All Ireland Senior Hurling Lower Tier Championships 2026 (LM,NR,CR, Joe McDonagh Cups )

PTH2009 · 03-03-2026 07:23PM #1

Lory Meagher Cup

Cavan

Lancashire

Leitrim

Longford

Monaghan

Warwickshire

The Lory Meagher Cup shall have 6 Teams played on a Round-Robin Basis with Top 2 teams facing off in the final

The winner of the final shall be promoted to the Nickey Rackard Cup for 2027

Round 1- 11th/12th April

Leitrim v Monaghan

Longford v Lancashire

Cavan v Warwickshire

Round 2- 18th/19th April

Monaghan v Cavan

Warwickshire v Longford

Lancashire v Leitrim

Round 3- 25th/26th April

Lancashire v Cavan

Warwickshire v Monaghan

Longford v Leitrim

Round 4- 9th/10th May

Cavan v Longford

Monaghan v Lancashire

Leitrim v Warwickshire

Round 5- 16th/17th May

Leitrim v Cavan

Longford v Monaghan

Lancashire v Warwickshire

Final- Sat 30th May Croke Park

PTH2009 · 03-03-2026 07:30PM

Nicky Rackard Cup

Armagh

Fermanagh

Louth

Mayo

Sligo

Tyrone

New York (From Semi Final stage)

The Nicky Rackard Cup shall initially have 6 Teams (excluding New York) in its Championship, played in a Round-Robin basis.

The county that finishes in the top place shall qualify for the final.

The County which finishes in second place shall play New York in a semi-final with the winners qualifying for the Final.

The winner of the final shall be promoted to the Christy Ring Cup

The bottom-placed team in the “Round-Robin” shall be relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup for 2027 (Exception: If New York does not qualify for the Final, they shall play in a Relegation Play-Off against the bottom Team from the Round-Robin)

Round 1- 11th/12th April

Tyrone v Sligo

Louth v Fermanagh

Armagh v Mayo

Round 2- 18th/19th April

Fermanagh v Armagh

Sligo v Louth

Mayo v Tyrone

Round 3- 25th/26th April

Fermanagh v Mayo

Sligo v Armagh

Louth v Tyrone

Round 4- 9th/10th May

Tyrone v Fermanagh

Armagh v Louth

Mayo v Sligo

Round 5- 16th/17th May

Tyrone v Armagh

Louth v Mayo

Sligo v Fermanagh

Semi Final-23rd May

2nd placed team vs New York

Final- Sat 30th May Croke Park

PTH2009 · 03-03-2026 07:40PM

Christy Ring Cup

Derry

Donegal

Kerry

Meath

Roscommon

Wicklow

The Christy Ring Cup shall have Six Teams in its Championship and shall be played on a Round-Robin basis. The counties that finish in the top two places shall qualify for the final.

The winner of the final shall be promoted to the Joe McDonagh Cup for 2027

The bottom-placed team in the “Round-Robin” shall be relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup for 2027 (Exception If New York win the Nicky Rackard Cup then no team will be relegated from the Christy Ring Cup 2026)

Round 1- 11th/12th April

Donegal v Wicklow

Derry v Roscommon

Meath v Kerry

Round 2- 18th/19th April

Roscommon v Meath

Wicklow v Derry

Kerry v Donegal

Round 3- 25th/26th April

Roscommon v Kerry

Wicklow v Meath

Derry v Donegal

Round 4- 9th/10th May

Donegal v Roscommon

Meath v Derry

Kerry v Wicklow

Round 5- 16th/17th May

Donegal v Meath

Derry v Kerry

Wicklow v Roscommon

Final- Sat 30th May Croke Park

PTH2009 · 03-03-2026 07:48PM

Joe McDonagh Cup

Antrim

Carlow

Down

Laois

London

Westmeath

The Joe McDonagh Cup shall have Six Teams in its Championship played on a Round-Robin basis. The counties that finish in the top two places shall qualify for the final.

The winner of the final shall be promoted to the Leinster Championship Round Robin for 2027

The bottom-placed team in the “Round-Robin” shall be relegated to the Christy Ring Cup for 2027

Round 1- 18th/19th April

Antrim v Down

London v Westmeath

Carlow v Laois

Round 2- 25th/26th April

Westmeath v Carlow

Down v London

Laois v Antrim

Round 3- 9th/10th May

Westmeath v Laois

Down v Carlow

London v Antrim

Round 4- 16th/17th May

Antrim v Westmeath

Carlow v London

Laois v Down

Round 5- 23rd/24th May

Antrim v Carlow

London v Laois

Down v Westmeath

Final- Sat 6th June 3pm Croke Park

Uncle Pierre · 05-03-2026 12:45AM

Wexford man here, with a genuine interest in the lower tier competitions, having hurled with both a Lory Meagher county and a Nickey Rackard county myself (although my playing days are long behind me, and were well before these competitions were established!).

Just wondering - leaving aside the controversy over New York going straight to a Nickey Rackard semi-final this year, is there any appetite in Meagher/Rackard/Ring counties to follow the lead of this year's Laois motion for the McDonagh, and have it such that first-placed goes into the final, while second and third play a semi-final? Personally, I think it's a move that would make sense.

Incidentally, yes, it should be 'Nickey Rackard' (i.e. Nickey with an 'e'). That's the way the man himself always wrote his name. It's inconsisent in the way it's written across things like the official GAA website and RTE website etc., but it's a thing that's important to sticklers from Wexford like me!

legendary.xix · 05-03-2026 08:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124286336#Comment_124286336

2nd v 3rd semi finals should be considered at these tiered levels as well. New York are already being accommodated. Up to the counties involved to bring these motions though.

Antrim, Carlow, Laois and Westmeath have all hurled in the Leinster championship in recent times. While the McDonagh is competitive, not entirely sure these counties are entirely benefitting from being left out of the Leinster championship. It should be explored if at least 2 more can be accommodated.

Quitelife · 05-03-2026 08:28AM

Kerry are doing better than I thought in hurling league , should take beating in Christy ring cup

Mantis Toboggan · 05-03-2026 09:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124286548#Comment_124286548

Absolutely, only team to beat Kildare last year in the Joe Mac, will be tough to beat for sure.

legendary.xix · 05-03-2026 09:33AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124286583#Comment_124286583

Hurling is overly tiered. Kerry were relegated fair and square within the current structures but not sure how hurling is benefitting from having Meath and Kildare swap places for a few years, and now Kerry in tier 3.

All Ireland Senior Hurling Lower Tier Championships 2026 (LM,NR,CR, Joe McDonagh Cups )

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