2005 Nicky Rackard Cup

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{more citations needed|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox hurling championship|name=2005 Nicky Rackard Cup|image=|imagesize=|caption=|dates=|teams=12|champions=London|count=1|champions captain=|champions manager=|runners-up=Louth|runners-up captain=|runners-up manager=|matches=23|goals=|points=|relegated=|top scorer=|previous year=|previous tournament=|next year=2006|next tournament=2006 Nicky Rackard Cup}} 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 of Ireland|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 GAA|London]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.londongaa.org/content_page/221717/ |title=History |website=www.LondonGAA.com |publisher=London GAA |access-date=October 27, 2023}}</ref> beat [[Louth GAA|Louth]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gaa.ie/search/crawl/news/christy-ring-nicky-rackard-and-lory-meagher-cup-final-previews |title=Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cup Final Previews |date=June 3, 2011 |website=www.GAA.IE |publisher=GAA |access-date=October 27, 2023}}</ref> in the [[2005 Nicky Rackard Cup Final|final]] at [[Croke Park]], [[Dublin]].

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<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theirishworld.com/a-rivalry-renewed-but-not-for-the-faint-hearted/ |title=A rivalry renewed, but not for the faint-hearted |last=Dolan |first=Damian |date=April 30, 2020 |website=www.TheIrishWorld.com|access-date=October 27, 2023}}</ref>

==Teams==

=== General Information === {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" ![[County (Gaelic games)|County]] !Last Provincial Title !Last All-Ireland Title !Position in [[2004 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship|2004]] Championship !Appearance |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Armagh county hurling team|Armagh]] |— |— | |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Cavan.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Cavan county hurling team|Cavan]] |— |— | |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Donegal.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Donegal county hurling team|Donegal]] |[[1932 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship|1932]] |— | |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Fermanagh.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Fermanagh county hurling team|Fermanagh]] |— |— |Runners-up ([[Ulster Junior Hurling Championship]]) |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Leitrim.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Leitrim county hurling team|Leitrim]] |— |— | |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of London.svg|border|20x20px]] [[London county hurling team|London]] |— |[[1901 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship|1901]] |Quarter-finals ([[Ulster Senior Hurling Championship]]) |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Longford.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Longford county hurling team|Longford]] |— |— |Runners-up ([[Leinster Junior Hurling Championship]]) |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Louth county hurling team|Louth]] |— |— |Semi-finals ([[Leinster Junior Hurling Championship]]) |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Monaghan.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Monaghan county hurling team|Monaghan]] |[[1915 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship|1915]] |— | |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Sligo county hurling team|Sligo]] |— |— |Runners-up ([[Connacht Junior Hurling Championship]]) |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Tyrone county hurling team|Tyrone]] |— |— | |1st |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Warwickshire county hurling team|Warwickshire]] |— |— | |1st |}

==Group stage==

=== Group A ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pos|Position}} !width=150 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Games played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Wins}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Draws}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Losses}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SF|Score for}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SA|Score against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Diff|Scoring difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !Qualification |- align="center" style="background:#ccffcc;" |1 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Donegal.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] | '''3''' | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14-43 | 5-25 | 45 | '''6''' |Advance to Semi-Finals |- align="center" style="background:#FFFFE0;" |2 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] | '''3''' | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8-44 | 10-30 | 8 | '''4''' |Advance to Quarter-Final |- align="center" |3 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]] | '''3''' | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10-27 | 10-44 | -17 | '''2''' | rowspan="2" | |- align="center" |4 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Fermanagh.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Fermanagh GAA|Fermanagh]] | '''3''' | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5-30 | 12-45 | -36 | '''0''' |}

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Date ! Team 1 ! Score ! Score ! Team 2 ! Venue |- ! colspan="6" |Round 1 |- align="center" | June 18 | Tyrone | 3-17 | 3-7 | Fermanagh | [[Carrickmore]] |- align="center" | June 18 | Sligo | 3-6 | 5-13 | Donegal | [[Markievicz Park]] |- ! colspan="6" |Round 2 |- align="center" | June 25 | Donegal | 3-12 | 1-11 | Tyrone | [[O' Donnell Park]] |- align="center" | June 25 | Fermanagh | 1-15 | 3-10 | Sligo | [[Brewster Park (Enniskillen)|Brewster Park]] |- ! colspan="6" |Round 3 |- align="center" | July 9 | Tyrone | 4-16 | 4-11 | Sligo | [[Carrickmore]] |- align="center" | July 9 | Donegal | 6-18 | 1-8 | Fermanagh | [[O' Donnell Park]] |}

