# Derry county hurling team

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Derry_county_hurling_team
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Derry_county_hurling_team.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derry_county_hurling_team
> Source revision: 1357297551
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Derry county hurling team" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Hurling team

Derry Sport: Hurling Irish: County board: Derry GAA Home venue(s): Celtic Park Recent competitive record Last championship title: Christy Ring (2026) Current NHL Division: 3 (6th, relegated from Division 2 in 2026) Last league title: Division 2B (2024) First colours Second colours

The **Derry county hurling team** represents [Derry GAA](/source/Derry_GAA), the [county board](/source/County_board_(Gaelic_games)) of the [Gaelic Athletic Association](/source/Gaelic_Athletic_Association), in the [Gaelic](/source/Gaelic_games) sport of [hurling](/source/Hurling). The team competes in the [Christy Ring Cup](/source/Christy_Ring_Cup) and the [National Hurling League](/source/National_Hurling_League).

Derry's home ground is [Celtic Park](/source/Celtic_Park_(Derry)), [Derry](/source/Derry). The team's manager is Johnny McGarvey.

The team last won the Ulster Senior Championship in 2001, but has never won the All-Ireland Senior Championship.

## History

[Derry](/source/Derry) was a hotbed of early hurling activity, with the city's St Patrick's club winning the [Ulster Senior Hurling Championship](/source/Ulster_Senior_Hurling_Championship) in 1902–03; county teams mainly drawn from the city won the 1906 championship by a walkover, and the contested 1909 final. However, soon afterwards football become the dominant sport in the county, and hurling activity declined, especially in the city where [association football](/source/Association_football) clubs were active.[1]

It was the 1970s before Derry claimed any more major hurling honours. The county won two [Ulster Junior Championships](/source/Ulster_Junior_Hurling_Championship) in 1974 and 1975, as well as the 1975 [All-Ireland Junior Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Junior_Hurling_Championship). The county also won the [Ulster Minor Championship](/source/Ulster_Minor_Hurling_Championship) twice during the decade in 1973/4? and 1979, before going on to win the next four at the start of the 1980s (1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983); giving the county five consecutive Ulster Minor titles. Derry also won another Ulster Junior (1984) and All-Ireland Junior Championship (1982), with Rory Stevenson still holding a record of his own, as the youngest person ever to play in a Final in Croke Park, that year (1982), playing for Kevin Lynch's Hurling Club Under 14 All-Ireland Féile na nGael winning team.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

The 1990s started with Derry claiming back-to-back Ulster Minor titles in 1990 and 1991. The Under 21 side won two more Ulster Under 21 Championships in 1993 and 1997. Derry won the All-Ireland 'B' Senior Hurling Championship in 1996 and the [Ulster Intermediate Championship](/source/Ulster_Intermediate_Hurling_Championship) the following year.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In 2000 Derry won its first Ulster Senior Hurling Championship in 92 years, and successfully defended it the following year. The county also won the Ulster Minor Championship in 2001. The Seniors won the [Nicky Rackard Cup](/source/Nicky_Rackard_Cup) in 2006. Derry Under 21s claimed back-to-back Ulster Under 21 titles in 2007 and 2008.[2] See [2008 Derry county hurling team season](/source/2008_Derry_county_hurling_team_season) for information from then. The seniors won the Nicky Rackard Cup again in 2017.[3] In 2023 and 2024, Derry U-20s won back to back All Ireland U-20B [4] and Ulster U-20 Championships.[5] Then in 2026, Derry won a second All Ireland U-20B Championship [6] followed by a Christy Ring title for the first time in their history.[7]

