2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

Dates	17 June 2010 (2010-06-17) – 8 July 2010 (2010-07-08)
Teams	10
Champions	Antrim (50th title)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	9
← 2009 (Previous) (Next) 2011 →

The 2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship was the 65th installment of the annual Ulster Senior Hurling Championship held under the auspices of the Ulster GAA. Antrim were the defending champions and successfully claimed their ninth consecutive title, beating finalists Down.

Format

The draw for the Ulster championship was seeded, and took place in a staggered single elimination format. Antrim received a bye to the final, Down and Derry to the quarteri-final and London to the second round. All six other teams entered in the first round.

There was no entry from the Ulster Championship to the 2010 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship proper. Antrim instead entered that competition through the preliminary round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.

The other Ulster teams were not eligible, and took part in lower tier competitions, such as the 2010 Christy Ring Cup, the second tier All-Ireland hurling championship.

The number of teams in the championship for 2010, as in 2008 and 2009, was ten.

In order to avoid mismatches, the draw was set in set so that the weaker counties were not faced with the prospect of facing regional powers Antrim at an early stage; instead all the other counties took part in a series of elimination matches for the right to meet Antrim in the final.

Controversy

In the semifinal, London were expected to play Down for the right to face Antrim in the final. However, a class of fixtures occurred with London participating in the Nicky Rackard Cup, the third tier All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship competition.

As Ulster GAA refused to re-organise the fixture, London forfeited the tie by walkover to Down; shortly thereafter, London GAA signalled their intention to leave the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship from 2011.

Teams

Antrim	Armagh	Derry	Down	Cavan
Titles
49	0	4	4	0
Last title
2009	n/a	2001	1997	n/a
Fermanagh	Tyrone	Monaghan	Donegal	London
Titles
0	0	2	3	0
Last title
n/a	n/a	1915	1932	n/a

Bracket

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals					Semifinal
	Armagh		3-23 (32)
	Donegal		1-13 (16)			Armagh		3-20 (29)
	Tyrone		6-24 (42)			Tyrome		2-0 (15)
	Cavan		1-14 (17)								Armagh		0-9 (9)
											Down		4-24 (36)
																London
	Fermanagh		2-10 (16)													Down		walkover
	Monaghan		1-15 (18)			London		3-16 (25)
						Monaghan		1-15 (18)
											London		2-12 (18)			2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Final
											Derry		0-15 (15)
																Antrim		4-22 (34)
																Down		1-12 (15)

External links

• Ulster GAA website