The Nicky Rackard Cup (;Tuarascáil An Runaí 2014 often referred to as the Rackard Cup) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. The cup forms the fourth-tier of Hurling for senior county teams (the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is the first-tier trophy). It is contested by the six county teams ranked 24–29 in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Each year, the champions of the Nicky Rackard Cup are promoted to the Christy Ring Cup, and the lowest finishing team is relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup. The winners of the championship receive the Nicky Rackard Cup, named after former Wexford hurler Nicky Rackard regarded as one of the greatest hurlers of all time.
The Nicky Rackard Cup, which was introduced for the 2005 season, is a recent initiative in providing a meaningful championship for third tier teams deemed "too weak" for any higher grades. It effectively replaced the All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship (1912–2004). Originally introduced as a third-tier competition, it is currently the fourth tier overall in the inter-county hurling championship system. Between 2005 and 2017 the Nicky Rackard Cup was the third tier hurling championship. With the introduction of the Joe McDonagh Cup, the Nicky Rackard Cup is the second highest tier of the championship system without entry to that year's All-Ireland finals series (the top two teams in the Joe McDonagh Cup usually gain entry to preliminary quarter-finals of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship).
The title has been won by 10 different counties, 8 of whom have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Donegal, who have won the cup on 3 occasions.Roscommon are the title holders, defeating Mayo by 3-16 to 1-21 in the 2025 Nickey Rackard Cup final
History
Inauguration of the competition
In 2003 the Hurling Development Committee (HDC) was charged with restructuring the entire hurling championship. The committee was composed of chairman Pat Dunny (Kildare), Liam Griffin (Wexford), P. J. O'Grady (Limerick), Ger Loughnane (Clare), Cyril Farrell (Galway), Jimmy O'Reilly (Down), Willie Ring (Cork), Pat Daly (GAA Games Development Officer) and Nicky English (Tipperary). Over the course of three months they held discussions with managers, players and officials, while also taking a submission from the Gaelic Players Association. The basic tenet of the proposals was to structure the hurling championship into three tiers in accordance with 2004 National Hurling League status.
The top tier was confined to 12 teams, while the next twenty teams would contest the second and third tiers which were to be known respectively as the Christy Ring Cup and Nicky Rackard Cup. There would also be promotion-relegation play-offs between the three championship tiers. The HDC also suggested that these games would be played as curtain raisers to All-Ireland quarter-finals and semi-finals.
The proposal were accepted at the 2005 GAA Congress. The Christy Ring Cup and the Nicky Rackard Cup competitions were launched at Croke Park on 8 December 2004.
Format
2005-2006 The twelve participating teams were divided into three groups of four and played in a round-robin format. Each team was guaranteed at least three games each. The three group winners qualified for the knock-out semi-finals of the competition. The runners-up in groups 3B and 3C contested a play-off with the winner playing the runner up in group 3A in a lone quarter-final. The winner of that match joined the three group winners in the semi-finals.
2007-2008
The twelve participating teams were divided into four groups of three and played in a round-robin format, thus limiting each team to just two games each. The eventual group winners and runners-up qualified for the knock-out quarter-finals of the competition.
2009-2017
In 2009 a double elimination format was introduced, thus guaranteeing each team at least two games before being eliminated from the competition. The eight teams play four Round 1 matches. The winners in Round 1 advance to Round 2A. The losers in Round 1 go into Round 2B. There are two Round 2A matches. The winners in Round 2A advance to the semi-finals. The losers in Round 2A go into the quarter-finals. There are two Round 2B matches. The winners in Round 2B advance to the quarter-finals. The losers in Round 2B go into the relegation playoff. The losers of the relegation playoff are relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup for the following year. There are two quarter-final matches between the Round 2A losers and Round 2B winners. The winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals. The losers of the quarter-finals are eliminated. There are two semi-final matches between the Round 2A winners and the quarter-final winners. The winners of the semi-finals advance to the final. The losers of the semi-finals are eliminated. The winners of the final win the Nicky Rackard Cup and are promoted to the Christy Ring Cup for the following year.
2018-present
Beginning in 2018, the Nicky Rackard Cup changed format, with initial ties played in group stages, which in 2018 consisted of one of four teams and one of three. Previously it was a double elimination tournament. The top two teams from both groups advance to the cup semi-finals. The bottom team from each group will progress to a relegation final.
