{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox hurling championship | name = 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup | image = | imagesize = | caption = | dates = 11 May 2019 - 22 June 2019 | teams = 8 | champions = [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]] | count = | champions captain = | champions manager = | runners-up = [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] | runners-up captain = | runners-up manager = | matches = | goals = | points = | top scorer = | previous year = 2018 | previous tournament = 2018 Nicky Rackard Cup | next year = 2020 | next tournament = 2020 Nicky Rackard Cup }}
The '''2019 Nicky Rackard Cup''' is the 15th staging of the [[Nicky Rackard Cup]] hurling championship since its establishment by the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] in 2005. It is 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 2019.
The competition began on Saturday 11 May 2019 and ends on Saturday 22 June 2019.
[[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] were the [[2018 Nicky Rackard Cup|2018 champions]] and were promoted to the [[2019 Christy Ring Cup]] as a result of the restructuring of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
[[Sligo GAA|Sligo]] were crowned champions after defeating [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] in the final. Sligo's victory completed back to back championship triumphs and promotion from the fifth tier to the third by winning the [[2018 Lory Meagher Cup]] and the 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup.
== Team changes ==
=== To Championship === Relegated from the [[Christy Ring Cup]]
* [[Armagh county hurling team|Armagh]] * [[Mayo county hurling team|Mayo]]
Promoted from the [[Lory Meagher Cup]]
* [[Sligo county hurling team|Sligo]]
=== From Championship === Promoted to the [[Christy Ring Cup]]
* [[Donegal county hurling team|Donegal]]
Relegated to the [[Lory Meagher Cup]]
* [[Leitrim GAA|Leitrim]]
==Competition format==
In 2018 the Nicky Rackard Cup changed to an initial stage of one group of four teams and one group of three teams. Previously it was a double elimination tournament. In 2019 the group stage returned to two groups of four teams.
The top two teams in the two groups advance to the knockout semi-finals. The winners of the 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup are promoted to the 2020 Christy Ring Cup. One team will be relegated from the 2019 Christy Ring Cup to the 2020 Nicky Rackard Cup.
The bottom teams from each group playoff in a relegation match with the losers playing in the 2020 Lory Meagher Cup. They are replaced by the winners of the [[2019 Lory Meagher Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gaelicplayers.com/Portals/0/Special%20Congress%20%20Motions.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2019-05-21 |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>
==Teams== 8 teams competed in the 2019 Nicky Rackard Cup
'''Leinster (2): [[Longford GAA|Longford]], [[Louth GAA|Louth]]'''
'''Connacht (2): [[Mayo GAA|Mayo]], [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]]'''
'''Ulster (3): [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]], [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]], [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]]'''
'''Britain (1): Warwickshire'''
==Group stage==
===Group 1===
====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=40|{{Tooltip|SF|Score for}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SA|Score against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Diff|Scoring difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !width=250|Qualification |- style="background:#ccffcc" |1||align=left|[[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20px]]''' [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]]''' ||'''3'''||2||1||0||74||58||16||'''5''' | rowspan="2" |[[2019 Nicky Rackard Cup#Knockout Stage|Advance to Knockout Stage]] |- style="background:#ccffcc" |2||align=left|[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20px]]''' Warwickshire''' ||'''3'''||1||2||0||63||60||3||'''4''' |- |3||align=left|[[File:Colours of Longford.svg|border|20px]]''' [[Longford GAA|Longford]]''' ||'''3'''||1||0||2||52||62||-10||'''2''' | |- style="background:#ffcccc" |4||align=left|[[File:Colours of Monaghan.svg|border|20px]]''' [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]]''' ||'''3'''||0||1||2||61||70||-9||'''1''' |[[2019 Nicky Rackard Cup#Relegation Playoff|Advance to Relegation Playoff]] |}
====Group 1 Rounds 1 to 3====
=====Group 1 Round 1=====
{{football box collapsible |date = 11 May 2019 |time = |round = Round 1 |team1 = [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] |score = 2-20 - 2-14 |report = |team2 = [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
{{football box collapsible |date = 12 May 2019 |time = |round = Round 1 |team1 = [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |score = 1-12 – 1-15 |report = |team2 = Warwickshire |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
=====Group 1 Round 2=====
{{football box collapsible |date = 18 May 2019 |time = |round = Round 2 |team1 = Warwickshire |score = 2-18 - 1-21 |report = |team2 = [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |date = 19 May 2019 |time = |round = Round 2 |team1 = [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |score = 1-17 - 2-17 |report = |team2 = [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
=====Group 1 Round 3=====
{{football box collapsible |date = 1 June 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 3 |team1 = [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |score = 2-15 - 3-12 |report = |team2 = Warwickshire |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |date = 1 June 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 3 |team1 = [[Longford GAA|Longford]] |score = 0-14 - 0-24 |report = |team2 = [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