## Panel

No. Player Position Club Sean Kelly GK Kevin Lynch's Eoin Mulholland GK Lavey Leo Passmore GK Coleraine David Sheerin GK Slaughtneil Andy McBride DF Ballinascreen Jamie-Lee McGlade DF Ballinascreen Aodhán O'Hagan DF Ballinascreen Cathaoir McGilligan DF Banagher Conor McGurk DF Lavey Eamon McGill DF Lavey Tiernan Melaugh DF Lavey Eoin Scullion DF Lavey Sean Cassidy DF Slaughtneil Conor Coyle DF Slaughtneil Eamon Cassidy DF Slaughtneil Meehaul McGrath DF Slaughtneil Eunan Boylan DF Slaughtneil Patrick Turner DF Swatragh Thomas Brady MF Kevin Lynch's Ryan McGill MF Lavey Ryan McGarvey MF Lavey Cormac O'Doherty MF Slaughtneil Eamon Conway FW Ballinascreen Darragh McGilligan FW Kevin Lynch's Rian Collins FW Lavey Connor Melaugh FW Lavey Fintan Bradley FW Lavey Deaghlan Foley FW Na Magha Michael Lynch FW Na Magha Joseph Mulholland FW O'Donovan Rossa Shea Cassidy FW Slaughtneil Sean Martin Quinn FW Swatragh

## Management team

Manager: Johnny McGarvey

Selectors: Gavan Duffy, Terence Gray, Paul McDermott, Dara Curley

Goalkeeping Coach: Gareth O'Kane

S&C/Physio: Oisin Quinn, Ann Boylan, Kerry Quinn

## Managerial history

[Kevin McNaughton](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kevin_McNaughton_(hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) 1997–2001

[Dominic McKinley](/source/Dominic_McKinley) (Antrim) 2001–2004

[Seán McCloskey](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Se%C3%A1n_McCloskey&action=edit&redlink=1) 2004–2006

[Gabriel O'Kane](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gabriel_O%27Kane&action=edit&redlink=1) 2006–2008

[Brian McGilligan](/source/Brian_McGilligan) 2008–2010

[James O'Kane](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_O%27Kane&action=edit&redlink=1) 2010–2011

[Ger Rogan](/source/Ger_Rogan) 2012–2014

[Tom McLean](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tom_McLean_(hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) 2015–2016

[Colm McGurk](/source/Colm_McGurk) 2017–2018

[John McEvoy](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_McEvoy&action=edit&redlink=1) (Laois) 2019–2020

[Dominic McKinley](/source/Dominic_McKinley) and [Cormac Donnelly](/source/Cormac_Donnelly) (Antrim) 2021–2022

[Johnny McGarvey](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_McGarvey&action=edit&redlink=1) 2023–

## Players

### Notable players

For individual player details, see [Category:Derry inter-county hurlers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Derry_inter-county_hurlers).

### Awards

- **[Champion 15](/source/Champion_15_Awards):**

Derry has 22, as of 2025. 18 different players have won, as of 2025. **2005**: [Gregory Biggs](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gregory_Biggs_(hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) **2007**: [Michael Conway](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Conway_(Derry_hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) **2008**: [Stephen Henry](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stephen_Henry_(hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) **2009**: [Sean McCullagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sean_McCullagh&action=edit&redlink=1) **2010**: [Kevin Hinphey](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kevin_Hinphey&action=edit&redlink=1) **2011**: [Oisin McCloskey](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oisin_McCloskey&action=edit&redlink=1) **2012**: [Alan Grant](/source/Alan_Grant_(hurler)) **2013**: [Paddy Kelly](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paddy_Kelly_(Derry_hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) **2014**: [Aaron Kelly](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aaron_Kelly_(hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) **2015**: [S McCullagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=S_McCullagh&action=edit&redlink=1), [R Convery](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R_Convery&action=edit&redlink=1) **2016**: Oisin McCloskey2nd **2018**: [Cian Waldron](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cian_Waldron&action=edit&redlink=1), [Cormac O'Doherty](/source/Cormac_O'Doherty) **2019**: [Sé McGuigan](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=S%C3%A9_McGuigan&action=edit&redlink=1) **2021**: Cormac O'Doherty2nd **2022**: [Mark Craig](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mark_Craig_(hurler)&action=edit&redlink=1) **2023**: [Richie Mullan](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richie_Mullan&action=edit&redlink=1), Cormac O'Doherty3rd **2024**: Mark Craig2nd **2025**: [Ruairí Ó Mianáin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ruair%C3%AD_%C3%93_Mian%C3%A1in&action=edit&redlink=1), [Eamon Conway](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eamon_Conway&action=edit&redlink=1)

