Conor McGurk Cup
| Conor McGurk Cup | |
|---|---|
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Region | Ulster (GAA) |
| Trophy | Conor McGurk Cup Trophy |
| No. of teams | 10 (as of 2023)[1] |
| Title holders |  Down (2nd title) |
| Sponsors | Bank 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 Antrim county hurling team won the 2021 competition,[6] and Down won in 2022.[1]
Teams
As of 2023 the competition involved 10 teams, including:[1][7]
| Teams (12) | County/University | Province | Title(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of titles | Most recent title | |||
| Antrim | County | Ulster | 3 | 2021 |
| Armagh | County | Ulster | 0 | - |
| Cavan | County | Ulster | 0 | - |
| Donegal | County | Ulster | 1 | 2023 |
| 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 | |
| 2023 | Donegal | 5-28 | Ulster University | 0-21 |
| 2022[8] | Down | 1-22 | Donegal | 2-18 |
| 2021[6] | Antrim | 4-24 | Down | 1-19 |
| 2020[9] | Antrim | 2-19 | Down | 0-13 |
| 2019[10] | Down | 1-19 | Ulster University | 0-19 |
| 2018[11] | Antrim | 3-26 | Down | 1-14 |
Roll of honour
| # | Team | Titles | Runners-up | Years won | Years runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Antrim
|
3 | 0 | 2018, 2020, 2021 | - |
| 2 | Down
|
2 | 3 | 2019, 2022 | 2018, 2020, 2021 |
| 3 |  Donegal
|
1 | 1 | 2023 | 2022[8] |
| 4 | Ulster University
|
0 | 2 | - | 2019,[10] 2023 |
References
- ^ a b c "Familiar foes get Conor McGurk Cup underway". irishnews.com. 3 January 2023.
- ^ "Bank of Ireland Launch Sponsorship of Conor McGurk Cup". bankofirelanduk.com (Press release). 15 December 2018.
- ^ a b "2022 Conor McGurk Cup fixtures confirmed". ulster.gaa.ie. 22 December 2021.
- ^ "GAA: Derry opt out of pre-season Conor McGurk Cup". derrynow.com. 13 December 2017.
- ^ "Official launch of the 2020 Conor McGurk Cup". ulster.gaa.ie. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b "GAA: Saffrons show strength-in-depth to retain Conor McGurk Cup". belfastmedia.com. 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Conor McGurk Cup 2023". ulster.gaa.ie. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Down capture McGurk Cup with dramatic late turnaround". Belfast Telegraph. 20 January 2022.
- ^ "Antrim claim Conor McGurk Cup with victory over Down". ulster.gaa.ie. 6 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Conor McGurk Cup 2019". ulster.gaa.ie. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Antrim put the foot Down to claim McGurk Cup crown". irishnews.com. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2022.