===Group 2===
====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=40|{{Tooltip|SF|Score for}} !width=40|{{Tooltip|SA|Score against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Diff|Scoring difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !width=250|Qualification |- style="background:#ccffcc" |1||align=left|[[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20px]]''' [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]]''' ||'''3'''||2||1||0||80||61||19||'''5''' | rowspan="2" |[[2019 Nicky Rackard Cup#Knockout Stage|Advance to Knockout Stage]] |- style="background:#ccffcc" |2||align=left|[[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20px]]''' [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]]''' ||'''3'''||2||0||1||62||63||-1||'''4''' |- |3||align=left|[[File:Colours of Mayo.svg|border|20px]]''' [[Mayo GAA|Mayo]] '''||'''3'''||1||1||1||69||56||13||'''3''' | |- style="background:#ffcccc" |4||align=left|[[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20px]]''' [[Louth GAA|Louth]]'''||'''3'''||0||0||3||65||82||-31||'''0''' |[[2019 Nicky Rackard Cup#Relegation Playoff|Advance to Relegation Playoff]] |}
====Group 2 Rounds 1 to 3====
===== Group 2 Round 1 =====
{{football box collapsible |date = 12 May 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 1 |team1 = [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |score = 1-19 - 2-24 |report = |team2 = [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |date = 12 May 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 1 |team1 = [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] |score = 1-15 - 0-15 |report = |team2 = [[Mayo GAA|Mayo]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
=====Group 2 Round 2=====
{{football box collapsible |date = 19 May 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 2 |team1 = Sligo |score = 3-19 - 1-14 |report = |team2 = Tyrone |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |date = 19 May 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 2 |team1 = Mayo |score = 3-23 - 1-13 |report = |team2 = Louth |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
=====Group 2 Round 3=====
{{football box collapsible |date = 1 June 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 3 |team1 = Sligo |score = 2-16 - 1-19 |report = |team2 = Mayo |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
{{football box collapsible |date = 1 June 2019 |time = 1:00 pm |round = Round 3 |team1 = Tyrone |score = 2-21 - 1-17 |report = |team2 = Louth |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
==Knockout stage==
=== Bracket === {{4TeamBracket|RD1=|RD1-seed3='''1B'''|RD2-team2='''[[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20px]] [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]]'''|RD2-seed2='''1B'''|RD2-score1=2-13|RD2-team1=[[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20px]] [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]]|RD2-seed1=1A|RD1-score4=2-17|RD1-team4=[[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20px]] Warwickshire|RD1-seed4=2A|RD1-score3='''2-21'''|RD1-team3='''[[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20px]] [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]]'''|RD1-score2=1-20|RD2=|RD1-team2=[[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20px]] [[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]]|RD1-seed2=2B|RD1-score1='''2-19'''|RD1-team1='''[[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20px]] [[Armagh GAA|Armagh]]'''|RD1-seed1='''1A'''|score-width=|team-width=|seed-width=|RD2-score2='''2-14'''}}
===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 |id=|date = 9 June 2019 |time = |round = Semi-final |team1 = Armagh [[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20px]] |score = 2-19 (25) - (23) 1-20 |report = https://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/ring-rackard-meagher-cup-round-up/ |team2 = [[File:Colours of Tyrone.svg|border|20px]] Tyrone |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |location=|attendance = |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |id=|date = 9 June 2019 |time = |round = Semi-final |team1 = Sligo [[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20px]] |score = 2-21 (27) - (23) 2-17 |report = |team2 = [[File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg|border|20px]] Warwickshire |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |location=|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 2020.
{{football box collapsible |id=|date = 22 June 2019 |time = |round = Final |team1 = Armagh [[File:Colours of Armagh.svg|border|20px]] |score = 2-13 (19) - (20) 2-14 |report = |team2 = [[File:Colours of Sligo.svg|border|20px]] Sligo |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |location=|attendance = |referee = }} Armagh will remain in the Nicky Rackard Cup. Silgo are promoted and will now play in the [[2020 Christy Ring Cup]]
==Relegation playoff==
The bottom teams in each group meet in a relegation playoff.
{{football box collapsible |date = 9 June 2019 |time = |round = Relegation final |team1 = [[File:Colours of Monaghan.svg|border|20px]] [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] |score = 4-17 - 2-20 |report = |team2 = [[File:Colours of Louth.svg|border|20px]] [[Louth GAA|Louth]] |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = |attendance = |referee = }}
[[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] remain in the [[2020 Nicky Rackard Cup]] and [[Louth GAA|Louth]] are relegated to the [[2020 Lory Meagher Cup]].
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Nicky Rackard Cup|width=75%}} {{All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship}}
{{GAA 2019 | state=expanded}}
[[Category:2019 in hurling|Nicky Rackard Cup]] [[Category:Nicky Rackard Cup]]