2018 Nicky Rackard Cup

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox hurling championship | name = 2018 Nicky Rackard Cup | image = | imagesize = | caption = | dates = 12 May 2018 – 23 June 2018 | teams = 9 | champions = [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] | count = 2 | champions captain = | champions manager = [[Mickey McCann]] | runners-up = | runners-up captain = | runners-up manager = | matches = 6 | goals = | points = | top scorer = Joe O'Brien (2-24) | previous year = 2017 | previous tournament = 2017 Nicky Rackard Cup | next year = 2019 | next tournament = 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup }}

The '''2018 Nicky Rackard Cup''' was the 14th staging of the [[Nicky Rackard Cup]] hurling championship since its establishment by the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] in 2005. It was the fourth tier<ref>Hurling tiers - 1. All-Ireland (Liam MacCarthy Cup) 2. Joe McDonagh Cup 3. Christy Ring Cup 4. Nicky Rackard Cup 5. Lory Meagher Cup</ref> of senior inter-county hurling as of 2018.

The competition began on Saturday 12 May 2018 and ended on Saturday 23 June 2018.

[[Derry GAA|Derry]] were the [[2017 Nicky Rackard Cup|2017 champions]], beating [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] in the final. Both teams were promoted to the [[2018 Christy Ring Cup]] as a result of the restructuring of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Following the withdrawal of the Fingal team from the competition in 2017, there was no relegation from the 2017 competition and Warwickshire were promoted from the [[2017 Lory Meagher Cup]].

==Format==

Beginning in 2018, the Nicky Rackard Cup changed to an initial stage of two groups, which in 2018 consisted of one group of four teams and one group of three teams. Previously it was a double elimination tournament.

The top two teams from both groups advance to the knockout semi-finals. The winners of the 2018 Nicky Rackard Cup are promoted to the 2019 Christy Ring Cup. Two teams will be relegated from the 2018 Christy Ring Cup to the 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup to make the 2019 completion into two groups of four teams.

The bottom teams from each group playoff in a relegation match with the losers playing in the 2019 Lory Meagher Cup. They are replaced by the winners of the [[2018 Lory Meagher Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gaelicplayers.com/Portals/0/Special%20Congress%20%20Motions.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514142300/https://gaelicplayers.com/Portals/0/Special%20Congress%20%20Motions.pdf |archive-date=2018-05-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Group stage==

===Group 1===

====Table====

{| 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=30|{{Tooltip|SF|Score for}} !width=50|{{Tooltip|SA|Score against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Diff|Scoring difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !Qualification |- style="background:#ccffcc" |1||align=left|[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20px]] Warwickshire||'''3'''||3||0||0||68||52||+16||'''6''' | rowspan="2" |Advance to knockout stage |- style="background:#ccffcc" |2||align=left|[[File:Colours of Monaghan.svg|border|20px]] [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]]||'''3'''||1||1||1||69||58||+11||'''3''' |- |3||align=left|[[File:Colours of Longford.svg|border|20px]][[Longford GAA|Longford]]||'''3'''||1||0||2||48||59||-11||'''2''' | |- style="background:#ffcccc" |4||align=left|[[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20px]][[Louth GAA|Louth]]||'''3'''||0||1||2||49||65||-16||'''1''' |Advance to relegation playoff |}

====Matches====

=====Group 1 Round 1=====

{{football box collapsible |date = 12 May 2018 |time = |round = Round 1 |team1 = [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |score = 4-19 – 2-11 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/nicky-rackard-cup-roundup-collins-inspires-dominant-farney-36903244.html Report] |team2 = [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |goals1 = E Collins 1-7, M Treanor 1-3, F Rafter 0-5 (2fs) T Campbell, B McGuigan 1-0, C Boye 0-2, A Kenny, C McNally 0-1 each. |goals2 = J O'Brien 2-3, C Mullane 0-4 (3fs), P Walsh 0-2, C Kavanagh 0-1. |stadium = [[Inniskeen Grattans GAC|Grattan Park]], [[Inniskeen]] |attendance = |referee = A Ferguson (Fermanagh) }} {{football box collapsible |date = 12 May 2018 |time = |round = Round 1 |team1 = [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |score = 1-16 – 3-19 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/nicky-rackard-cup-roundup-collins-inspires-dominant-farney-36903244.html Report] |team2 = Warwickshire |goals1 = P Lynch 0-6 (4 fs), D Kettle 1-1, R Byrne (2fs), S Callan, S Connelly 0-2 each, J Crosbie, G Smyth, D Ryan 0-1 each. |goals2 = N McKenna (5fs), D Nugent 0-5 each, P Hoban 0-4 (3fs), S Caulfield 1-1, G Lennon, K Magee 1-0 each, P Uniacke 0-2, J Collins, N Kennedy 0-1 each. |stadium = [[Dundalk]] |attendance = |referee = J Clarke (Cavan) }}

