The 2005 Nicky Rackard Cup began on Saturday, 18 June 2005. 2005 was the first time the Nicky Rackard Cup was introduced into the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. It was devised by the Hurling Development Committee to encourage some of the so-called "weaker" hurling counties and to give them the chance of playing more games. It is in effect a "Division 3" for hurling teams in Ireland. The final was played on Sunday, 21 August when London beat Louth in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.

Format Twelve teams participated in the "Nicky Rackard Cup 2005". The teams were divided into three groups of four based on geographical criteria. These groups were: Group 3A: Sligo, Tyrone, Donegal and Fermanagh Group 3B: Louth, Cavan, Armagh and Leitrim Group 3C: London, Warwickshire, Longford and Monaghan

The group winners advance to the semi-finals. The runners-up in Groups 3C and 3B meet in the quarter-final playoff, with the winner meeting the runner-up of Group 3A in the quarter-final.

Team changes

To Championship Transferred from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship and the All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship

Armagh Cavan Donegal Fermanagh (Ulster JHC) Leitrim London (Ulster SHC) Longford (Leinster JHC) Louth (Leinster JHC) Monaghan Sligo (Connacht JHC) Tyrone Warwickshire

Teams

General Information CountyLast Provincial TitleLast All-Ireland TitlePosition in 2004 ChampionshipAppearance Armagh——1st Cavan——1st Donegal1932—1st Fermanagh——Runners-up (Ulster Junior Hurling Championship)1st Leitrim——1st London—1901Quarter-finals (Ulster Senior Hurling Championship)1st Longford——Runners-up (Leinster Junior Hurling Championship)1st Louth——Semi-finals (Leinster Junior Hurling Championship) 1st Monaghan1915—1st Sligo——Runners-up (Connacht Junior Hurling Championship)1st Tyrone——1st Warwickshire——1st

Group stage

Group A

TeamQualification1 Donegal 3 3 0 0 14-43 5-25 45 6Advance to Semi-Finals2 Tyrone 3 2 0 1 8-44 10-30 8 4Advance to Quarter-Final 3 Sligo 3 1 0 2 10-27 10-44 -17 24 Fermanagh 3 0 0 3 5-30 12-45 -36 0

Date Team 1 Score Score Team 2 VenueRound 1 June 18 Tyrone 3-17 3-7 Fermanagh Carrickmore June 18 Sligo 3-6 5-13 Donegal Markievicz ParkRound 2 June 25 Donegal 3-12 1-11 Tyrone O' Donnell Park June 25 Fermanagh 1-15 3-10 Sligo Brewster ParkRound 3 July 9 Tyrone 4-16 4-11 Sligo Carrickmore July 9 Donegal 6-18 1-8 Fermanagh O' Donnell Park

Group B

TeamQualification1 Louth 3 3 0 0 9-51 4-28 38 6Advance to Semi-Finals2 Armagh 3 2 0 1 12-42 6-26 34 4Advance to Quarter-Final playoff3 Cavan 2 0 0 2 3-13 5-37 -30 04 Leitrim 2 0 0 2 3-21 12-36 -42 0

Date Team 1 Score Score Team 2 VenueRound 1 June 18 Armagh 1-16 1-9 Cavan Crossmaglen June 18 Louth 3-19 0-15 Leitrim DroghedaRound 2 June 25 Cavan 2-4 4-21 Louth St. Tiernach's Park June 25 Leitrim 3-6 9-17 ArmaghRound 3 July 9 Armagh 2-9 2-11 Louth Keady July 9 Leitrim Cancelled Cavan -

Group C

TeamQualification1 London 3 3 0 0 2-64 5-29 26 6Advance to Semi-Finals2 Longford 3 2 0 1 6-38 4-36 8 4Advance to Quarter-Final playoff3 Monaghan 3 1 0 2 4-36 5-42 -9 24 Warwickshire 3 0 0 3 4-24 2-55 -25 0

Date Winner Score Score Runner-up VenueRound 1 June 18 Longford 2-12 0-21 London Michael Fay Park June 18 Monaghan 0-17 1-11 Warwickshire Gavin Duffy ParkRound 2 June 25 London 1-20 2-11 Monaghan Emerald GAA Grounds June 25 Warwickshire 2-7 1-15 Longford Páirc na hÉireannRound 3 July 9 Longford 3-11 2-8 Monaghan Michael Fay Park July 9 London 1-23 1-6 Warwickshire Emerald GAA Grounds