## Honours

- *Official honours, with additions noted.*[8]

### National

- **[All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship)** - **Semi-finalists (1):** [1902](/source/1902_All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship) - **Quarter-finalists (2):** [2000](/source/2000_All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship), [2001](/source/2001_All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship) - **Preliminary quarter-finalists (1):** [1996](/source/1996_All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship)

- **[National Hurling League Division 2B](/source/National_Hurling_League)** - **Winners (2):** [2022](/source/2022_National_Hurling_League#Division_2B), [2024](/source/2024_National_Hurling_League#Division_2B)

- **[All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_B_Hurling_Championship)** - **Winners (1):** [1996](/source/1996_All-Ireland_Senior_B_Hurling_Championship)

- **[All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Junior_Hurling_Championship)** - **Winners (2):** 1975, 1982 - **Runners-up (2):** 1974, 1979

- **[Christy Ring Cup](/source/Christy_Ring_Cup)** - **Winners (1):** 2026 - **Runners-up (5):** [2015](/source/2015_Christy_Ring_Cup), [2021](/source/2021_Christy_Ring_Cup), [2023](/source/2023_Christy_Ring_Cup), [2024](/source/2024_Christy_Ring_Cup), [2025](/source/2025_Christy_Ring_Cup)

- **[Nicky Rackard Cup](/source/Nicky_Rackard_Cup)** - **Winners (2):** [2006](/source/2006_Nicky_Rackard_Cup), [2017](/source/2017_Nicky_Rackard_Cup)

### Provincial

- **[Ulster Senior Hurling Championship](/source/Ulster_Senior_Hurling_Championship)** - **Winners (4):** 1902, 1908, 2000, 2001 - **Runners-up (8):** 1901, 1907, 1931, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2012, 2014

- **[Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship](/source/Ulster_Intermediate_Hurling_Championship)** - **Winners (1):** 1997

- **[Ulster Junior Hurling Championship](/source/Ulster_Junior_Hurling_Championship)** - **Winners (3):** 1974, 1975, 1984

- Ulster Senior Shield - **Winners (1):** 2017

- **[Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship](/source/Ulster_Under-21_Hurling_Championship)** - **Winners (7):** 1986, 1987, 1993, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2017[9]

- **[Ulster Minor Hurling Championship](/source/Ulster_Minor_Hurling_Championship)** - **Winners (9):** 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1990, 1991, 2001

## Head-to-head record

### Head-to-head Championship record

Every championship result since [2015](/source/2015_Christy_Ring_Cup). Includes results from the [Ulster Senior Hurling Championship](/source/Ulster_Senior_Hurling_Championship).

Positive Record Neutral Record Negative Record

*As of 1 June 2026.*

County Team Pld W D L Win % First Meeting Last Meeting Province Antrim 1 0 0 1 0% 2016 Ulster Armagh 2 2 0 0 100% 2017 2018 Ulster Donegal 4 4 0 0 100% 2015 2026 Ulster Down 7 3 0 4 43% 2015 2020 Ulster Kerry 3 2 0 1 66% 2026 Munster Kildare 4 0 0 4 0% 2018 2024 Leinster London 7 5 0 2 71% 2015 2025 Britain Longford 1 1 0 0 100% 2017 Leinster Louth 1 1 0 0 100% 2017 Leinster Mayo 4 2 0 2 50% 2015 2023 Connacht Meath 5 0 1 4 0% 2026 Leinster Monaghan 2 2 0 0 100% 2017 2017 Ulster Offaly 2 0 0 2 0% 2020 2021 Leinster Roscommon 3 2 0 1 66% 2016 2026 Connacht Sligo 5 5 0 0 100% 2020 2024 Connacht Tyrone 4 3 1 0 75% 2025 Ulster Wicklow 7 4 0 3 57% 2016 2026 Leinster

