MacRory Cup
| MacRory Cup | |
|---|---|
| Code | Gaelic football |
| Founded | 1923 |
| Region | Ulster (GAA) |
| Trophy | MacRory Cup |
| Title holders | St. Patrick's College, Cavan (12th title) |
| First winner | St. Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh |
| Most titles | St Colman's College, Newry (19 titles) |
| Sponsors | Danske Bank |
| TV partner(s) | BBC |
The MacRory Cup is an inter-college (school) Gaelic football tournament in Ulster. It is named after Joseph MacRory, then Bishop of Down and Connor, who donated the first cup in 1923. Players must be under eighteen-and-a-half at the start of the tournament (that is, be under eighteen at the start of the school year). The winners advance to the All-Ireland colleges "A" senior football championship, where they compete for the Hogan Cup.
Many of the biggest names in Ulster Football graduated from playing for their school in the MacRory Cup, such as Stephen O'Neill for CBS Omagh and Oisin McConville for St Patrick's Grammar School Armagh. Dermot McNicholl played in 5 MacRory Cup finals in the early 1980s with St. Patrick's College, Maghera
The competition begins with a round-robin tournament consisting of two groups of six teams. The top two teams from each group go through to the knockout stages. Four playoff matches are played between the bottom four teams of Group A and Group B to complete the quarter final lineup.
The final is held every year on St. Patrick's Day, and along with the Ulster Schools Cup Rugby final, is televised live on BBC Northern Ireland. The venue for the last number of years has been the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.
Martin Clarke of Australian Rules side Collingwood produced a number of memorable displays captaining his school St Louis, Kilkeel in both 2005 and 2006.[1]
The current holders are St. Patrick's College, Cavan victors in the 2015 final.
Roll of honour
| Rank | Team | Titles | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Colman's College, Newry | 19 | 1949, 1950, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2010, 2011 |
| 2 | St. Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh | 14 | 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1953, 2000 |
| St. Patrick's College, Maghera | 14 | 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2013, 2014 | |
| 4 | St. Patrick's College, Cavan | 12 | 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1943, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1961, 1962, 1972, 2015 |
| 5 | St. Macartan's, Monaghan | 9 | 1925, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1940, 1942, 1952, 1956 |
| 6 | St. Michael's College, Enniskillen | 6 | 1973, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2012 |
| 7 | Abbey CBS, Newry | 5 | 1954, 1959, 1964, 1987, 2006 |
| 8 | St. Patrick's Academy, Dungannon | 5 | 1991, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2009 |
| 9 | Omagh CBS | 4 | 1974, 2001, 2005, 2007 |
| 10 | St. Malachy's, Belfast | 2 | 1925, 1970 |
| St. Mary's Dundalk | 2 | 1938, 1941 | |
| St. Columb's, Derry | 2 | 1965, 1966 | |
| St Marys CBGS Belfast | 2 | 1971, 1986 |
Finals
- Teams in bold went on to win the Hogan Cup in the same year
Longest streaks
| Team | Streak | Years |
|---|---|---|
| St. Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh | 7 | 1923–1929 |
| St. Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh | 4 | 1944–1947 |
| St. Patrick's College, Maghera | 4 | 1982–1985 |
See also
References
- ↑ Steven McVeigh. "Mourne Spirit Triumphs as St Louis Lose out on MacRory Title". St Louis Grammar School
- ↑ BBC Sport (5 February 2003). "MacRory Cup Winners". BBC News. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
- ↑ "MacRory Cup final: Cavan win battle of the Pats". Hogan Stand. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ "MacRory Cup: St Patrick's Maghera 1-12 1-8 Omagh CBS". BBC Northern Ireland. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ↑ "O'Hara's clinical finish decisive for Maghera". Irish Independent. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
- ↑ BBC Report on 2012 final
External links
- Ulster Colleges GAA Organisers of MacRory Cup