=====Group 1 Round 2=====

{{football box collapsible |date = 19 May 2018 |time = |round = Round 2 |team1 = Warwickshire |score = 1-21 - 3-11 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/warwickshire-blitz-blows-farney-away-36928466.html Report] |team2 = [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |goals1 = N McKenna 0-9 (5f), G Lennon 1-4, P Hoban 0-2 (1f), D Nugent 0-2, B Fallon 0-2, J Collins and S Caulfield 0-1 each. |goals2 = F Rafter 0-7 (2f), M Treanor 1-0, E Collins 1-1, T Campbell 1-1, C Boyle 0-3, P Finnegan 0-1. |stadium = [[Páirc na hÉireann]], [[Solihull]] |attendance = |referee = K Brady (Louth) }} {{football box collapsible |date = 19 May 2018 |time = |round = Round 2 |team1 = [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |score = 0-19 - 0-12 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/obrien-inspires-longford-victory-36928469.html Report] |team2 = [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |goals1 = J O'Brien 0-9 (5f), P Walsh 0-5, K Murray 0-2, C Mullane, C Kavanagh, D Connell 0-1 each. |goals2 = P Lynch 0-4, (3f, 1'65), A McCrave, M Molloy, S Connolly 0-2 each, D Ryan, J Crosbie 0-1 each. |stadium = [[Pearse Park (Longford)|Pearse Park]], [[Longford]] |attendance = |referee = T Gleeson (Dublin) }}

=====Group 1 Round 3=====

{{football box collapsible |date = 2 June 2018 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 3 |team1 = [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |score = 0-18 - 0-18 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/nicky-rackard-cup-power-play-seals-semifinal-spot-36973958.html Report] |team2 = [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |goals1 = P Lynch 0-10 (9f); R Byrne 0-3 (3f); G Smyth, D Kettle, S Connelly, S Kettle, M Molloy 0-1 each. |goals2 = F Rafter 0-10 (9f); M Treanor 0-2; E Collins 0-2; C Boyle, C Flynn, P Finnegan and C Power 0-1 each. |stadium = Dowdallshill |attendance = |referee = G McGrath (Wexford) }} {{football box collapsible |date = 2 June 2018 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 3 |team1 = [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |score = 0-13 - 1-13 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/nicky-rackard-cup-power-play-seals-semifinal-spot-36973958.html Report] |team2 = Warwickshire |goals1 = J O'Brien 0-12 (8f, 1 '65), Jody Leonard 0-1. |goals2 = N McKenna 0-9 (7f, 1 '65'), K Magee 1-0, P Hoban, S Caulfield, C Robbins, B Fallon 0-1 each. |stadium = [[Pearse Park (Longford)|Glennon Brothers Pearse Park]], [[Longford]] |attendance = |referee = J Clarke (Cavan) }}

===Group 2===

====Table====

{| 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=30|{{Tooltip|SF|Score for}} !width=50|{{Tooltip|SA|Score against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Diff|Scoring difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !Qualification |- style="background:#ccffcc" |1||align=left|[[File:Colours of Donegal.svg|border|20px]] [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]]||'''2'''||2||0||0||63||29||+34||'''4''' | rowspan="2" |Advance to knockout stage |- style="background:#ccffcc" |2||align=left|[[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20px]] [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]]||'''2'''||1||0||1||46||49||-3||'''2''' |- style="background:#ffcccc" |3||align=left|[[File:Colours of Leitrim.svg|border|20px]][[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]]||'''2'''||0||0||2||34||65||-31||'''0''' |Advance to relegation playoff |}

