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
| 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 tierHurling tiers - 1. All-Ireland (Liam MacCarthy Cup) 2. Joe McDonagh Cup 3. Christy Ring Cup 4. Nicky Rackard Cup 5. Lory Meagher Cup of senior inter-county hurling as of 2018.
The competition began on Saturday 12 May 2018 and ended on Saturday 23 June 2018.
Derry were the 2017 champions, beating 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.
{{TOC Limit|3}}
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.{{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 }}
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 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 Monaghan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 69 | 58 | +11 | 3 |
| 3 | align=left|File:Colours of Longford.svgLongford | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 48 | 59| | ||
| 11 | 2
| | ||||||||
| style="background:#ffcccc"
|4 | align=left|File:Colours of Louth.svgLouth | 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
|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
|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 = Grattan Park, Inniskeen
|attendance =
|referee = A Ferguson (Fermanagh)
}}
{{football box collapsible
|date = 12 May 2018
|time =
|round = Round 1
|team1 = 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
|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
|score = 0-19 - 0-12
|report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/obrien-inspires-longford-victory-36928469.html Report]
|team2 = 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
|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
|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
|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
|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 = 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 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 Tyrone | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 49| | ||
| 3 | 2 | ||||||||
| style="background:#ffcccc"
|3 | align=left|File:Colours of Leitrim.svgLeitrim | 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
|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
|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
|score = 2-28 - 2-08
|report = [https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/flynn-mighty-as-donegal-coast-36928465.html Report]
|team2 = 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
|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
|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
|attendance =
|referee = A Ferguson (Fermanagh)
}}
Knockout stage
=Bracket=
{{4TeamBracket|RD1=Semi-Finals|RD1-seed3=|RD2-team2=File:Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal|RD2-seed2=|RD2-score1=0-18|RD2-team1=File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg Warwickshire|RD2-seed1=|RD1-score4=1-10|RD1-team4=File:Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan|RD1-seed4=|RD1-score3=4-22|RD1-team3=File:Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal|RD1-score2=1-14|RD2=Final|RD1-team2=File:Colours of Tyrone.svg Tyrone|RD1-seed2=|RD1-score1=1-25|RD1-team1=File:Colours of Warwickshire.svg 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
|goals1 =
|goals2 =
|stadium = Dowdallshill
|attendance =
|referee =
}}
{{football box collapsible
|date = 9 June 2018
|time =
|round = Semi-final
|team1 = 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
|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
|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
|score = 2-22 - 2-10
|report =
|team2 = Leitrim
|goals1 =
|goals2 =
|stadium =
|attendance =
|referee =
}}
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 |align=center|4-31 |align=center|43 |align=center|4 |align=center|10.75 |
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|1
|Declan Coulter |align=center|1-28 |align=center|31 |align=center|3 |align=center|10.33 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|1
|Joe O Brien |align=center|2-24 |align=center|30 |align=center|3 |align=center|10.00 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|3
|Warwickshire |align=center|0-23 |align=center|23 |align=center|3 |align=center|7.66 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|4
|Fergal Rafter |align=center|0-22 |align=center|22 |align=center|3 |align=center|7.33 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|5
|Paddy Lynch |align=center|0-20 |align=center|20 |align=center|3 |align=center|6.66 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|6
|Eamon Collins |align=center|2-10 |align=center|16 |align=center|3 |align=center|5.33 |
| rowspan=2 align=center|7
|Clement Cunniffe |align=center|1-11 |align=center|14 |align=center|2 |align=center|7.00 |
| Damian Casey
|align=center|1-11 |align=center|14 |align=center|2 |align=center|7.00 |
| rowspan=1 align=center|9
|Gerry Gilmore |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 |align=center|2-11 |align=center|17 |
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|1
|Davin Flynn |align=center|1-13 |align=center|16 |
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|2
|Declan Coulter |align=center|0-13 |align=center|13 |
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|3
|Joe O'Brien |align=center|0-12 |align=center|12 |Warwickshire |
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|4
|Eamon Collins |align=center|1-07 |align=center|10 |
| Fergal Rafter
|align=center|0-10 |align=center|10 |
| Paddy Lynch
|align=center|0-10 |align=center|10 |
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|5
|Joe O'Brien |align=center|2-03 |align=center|9 |
| Niall McKenna
|Warwickshire |align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |
| Joe O'Brien
|align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |
| Niall McKenna
|Warwickshire |align=center|0-09 |align=center|9 |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Nicky Rackard Cup|width=75%}}
{{All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship}}
{{GAA 2018 | state=expanded}}