**Counties Derry has never played in the championship since 2015**

Province No. Counties Connacht 2 Galway, Leitrim Leinster 6 Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Laois, Westmeath, Wexford Munster 5 Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford Ulster 2 Cavan, Fermanagh Britain 2 Lancashire, Warwickshire

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Corry, Eoghan](/source/Eoghan_Corry) (1993). *Oakboys: Derry's Football Dream Come True*. Dublin, Ireland: Torc Books Ltd. pp. 54–61. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-898142-10-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-898142-10-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Derry U21s secure Ulster triumph"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7534550.stm). [BBC Sport](/source/BBC_Sport). 31 July 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2017NRCup_3-0)** ["Derry power to Nicky Rackard Cup final win at Croke Park"](https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/derry-power-to-nicky-rackard-cup-final-win-at-croke-park-35811988.html). *[Irish Independent](/source/Irish_Independent)*. 10 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Dominant Derry collect All-Ireland U20 title after memorable day in Croke Park"](https://www.irishnews.com/sport/hurlingandcamogie/2023/05/07/news/dominant_derry_collect_all-ireland_u20_title_after_memorable_day_in_croke_park-3261257/.stm). [The Irish News](/source/The_Irish_News). 7 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Derry dethrone Antrim in Ulster U20 Hurling final"](https://www.irishnews.com/gaa/hurling-camogie/derry-dethrone-antrim-in-ulster-u20-hurling-final-5K2ZUOLA5BGF3BBQ4PSWIHWBXE/.stm). [The Irish News](/source/The_Irish_News). 10 March 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Derry land a second All-Ireland U-20 title"](https://www.gaeliclife.com/news/derry-land-a-second-all-ireland-u-20-title/.stm). [Gaelic Life](/source/Gaelic_Life). 2 May 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Brilliant Derry crowned Christy Ring Cup champions after superb victory over Kerry"](https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/gaa/brilliant-derry-crowned-christy-ring-cup-champions-after-superb-victory-over-kerry-8649683.stm). [Derry Journal](/source/Derry_Journal). 30 May 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ulster_GAA_8-0)** ["Derry — Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Uladh"](https://ulster.gaa.ie/county/derry/). [Ulster GAA](/source/Ulster_GAA). Retrieved 15 June 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Ulster U21HC final: awesome Oak Leafers see off Ardsmen"](http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=273600). *[Hogan Stand](/source/Hogan_Stand)*. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.

## External links

- [Official website](https://derrygaa.ie/category/football/senior-hurling/)

v t e Derry GAA County teams Football Hurling Stadiums Celtic Park Watty Graham Park Competitions Football SFC IFC JFC MFC Other football competitions Hurling SHC IHC JHC

v t e Christy Ring Cup 2026 participants Derry Donegal Kerry Meath Roscommon Wicklow Seasons 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Finals 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Liam MacCarthy Cup (Tier 1) Joe McDonagh Cup (Tier 2) Christy Ring Cup (Tier 3) Nicky Rackard Cup (Tier 4) Lory Meagher Cup (Tier 5)

v t e National Leagues of the Gaelic Athletic Association National Football League (2026) Division 1 Armagh Donegal Dublin Galway Kerry Mayo Monaghan Roscommon Division 2 Cavan Cork Derry Kildare Louth Meath Offaly Tyrone Division 3 Clare Down Fermanagh Laois Limerick Sligo Westmeath Wexford Division 4 Antrim Carlow Leitrim Longford London Tipperary Waterford Wicklow National Hurling League (2026) Division 1A Cork Kilkenny Galway Limerick Offaly Tipperary Waterford Division 1B Antrim Carlow Clare Down Dublin Kildare Wexford Division 2 Derry Kerry Laois London Mayo Meath Westmeath Division 3 Armagh Donegal Fermanagh Louth Roscommon Tyrone Wicklow Division 4 Cavan Lancashire Leitrim Longford Monaghan Sligo Warwickshire

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Derry county hurling team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derry_county_hurling_team) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derry_county_hurling_team?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.