===Group B===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pos|Position}} !width=150 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Games played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Wins}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Draws}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Losses}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SF|Score for}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SA|Score against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Diff|Scoring difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !Qualification |- align="center" style="background:#ccffcc;" |1 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Louth GAA|Louth]] | '''3''' | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9-51 | 4-28 | 38 | '''6''' |Advance to Semi-Finals |- align="center" style="background:#BEDBED;" |2 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] | '''3''' | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12-42 | 6-26 | 34 | '''4''' |Advance to Quarter-Final playoff |- align="center" |3 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Cavan.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Cavan GAA|Cavan]] | '''2''' | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3-13 | 5-37 | -30 | '''0''' | rowspan="2" | |- align="center" |4 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Leitrim.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]] | '''2''' | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3-21 | 12-36 | -42 | '''0''' |}

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Date ! Team 1 ! Score ! Score ! Team 2 ! Venue |- ! colspan="6" |Round 1 |- align="center" | June 18 | Armagh | 1-16 | 1-9 | Cavan | [[Crossmaglen]] |- align="center" | June 18 | Louth | 3-19 | 0-15 | Leitrim | [[Drogheda]] |- ! colspan="6" |Round 2 |- align="center" | June 25 | Cavan | 2-4 | 4-21 | Louth | [[St. Tiernach's Park]] |- align="center" | June 25 | Leitrim | 3-6 | 9-17 | Armagh | |- ! colspan="6" |Round 3 |- align="center" | July 9 | Armagh | 2-9 | 2-11 | Louth | [[Keady]] |- align="center" | July 9 | Leitrim | colspan="2" | Cancelled | Cavan | - |}

===Group C===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pos|Position}} !width=150 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Games played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Wins}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Draws}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Losses}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SF|Score for}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SA|Score against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Diff|Scoring difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !Qualification |- align="center" style="background:#ccffcc;" |1 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of London.svg|border|20x20px]] [[London GAA|London]] | '''3''' | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2-64 | 5-29 | 26 | '''6''' |Advance to Semi-Finals |- align="center" style="background:#BEDBED;" |2 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Longford.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Longford GAA|Longford]] | '''3''' | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6-38 | 4-36 | 8 | '''4''' |Advance to Quarter-Final playoff |- align="center" |3 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Monaghan.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] | '''3''' | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4-36 | 5-42 | -9 | '''2''' | rowspan="2" | |- align="center" |4 | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Warwickshire GAA|Warwickshire]] | '''3''' | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4-24 | 2-55 | -25 | '''0''' |}

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Date ! Winner ! Score ! Score ! Runner-up ! Venue |- ! colspan="6" |Round 1 |- align="center" | June 18 | Longford | 2-12 | 0-21 | London | [[Michael Fay Park]] |- align="center" | June 18 | Monaghan | 0-17 | 1-11 | Warwickshire | [[Gavin Duffy Park]] |- ! colspan="6" |Round 2 |- align="center" | June 25 | London | 1-20 | 2-11 | Monaghan | [[Emerald GAA Grounds]] |- align="center" | June 25 | Warwickshire | 2-7 | 1-15 | Longford | [[Páirc na hÉireann, West Midlands|Páirc na hÉireann]] |- ! colspan="6" |Round 3 |- align="center" | July 9 | Longford | 3-11 | 2-8 | Monaghan | [[Michael Fay Park]] |- align="center" | July 9 | London | 1-23 | 1-6 | Warwickshire | [[Emerald GAA Grounds]] |}

==Knockout stage==

=== Bracket === {{16TeamBracket-Compact-NoSeeds-Byes|RD1= '''Quarter-final playoffs''' |RD1-team08=|RD3='''Semi-finals'''|RD4= '''Final'''|score-width=45|RD1-team07=|RD2-score03=|RD2='''Quarter-finals'''|RD1-score08=|RD1-team15= [[File:Colours of Longford.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |RD1-score15=2-14|RD1-team16= [[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] |RD1-score16=1-14|RD2-team03=|RD1-score07=|RD2-team04=|RD3-score02=1-10|RD3-team03= [[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |RD2-score07=3-14|RD2-team08= [[File:Colours of Longford.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |RD2-score08=3-13|RD3-team01= [[File:Colours of London.svg|border|20x20px]] [[London GAA|London]] |RD3-score01=3-13|RD3-team02= [[File:Colours of Donegal.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |RD2-score04=|RD2-team07= [[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |RD3-score03=3-10|RD3-team04= [[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |RD3-score04=1-08|RD4-team01= [[File:Colours of London.svg|border|20x20px]] [[London GAA|London]] |RD4-score01=5-08|RD4-team02= [[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |RD4-score02=1-05}}

