 in the 2004 final.

The competition has not been played since 2004, as all the counties now participate in either the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, Joe McDonagh Cup, Christy Ring Cup, Nicky Rackard Cup or Lory Meagher Cup.

Teams

List of Ulster Junior Hurling Championship counties

The following teams have competed in the championship for at least one season.

County Championship titles Last championship title Current championship
Antrim 15 2002 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Armagh 6 2000 Nicky Rackard Cup
Cavan 2 1985 Lory Meagher Cup
Derry 3 1984 Christy Ring Cup
Donegal 6 2003 Nicky Rackard Cup
Down 8 2004 Joe McDonagh Cup
Fermanagh 1 1994 Lory Meagher Cup
Monaghan 6 1998 Nicky Rackard Cup
Tyrone 3 1999 Christy Ring Cup

Roll of honour

County Titles Runners-up Winning years Losing years
Antrim 15 3 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1968, 1969, 2002 1960, 1964, 2001
Down 8 14 1956, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1992, 1993, 2004 1948, 1949, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1973, 1999, 2000, 2003
Donegal 6 10 1947, 1948, 1972, 1989, 2001, 2003 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1962, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1996, 1998
Monaghan 6 5 1971, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1997, 1998 1967, 1972, 1984, 1989, 1995
Armagh 6 4 1949, 1965, 1973, 1990, 1991, 2000 1947, 1963, 1974, 1975
Derry 3 2 1974, 1975, 1984 1985, 2002
Tyrone 3 2 1995, 1996, 1999 1951, 1993
Cavan 2 2 1983, 1985 1988, 1994
Fermanagh 1 7 1994 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2004

List of finals

Year Winners Runners-up
County Score County Score
2005- No Championship
2004 Down 1–11 Fermanagh 0–09
2003 Donegal 5–13 Down 2–10
2002 Antrim 1–11 Derry 0–04
2001 Donegal 1–10 Antrim 1–09
2000 Armagh 1–15 Down 3–07
1999 Tyrone 1–15 Down 0–06
1998 Monaghan 3–16 Donegal 1–05
1997 Monaghan 3–12 Fermanagh 3–08
1996 Tyrone 4–15 Donegal 2–13
1995 Tyrone 5–11 Monaghan 5–09
1994 Fermanagh 4–20 Cavan 3–02
1993 Down 2–09 Tyrone 1–11
1992 Down 1–09 Fermanagh 0–08
1991 Armagh 2–07 Fermanagh 1–04
1990 Armagh 0–09, 3–07 Fermanagh 0–09, 1–10
1989 Donegal 3–12 Monaghan 0–09
1988 Monaghan 2–12 Cavan 2–08
1987 Monaghan 5–09 Fermanagh 2–10
1986 Monaghan 1–14 Fermanagh 1–10
1985 Cavan 4–07 Derry 0–05
1984 Derry 2–12 Monaghan 1–07
1983 Cavan 2–11 Donegal 1–06
1976-82 No Championship
1975 Derry 0–04 Armagh 0–03
1974 Derry 3–05 Armagh 1–07
1973 Armagh 3–10 Down 1–06
1972 Donegal 5–03 Monaghan 5–01
1971 Monaghan *
1970 No Championship
1969 Antrim 5–16 Donegal 3–08
1968 Antrim 5–08 Donegal 0–03
1967 Down 6–06 Monaghan 1–05
1966 Antrim 3–13 Down 6–03
1965 Armagh 3–07 Down 4–02
1964 Down 9–07 Antrim 4–07
1963 Antrim 6–12 Armagh 2–04
1962 Down 3–07 Donegal 2–02
1961 Antrim 4–07 Down 1–03
1960 Down 5–02 Antrim 1–07
1959 Antrim 8–07 Donegal 2–02
1958 Antrim 3–04 Down 1–03
1957 Antrim 7–11 Down 3–05
1956 Down 4–06 Donegal 3–05
1955 Antrim 5–06, 4–15* Down 4–06, 0–04
1954 Antrim 7–03 Down 1–03
1953 Antrim 2–11 Donegal 1–03
1952 Antrim 4–06 Down 0–02
1951 Antrim 7–01 Tyrone 2–01
1950 Antrim 8–08 Donegal 2–03
1949 Armagh 4–07 Down 3–03
1948 Donegal 3–03 Down 3–01
1947 Donegal 6–02 Armagh 2–03
  • 1970 No record of a championship. Ulster were not represented in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
  • 1971 Played on a league basis – Monaghan were the winners
  • 1955 Unfinished – Refixed

See also

References

Sources