====Matches====

=====Group 2 Round 1=====

{{football box collapsible |date = 12 May 2018 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 1 |team1 = [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |score = 1-12 – 1-26 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/nicky-rackard-cup-roundup-collins-inspires-dominant-farney-36903244.html Report] |team2 = [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |goals1 = D Casey 0-7 (4f, 1 '65), B McGurk 1-0, C Kearns 0-2, L Devlin, R McKernan, D Begley 0-1 each. |goals2 = D Coulter 0-13 (9f), D Flynn 1-5, C Matthewson 0-3, G Gilmore 0-2, R McDermott, J Donnelly, C McDermott 0-1 each. |stadium = [[Killyclogher]] |attendance = |referee = }}

=====Group 2 Round 2=====

{{football box collapsible |date = 19 May 2018 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 2 |team1 = [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |score = 2-28 - 2-08 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/flynn-mighty-as-donegal-coast-36928465.html Report] |team2 = [[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]] |goals1 = D Flynn (4f, 1 '65) 1-13, G Gilmore 1-4, J Boyle, K Campbell, L Henderson 0-2 each, C Matthewson, D Cullen, E McDermott, B Lafferty, C McDermott 0-1 each. |goals2 = C Cunniffe (4f) 1-5, B Murray 1-0, C Donovan 0-2, J Clancy 0-1. |stadium = [[O'Donnell Park]], [[Letterkenny]] |attendance = |referee = K McGeeney (Roscommon) }}

=====Group 2 Round 3=====

{{football box collapsible |date = 2 June 2018 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 3 |team1 = [[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]] |score = 2-14 - 2-25 |report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/nicky-rackard-cup-power-play-seals-semifinal-spot-36973958.html Report] |team2 = [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |goals1 = C Cunniffe 0-6 (5f, '65'); C O'Donovan 0-4; C Moreton & J Glancy 1-0 (each); Z Moradi 0-2; A Duffy, J McNabola 0-1 (each). |goals2 = P O'Kelly 0-8; D Casey 1-4 (f); A Kelly 1-1; C Kearns, J Ferguson, J Kelly, T Morgan 0-2 each; R McKernan, B McGurk, D Begley, L Armstrong 0-1 each. |stadium = [[Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada]], [[Carrick-on-Shannon|Carrick]] |attendance = |referee = A Ferguson (Fermanagh) }}

==Knockout stage==

===Bracket=== {{4TeamBracket|RD1=Semi-Finals|RD1-seed3=|RD2-team2='''[[File:Colours of Donegal.svg|border|20px]] [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]]'''|RD2-seed2=|RD2-score1=0-18|RD2-team1=[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20px]] Warwickshire|RD2-seed1=|RD1-score4=1-10|RD1-team4=[[File:Colours of Monaghan.svg|border|20px]] [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]]|RD1-seed4=|RD1-score3='''4-22'''|RD1-team3='''[[File:Colours of Donegal.svg|border|20px]] [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]]'''|RD1-score2=1-14|RD2=Final|RD1-team2=[[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20px]] [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]]|RD1-seed2=|RD1-score1='''1-25'''|RD1-team1='''[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20px]] Warwickshire'''|RD1-seed1=|score-width=|team-width=|seed-width=|RD2-score2='''2-19'''}}

===Semi-finals===

The Group 1 winners play the Group 2 runners-up and the Group 2 winners play the Group 1 runners-up.

{{football box collapsible |date = 9 June 2018 |time = |round = Semi-final |team1 = Warwickshire |score = 1-25 - 1-14 |report = [https://www.hoganstand.com/Tyrone/Article/Index/286281 Report] |team2 = [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = Dowdallshill |attendance = |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |date = 9 June 2018 |time = |round = Semi-final |team1 = [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |score = 4-22 - 1-10 |report = [https://www.monaghangaa.ie/2018/06/donegal-prove-too-strong-in-nicky-rackard-semi-final/ Report] |team2 = [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = Owenbeg |attendance = |referee = }}

===Final===

The semi-final winners met in the Nicky Rackard Cup final at Croke Park with the winners being promoted to the Christy Ring Cup for 2019.