=== Matches === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Game ! Date ! Venue ! Winner ! Score ! Runner-up ! Score |- align="center" | Quarter-Final Play off | July 16 | [[Breffni Park]], [[Cavan]] | Longford | 2-14 | Armagh | 1-14 (AET) |- align="center" | Quarter-Final | July 24 | [[Breffni Park]], [[Cavan]] | Tyrone | 3-14 | Longford | 3-13 |- align="center" | Semi-Final | August 6 | [[Drogheda Park]], [[Drogheda]] | Louth | 3-10 | Tyrone | 1-8 |- align="center" | Semi-Final | August 7 | [[O' Donnell Park]], [[Letterkenny]] | London | 3-13 | Donegal | 1-10 |- align="center" |}

===Final=== {{footballbox collapsible|date=21 August 2005|round=Final|score=5-08 - 1-05|report=|team1=London|goals1=|team2=Louth|goals2=|stadium=[[Croke Park]], [[Dublin]]|referee=}}[[London county hurling team|London]] are promoted to the [[2006 Christy Ring Cup]].

==== Match details ==== {{see also|2005 Nicky Rackard Cup final}} 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.{{fact|date=March 2024}} 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-08-21 |title=London cruise to Nicky Rackard success |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2005/0821/195548-london |website=www.rte.ie}}</ref>

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, [[Niall McEneaney|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 == {{Main|List of Gaelic Athletic Association stadiums}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" ![[County (Gaelic games)|County]] ![[Geography of the GAA|Location]] ![[Province (Gaelic games)|Province]] !Stadium(s) !Capacity |- | style="text-align:left" |Neutral |[[Dublin]] |[[Leinster GAA|Leinster]] |[[Croke Park]] (neutral) |82,300 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] |[[Armagh]] |[[Ulster GAA|Ulster]] |[[Athletic Grounds (Armagh)|Athletic Grounds]] |18,500 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Cavan.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Cavan GAA|Cavan]] |[[Cavan]] |[[Ulster GAA|Ulster]] |[[Breffni Park]] |32,000 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Donegal GAA.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |[[Ballybofey]] |[[Ulster GAA|Ulster]] |[[MacCumhaill Park]] |18,000 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Fermanagh.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Fermanagh GAA|Fermanagh]] |[[Enniskillen]] |[[Ulster GAA|Ulster]] |[[Brewster Park (Enniskillen)|Brewster Park]] |18,000 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Leitrim.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]] |[[Carrick-on-Shannon]] |[[Connacht GAA|Connacht]] |[[Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada]] |9,331 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of London.svg|border|20x20px]] [[London GAA|London]] |[[Ruislip|South Ruislip]] |[[British GAA|Britain]] |[[McGovern Park]] |3,000 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Longford.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |[[Longford]] |[[Leinster GAA|Leinster]] |[[Pearse Park (Longford)|Pearse Park]] |6,000 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |[[Drogheda]] |[[Leinster GAA|Leinster]] |[[Drogheda Park]] |3,500 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Monaghan.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |[[Clones, County Monaghan|Clones]] |[[Ulster GAA|Ulster]] |[[St Tiernach's Park]] |36,000 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]] |[[Sligo]] |[[Connacht GAA|Connacht]] |[[Markievicz Park]] |18,558 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20x20px]] [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |[[Omagh]] |[[Ulster GAA|Ulster]] |[[Healy Park]] |17,636 |- | style="text-align:left" |[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20x20px]] Warwickshire |[[Solihull]] |[[British GAA|Britain]] |[[Páirc na hÉireann]] |4,500 |}

== Statistics ==

=== Scoring events ===

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

== Miscellaneous == * [[London county hurling team|London]] won their 1st championship in 10 years, last winning the [[1995 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship]].{{fact|date=March 2024}}

== See also ==

* [[2005 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship]] * [[2005 Christy Ring Cup]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:2005 in hurling|Nicky Rackard Cup]] [[Category:Nicky Rackard Cup]]