Knockout stage

Bracket

Matches Game Date Venue Winner Score Runner-up Score Quarter-Final Play off July 16 Breffni Park, Cavan Longford 2-14 Armagh 1-14 (AET) Quarter-Final July 24 Breffni Park, Cavan Tyrone 3-14 Longford 3-13 Semi-Final August 6 Drogheda Park, Drogheda Louth 3-10 Tyrone 1-8 Semi-Final August 7 O' Donnell Park, Letterkenny London 3-13 Donegal 1-10

Final London are promoted to the 2006 Christy Ring Cup.

Match details

The 2005 Nicky Rackard Cup final was used as a curtain raiser for the semi-final of the 2005 Liam MacCarthy Cup. London won the game by a margin of 15 points.

At half time, thanks to two goals in the space of a minute from Barry Shortall and Kevin McMullan, London led by 2-04 to 0-05. Ten minutes into the second half, London re-opened the scoring for a 2-05 to 0-05 lead. Louth subsequently scored what would be their only goal - and only score of the second half. On 57 minutes, McMullan scored a further goal for London. Four minutes later, Sean Quinn kicked in London's fourth goal. Corner forward Dave Burke subsequently scored a fifth on 67 minutes. Burke clipped over a 65 and Gary Fenton added another point for London before the final whistle.

London: JJ Burke; E Phelan, T Simms, B Forde; J Dillon, F McMahon, B Foley 0-1; M Harding 0-01 (1f), M O'Meara; D Smyth, J Ryan, J McGaughan; D Bourke 1-04 (3f), B Shortall 1-00, K McMullan 2-01.

Subs: E Kinlon (for Smyth 36 mins), G Fenton 0-01 (for O'Meara 36 mins), S Quinn 1-00 (for Shortall 55 mins), P Doyle (for Phelan 68 mins), P Finneran (for McMullan 70 mins).

Louth: S Smith; D Black, A Carter, S Darcy; R Byrne, P Dunne, D Mulholland; D McCarthy, S Callan 0-02; T Hilliard, J Carter, D Byrne; G Smith 1-01 (1f), D Dunne 0-01, N McEneaney 0-01.

Subs: G Collins (for R Byrne h/t), S Byrne (for J Carter 53 mins), A Mynes (for McEneaney 65 mins), N Byrne (for Darcy 71 mins).

Referee: T Mahon (Fermanagh).

Stadia and locations

CountyLocationProvinceStadium(s)CapacityNeutralDublinLeinsterCroke Park (neutral)82,300 ArmaghArmaghUlsterAthletic Grounds18,500 CavanCavanUlsterBreffni Park32,000 DonegalBallybofeyUlsterMacCumhaill Park18,000 FermanaghEnniskillenUlsterBrewster Park18,000 LeitrimCarrick-on-ShannonConnachtPáirc Seán Mac Diarmada9,331 LondonSouth RuislipBritainMcGovern Park3,000 LongfordLongfordLeinsterPearse Park6,000 LouthDroghedaLeinsterDrogheda Park3,500 MonaghanClonesUlsterSt Tiernach's Park36,000 SligoSligoConnachtMarkievicz Park18,558 TyroneOmaghUlsterHealy Park17,636 WarwickshireSolihullBritainPáirc na hÉireann4,500

Statistics

Scoring events

Widest winning margin: 29 points Leitrim 3-06 - 9-17 Armagh (Round 2) Most goals in a match: 12 Leitrim 3-06 - 9-17 Armagh (Round 2) Most points in a match: 34 Louth 3-19 - 0-15 Leitrim (Round 1) Most goals by one team in a match: 9 Leitrim 3-06 - 9-17 Armagh (Round 2) Most points by one team in a match: 23 London 1-23 - 1-06 Warwickshire (Round 3) Highest aggregate score: 59 points Leitrim 3-06 - 9-17 Armagh (Round 2) Lowest aggregate score: 30 points Louth 3-10 - 1-08 Tyrone (Semi-finals)

Miscellaneous London won their 1st championship in 10 years, last winning the 1995 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship.

See also

2005 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2005 Christy Ring Cup

References