The winner of the Nicky Rackard Cup will be promoted to the Christy Ring Cup, For 2018 only, 2 teams will be relegated from the 2018 Christy Ring Cup to the 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup to bring the number of teams in the 2019 edition to an even 8, allowing for two groups of 4.
The loser of the relegation final will be relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup, to be replaced by the winner of the previous years competition.
Teams
2026 Cup Seven counties will compete in the group stage of the 2026 Nicky Rackard Cup: CountyLocationStadiumProvincePosition in 2025 ChampionshipFirst year in ChampionshipIn Championship SinceChampionship TitlesLast Championship Title ArmaghArmaghAthletic GroundsUlster3rd2005201922012 FermanaghEnniskillenBrewster ParkUlster6th200520250— LouthDroghedaDrogheda ParkLeinster5th200520230 — MayoCastlebarMacHale ParkConnachtRunners-up2016202422021 New YorkBronxGaelic ParkNorth AmericaChampions (Lory Meagher Cup)202620260— SligoSligoMarkievicz ParkConnacht4th2005202522019 TyroneOmaghHealy ParkUlster6th (Christy Ring Cup)2007202622015
Venues
Group stage Fixtures in the five group stage rounds of the cup are played at the home ground of one of the two teams. Each team is guaranteed at least two home games. Some teams get three home games.
Final The Nicky Rackard Cup final is played at Croke Park.
List of finals
List of Nicky Rackard Cup finals YearDateWinnersRunners-upVenueWinning captain(s)Winning marginRefereeCountyScore CountyScore202630 / 31 MayNew York2-22 (28)Tyrone2-17 (23)Croke Park, DublinJohnny Glynn5Ciarán McCloskey (Antrim)202531 MayRoscommon3-16 (25)Mayo1–21 (24)Croke Park, DublinConor Cosgrove & Conor Mulry1Conor Doyle (Tipperary)20242 JuneDonegal3-17 (26)Mayo0-22 (22)Croke Park, DublinConor Gartland4Peter Owens (Down)20233 JuneWicklow1-20 (23)Donegal3-12 (21)Croke Park, DublinJohn Henderson2James Clarke (Cavan)2022May 21Tyrone1-27 (30)Roscommon0-19 (19)Croke Park, DublinConor Grogan11Colm McDonald (Antrim)2021August 31Mayo2-27 (33)Tyrone1-14 (17)Croke Park, DublinKeith Higgins16Richie Fitzsimons (Offaly)2020 November 22 Donegal 3-18 (27) Mayo 0-21 (21) Croke Park, DublinSeán McVeigh6Kevin Jordan (Tipperary)2019 June 22 Sligo 2-14 (20) Armagh 2-13 (19) Croke Park, DublinJames Weir1James Connors (Donegal) 2018 June 10 Donegal 2-19 (25) Warwickshire 0-18 (18) Croke Park, DublinDanny Cullen7Gearoid McGrath (Wexford)2017 June 10 Derry 3-23 (32) Armagh 2-15 (21) Croke Park, DublinOisín McCloskey11Shane Hynes (Galway)2016 June 4 Mayo 2-16 (22) Armagh 1-15 (18) Croke Park, DublinBrian Hunt4Johnny Murphy (Limerick)2015 June 6 Roscommon 2-12 (18) Armagh 1-14 (17) Croke Park, DublinMicheal Kelly1John O'Brien (Tipperary)2014 June 7 Tyrone 1-17 (20) Fingal 1-16 (19) Croke Park, DublinDamien Casey1Declan O'Driscoll (Limerick)2013 June 8 Donegal 3-20 (29) Roscommon 3-16 (25) Croke Park, DublinJoe Boyle4Patrick Murphy (Carlow)2012 June 9 Armagh 3-20 (29) Louth 1-15 (18) Croke Park, DublinRyan Gaffney11Paud O'Dwyer (Carlow)2011 June 4 London 2-20 (26) Louth 0-11 (11) Croke Park, DublinNiall Forde15Michael Haverty (Galway)2010 July 3 Armagh 3-15 (24) London 3-14 (23) Croke Park, DublinPaul McCormack1Declan Magee (Down)2009 July 11 Meath 2-18 (24) London 1-15 (18) Croke Park, DublinNeil Hackett6Owen Elliott (Antrim)2008 August 3 Sligo 3-19 (28) Louth 3-10 (19) Croke Park, DublinDamien Burke9Seán Whelan (Wexford)2007 August 12 Roscommon 1-12 (15) Armagh 0-13 (13) Croke Park, DublinMervyn Connaughton2Joe Kelly (Wexford)2006 August 12 Derry 5-15 (30) Donegal 1-11 (14) Croke Park, DublinMichael Conway16Dominic Connolly (Kilkenny)2005 August 21 London 5-08 (23) Louth 1-05 (8) Croke Park, DublinFergus McMahon15Tiernach Mahon (Fermanagh)
