The Women's Irish Senior Cup is the premier knockout trophy played for by the top women's field hockey clubs in Ireland. The competition is held under the auspices of the Irish Hockey Association, a body that was formed with the merger of the men's and women's Unions in 2000. The Irish Ladies Hockey Union was the first women's hockey organisation in the world.
Historical format
From its start in 1903, the tournament was played through regional tournaments. The winners of the regional tournaments in Leinster, Munster and Ulster would proceed through to an open draw. Occasionally representatives from the South East Branch and the Connacht Branch also took part. In 1990, it was decided to change the format to an open draw with the top four sides from each of the provinces competing.
Current format
In 1995 the decision was made to open the competition to all Senior Clubs in Ireland with seeding for the elite clubs introduced in 2000, exempting them from playing in the first two rounds, and going a long way to avoid mismatches.
The Final is played in Dublin and is normally broadcast by the Irish national television broadcaster RTÉ.
Finals (Records are incomplete)
1900s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1903Merton40Holywood1904 Merton 1905 Killiney42 Holywood 1906 Alexandra43 Cork Ladies 1907 Alexandra 1908 Excelsior 1909 Killiney
1910s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1910Cork Ladies1911 Cork Ladies 1912 Killiney63 Knock 1913 Killineywo Knock 1914 Knock 1915 Killiney42 Knock 1916 Not Played1917 Not Played1918 Not Played1919 Not Played
1920s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1920Maids of the Mountain32Knock1921 Knock70 Waterford1922 Alexandra50 Waterford1923 Maids of the Mountain 1924 Alexandra Knock Replay - Game 1: 2-2 after extra time1925 Knock21 Alexandra1926 Queen's University21 Maids of the Mountain after extra time1927 Queen's University20 Cork Ladies1928 Knock91 Maids of the Mountain1929 Queen's University64 Maids of the Mountain after extra time
1930s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1930Maids of the Mountain1931 Pembroke Wanderers 1932 Ards42 Cork Ladies1933 Cork Ladies Dublin University 1934 Cork Ladies Alexandra 1935 Maids51 Instonians1936 Muckross42 Ards1937 Pembroke Wanderers30 Ards Replay - Game 1: 1-11938 Muckross10 Cork Ladies1939 Muckross41 Ards
1940s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1940Loreto1941 Not Played1942 Not Played1943 Not Played1944 Not Played1945 Not Played1946 Loreto32 Victorians 1947 Pembroke Wanderers 1948 Pembroke Wanderers21 Knock1949 Pembroke Wanderers40 Owls
1950s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1950Pembroke Wanderers41Ashton1951 UCD21 Victorians after extra time1952 Pembroke Wanderers 1953 Loreto21 Ashton1954 Muckross71 St Dominic's Past Pupils1955 Instonians 31 Loreto1956 Loreto41 University College Cork1957 St Dominic's Past Pupils21 Loreto1958 Loreto80 Old Ursulines1959 Muckross41 Ards
1960s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1960Loreto30Instonians1961 Muckross32 Old Ursulines1962 Victorians60 Old Ursulines1963 Muckross20 Victorians1964 Ards30 Old Ursulines1965 Pembroke Wanderers53 Instonians1966 Muckross Old Ursulines 1967 Pembroke Wanderers 10 Old Ursulines1968 Muckross42 Pegasus after extra time1969 Muckross32 Pegasus
1970s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1970 Pembroke Wanderers21Old Ursulines1971 Muckross10 Ulster College of Physical Education1972 Portadown31 Muckross1973 Pembroke Wanderers 1974 Pegasus20 Hermes1975 Pembroke Wanderers10 Pegasus1976 Muckross20 Pegasus Replay - Game 1: 1-11977 Portadown21 Loreto 1978 Pegasus30 Cork Church of Ireland1979 Muckross Catholic Institute
1980s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1980Portadown10Belvedere1981 Pegasus21 Genesisafter extra time1982 Muckross Ashton Replay - Game 1: 0-01983 Portadown32 Muckross after extra time in replay - Game 1: 1-11984 Pegasus31 Catholic Institute1985 Portadown10 Pegasus 1986 Portadown10 Old Alexandra Replay - Game 1: 1-11987 Pegasus Portadown 1988 Old Alexandra Pembroke Wanderers 1989 Pegasus20 Muckross Replay - Game 1: 0-0
1990s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1990Portadown Muckross1991 Old Alexandra Muckross 1992 Pegasus10 Portadown 1993 Portadown20 Loreto 1994 Muckross10 Pegasus1995 Pegasus20 Muckross1996 Pegasus21 Muckrossafter extra time1997 Hermes21 Muckross1998 Pegasus50 Old Alexandra 1999 Hermes32 Pegasus
2000s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes2000Cork Harlequins21Hermes2001 Ballymoney11 Pegasus Ballymoney won 3-2 on penalties 2002 Loreto22 Hermes Loreto won 3-1 on penalties 2003 Loreto32 Cork Harlequins after extra time 2004 Pegasus21 Hermes2005 Hermes22 Ballymoney Hermes won 4-3 on penalties 2006 Hermes10 Old Alexandra 2007 Pegasus10 Pembroke Wanderers2008 Pegasus21 Ballymoney2009 UCD41 Pegasus
2010s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes2009-10Loreto22Railway UnionLoreto won 4-2 on penalties2010-11 Pegasus31 Hermes 2011-12 UCD32 Loreto 2012-13 Railway Union32 UCD 2013-14 UCD20 Pembroke Wanderers 2014-15 Ulster Elks10 Hermes 2015-16 Ulster Elks11 Ards After extra time; Elks won on penalty strokes 2016-17 UCD10 Cork Harlequins 2017-18 UCD40 Pegasus 2018-19 Cork Harlequins22 Loreto Harlequins won 2-1 in shoot-outIrish Examiner
Notes:
a Alexandra College/Old College would later be named Old Alexandra
2020s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes2019-20UCD31PegasusBBC2020-21not played2021-22Catholic Institute10PembrokeHockey Ireland2022-23Monkstown31Catholic InstituteHockey Ireland2023-24Railway Union10Catholic InstituteHersport2024-25Railway Union21LoretoHockey Ireland 2025-26 Railway Union Monkstown
Sources
External links The Irish Hockey Association Website