{{footballbox |date = 23 June 2018 |time = |round = Final |team1 = Warwickshire |score = 0-18 - 2-19 |report = [https://www.gaa.ie/news-archive/news/nicky-rackard-cup-donegal-triumph-at-croke-park/ Report] |team2 = [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |goals1 = Niall McKenna 0-12 (8fs), Shane Caulfield 0-2, Paul Hoban 0-1 (’65), Niall Kennedy 0-1, Conor Robbins 0-1, Domhnall Nugent 0-1 (1f) |goals2 = Declan Coulter 1-9 (2fs, 1 ’65), Gerry Gilmore 0-5 (3 sidelines), Gavin Brown 1-0, Davin Flynn 0-2, Bernard Lafferty 0-2, Ciaran Mathewson 0-1. |stadium = [[Croke Park]], [[Dublin]] |attendance = |referee = Gearoid McGrath (Wexford) }}

==Relegation playoff==

The bottom teams in each group - the fourth placed team in group 1 and the third placed team in group 2 - meet in a relegation playoff. The winners remain in the Nicky Rackard Cup for 2019, while the losers are relegated to the 2019 Lory Meagher Cup.

{{footballbox |date = 9 June 2018 |time = |round = Relegation final |team1 = [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |score = 2-22 - 2-10 |report = |team2 = [[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}

* '''[[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]]''' are relegated to the 2019 Lory Meagher Cup. '''[[Louth GAA|Louth]]''' will remain in the 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup

==Stadia and locations== {{Main|List of Gaelic Athletic Association stadiums}}

==Statistics==

=== Top scorers ===

==== Overall ==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Rank ! Player ! County ! Tally ! Total ! Matches ! Average |- |rowspan=1 align=center|1 |Davin Flynn |[[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |align=center|4-31 |align=center|43 |align=center|4 |align=center|10.75 |- | rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|1 |Declan Coulter |[[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |align=center|1-28 |align=center|31 |align=center|3 |align=center|10.33 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|1 |Joe O Brien |[[Longford GAA|Longford]] |align=center|2-24 |align=center|30 |align=center|3 |align=center|10.00 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|3 |[[Niall McKenna]] |Warwickshire |align=center|0-23 |align=center|23 |align=center|3 |align=center|7.66 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|4 |Fergal Rafter |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |align=center|0-22 |align=center|22 |align=center|3 |align=center|7.33 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|5 |Paddy Lynch |[[Louth GAA|Louth]] |align=center|0-20 |align=center|20 |align=center|3 |align=center|6.66 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|6 |Eamon Collins |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |align=center|2-10 |align=center|16 |align=center|3 |align=center|5.33 |- |rowspan=2 align=center|7 |Clement Cunniffe |[[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]] |align=center|1-11 |align=center|14 |align=center|2 |align=center|7.00 |- |[[Damian Casey]] |[[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |align=center|1-11 |align=center|14 |align=center|2 |align=center|7.00 |- |rowspan=1 align=center|9 |Gerry Gilmore |[[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |align=center|1-11 |align=center|14 |align=center|4 |align=center|3.5 |}

==== Single game ==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Rank ! Player ! Club ! Tally ! Total ! Opposition |- | rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|1 |Davin Flynn |[[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |align=center|2-11 |align=center|17 |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |- | rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|1 |Davin Flynn |[[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |align=center|1-13 |align=center|16 |[[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]] |- | rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|2 |Declan Coulter |[[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] |align=center|0-13 |align=center|13 |[[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |- | rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|3 |Joe O'Brien |[[Longford GAA|Longford]] |align=center|0-12 |align=center|12 |Warwickshire |- | rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|4 |Eamon Collins |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |align=center|1-07 |align=center|10 |[[Longford GAA|Longford]] |- |Fergal Rafter |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |align=center|0-10 |align=center|10 |[[Louth GAA|Louth]] |- |Paddy Lynch |[[Louth GAA|Louth]] |align=center|0-10 |align=center|10 |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |- | rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|5 |Joe O'Brien |[[Longford GAA|Longford]] |align=center|2-03 |align=center|9 |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |- |[[Niall McKenna]] |Warwickshire |align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |- |Joe O'Brien |[[Longford GAA|Longford]] |align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |[[Louth GAA|Louth]] |- |[[Niall McKenna]] |Warwickshire |align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |[[Longford GAA|Longford]] |}

== See also ==

* [[2018 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship]] (Tier 1) * [[2018 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship]] * [[2018 Munster Senior Hurling Championship]] * [[2018 Joe McDonagh Cup]] (Tier 2) * [[2018 Christy Ring Cup]] (Tier 3) * [[2018 Lory Meagher Cup]] (Tier 5)

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:2018 in hurling|Nicky Rackard Cup]] [[Category:Nicky Rackard Cup]]