Roll of honour Performances by county CountyTitle(s)Runners-upYears wonYears runners-up Donegal422013, 2018, 2020, 20242006, 2023 Roscommon322007, 2015, 20252013, 2022 Armagh252010, 20122007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 London222005, 20112009, 2010 Mayo232016, 2021,2020, 2024, 2025 Tyrone222014, 20222021, 2026 Derry202006, 2017 — Sligo202008, 2019 — Meath102009 — New York102026— Wicklow10 2023 — Louth04 —2005, 2008, 2011, 2012 Fingal01 —2014 Warwickshre01 —2018
Performances by province DivisionTitlesRunners-upTotal Ulster10919 Connacht6410 Leinster257 Britain235 United States100 Munster000
Team records and statistics Legend
– Champions – Runners-up – Semi-finals/Quarter-finals – Group Stage – Relegated AI – All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship JM – Joe McDonagh Cup CR – Christy Ring Cup LM – Lory Meagher Cup
For each year, the number of teams in each championship (in brackets) are shown. Team2005 (12)2006 (12)2007 (12)2008 (12)2009 (8)2010 (8)2011 (6)2012 (6)2013 (6)2014 (7)2015 (8)2016 (8)2017 (7)2018 (7)2019 (8)2020 (7)2021 (5)2022 (6)2023 (6)2024 (6)2025 (6)2026 (7)Years ArmaghQFSF2ndCRSF1stCR1stCRCR2nd2nd2ndCR2ndR2SF4th3rd4th3rd7th17 CavanGSGSGSQFLMLM——————LMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLM4 DerryCR1stCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCR1stCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCR2 DonegalSF2ndSFGSLMLMLMSF1stSFSFSFQF1stCR1stSF3rd2nd1stCRCR16 FermanaghGSGSGSGSLMLMLMLMLMLMLMRPOLMLMLMLMLM5th6thLM6th6th9 Fingal———SFSFQFSF——2ndQFSF——————————7 LeitrimGSGSGSQFLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMRPOLMSFQFLMLMLMLMLM7 London1stCRCRCR2nd2nd1stCRAIAICRCRCRCRCR——CRCRCRCRJM4 LongfordQFSFQFGSLMLMLMLMLMLMRPOQFQFGSGSR2LMLMLMLMLMLM10 Louth2ndQFSF2ndQFQF2nd2ndQFR2RPOLMR2RPORPOLMLMLM5th5th5th5th18 MayoCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCR1stCRCRGS2nd1stCRCR2nd2ndSF7 MeathCRCRCRCR1stCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRJMCRJMJMJMCRJMCRCR1 MonaghanGSGSQFSFR2R2SFQFSFRPOQFQFSFSFRPOR2LMLMLM6thLMLM17 New York————————————————————LM1st1 RoscommonCRCR1stCRQFSFQFSF2ndSF1stCRCRCRCRCRCR2nd4th3rd1stCR12 SligoGSQFGS1stR2SFQFQFQFRPOLMLMLMLM1stCRCRCRCRCR4th4th13 South Down———QFLMLMLM———————————————1 TyroneSFGSQFQFLMR2LMLMSF1stSFRPOSFSFSFSF2nd1stCRCRCR2nd16 WarwickshireGSGSQFGSLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLM2ndSF——6thLMLMLMLM7 WicklowCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCRCR1stCRCRCR1
Debut of teams YearDebutantsTotal2005 Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, London, Longford, Louth, Monaghan, Sligo, Tyrone, Warwickshire122006 Derry12007 Roscommon12008 Fingal, South Down22009 Meath12010–2015None02016 Mayo12017–2022None02023 Wicklow12024–2025None02026 New York1Total20
Seasons in Nicky Rackard Cup The number of years that each county has played in the Nicky Rackard Cup between 2005 and 2026. A total of 20 counties have competed in at least one season of the Nicky Rackard Cup. Monaghan have participated in the most championships. The counties in bold participate in the 2026 Nicky Rackard Cup.