2025 Nicky Rackard Cup

2025 Nicky Rackard Cup
Corn Niocláis Mhic Riocaird
Tournament details
Level	4
Year	2025
Trophy	Nicky Rackard Cup
Dates	12 April - 31 May 2025
Teams	6
Winners
Champions	Roscommon (3rd win)
Manager	Kevin Sammon
Captain	Conor Cosgrove
Qualify for	Nicky Rackard Cup Final
Runners-up
Runners-up	Mayo
Manager	Ray Larkin
Captain	David Kenny
Promotion/Relegation
Promoted team(s)	Roscommon
Other
Matches played	16
Total scored	45-595 (45.63 per game)
Top Scorer	Andrew Kilcullen (6-43)
	← 2024 2026 →

Last updated July 25, 2025

The 2025 Nicky Rackard Cup was the twenty-first edition of the Nicky Rackard Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2005 ^[1] and is the fourth-tier of Hurling for senior county teams (the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is the first-tier trophy). It is contested by six GAA county teams ranked 24–29 in the 2025 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. The competition ran from 12 April to 1 June 2025.

Team changes

To Championship

Relegated from the Christy Ring Cup

Sligo ^[2]

Promoted from the Lory Meagher Cup

Fermanagh ^[3]

From Championship

Promoted to the Christy Ring Cup

Donegal ^[4]

Relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup

Monaghan ^[5]

Format

Cup format

Initially each of the six teams play the other five teams in single round-robin matches. The top two teams after the round robin games compete in the Nicky Rackard Cup Final.

Promotion

The Nicky Rackard Cup champions are automatically promoted to the following year's Christy Ring Cup and are replaced by the bottom-placed team in the Christy Ring Cup.

Relegation

The bottom-placed team in the Nicky Rackard Cup are automatically relegated to the following year's Lory Meagher Cup and are replaced by the Lory Meagher Cup champions. However, if New York are the Lory Meagher Cup champions, no team will be relegated from the Nicky Rackard Cup.

Teams by province

The participating teams, listed by province, with numbers in parentheses indicating final positions in the 2025 National Hurling League before the championship were:

Connacht (3)

Mayo (23)
Roscommon (25)
Sligo (28)

Leinster (1)

Louth (29)

Munster (0)

None participated

Ulster (2)

Armagh (26)
Fermanagh (30)

Teams

General Information

County	Last Cup Title	Last Provincial Title	Last All-Ireland Title	Position in 2024 Championship	Appearance
Armagh	2012	—	—	4th	16th
Fermanagh	—	—	—	Champions (Lory Meagher Cup)	8th
Louth	—	—	—	5th	17th
Mayo	2021	1909	—	Runners-up	6th
Roscommon	2015	1913	—	3rd	12th
Sligo	2019	—	—	6th (Christy Ring Cup)	12th

Personnel and kits

County	Manager	Captain(s)	Sponsor
Armagh	Karl McKeegan	Barry Shortt	Simplyfruit
Fermanagh	Joe Baldwin^[6]^[7]	Rory Porteous and Tom Keenan	Belter Tech
Louth	Trevor Hilliard	Conor Clancy	STATSports
Mayo	Ray Larkin	David Kenny^[8]	Intersport Elverys
Roscommon	Kevin Sammon	Conor Cosgrove	Ballymore Group
Sligo	Stephen Sheil	Kevin O'Kennedy	Clayton Hotels

Group stage

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	SF	SA	Diff	Pts	Qualification
1	Mayo	5	4	1	0	8-123	5-82	+50	9	Advance to Final
2	Roscommon	5	3	1	1	11-87	1-95	+22	7	Advance to Final
3	Armagh	5	3	0	2	3-77	5-91	-20	6
4	Sligo	5	2	1	2	11-87	4-102	+6	5
5	Louth	5	1	0	4	5-92	8-92	-9	2
6	Fermanagh	5	0	1	4	3-93	18-96	-48	1	Potentiallly Relegated to Lory Meagher Cup

Round 1

12 April 2025Round 1	Mayo	1-21 (24) - (17) 1-14	Roscommon	Castlebar
15:00	Cormac Phillips 1-4 (0-2f, 0-1 '65); Shane Boland 0-7 (0-5f); Liam Lavin 0-3; Eoin Delaney, Danny Huane, Ryan Duffy 0-2; Jason Coyne 0-1	Report	Robbie Fallon 0-3 (0-3f); Ben McGahon 1-0; Jack Dowling, Brendan Mulry, Cathal Kenny 0-2 each; Eoin Kiernan, Cian Murray, Finn Killion, Conor Cosgrove, Eoin Fitzgerald 0-1 each	Stadium: Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

12 April 2025Round 1	Sligo	0-20 (20) - (15) 0-15	Louth	Sligo
15:00	Andrew Kilcullen (0-10, 4f, 1'65), Paul O’Brien (0-4), Thomas Cawley (0-3), James Weir (0-1), Tony O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1), Eoin Comerford (0-1)	Report	Darren Geoghegan (0-8, 7f), Leon Fox (0-4), Conor Murphy (0-1), Paddy Lynch (0-1), Peter Fortune (0-1)	Stadium: Markievicz Park

13 April 2025Round 1	Fermanagh	0-15 (15) - (16) 1-13	Armagh	Enniskillen
14:00	Luca McCusker 0-5 (0-4f); John Duffy 0-4 (0-2f); Jimmy Tormey 0-3; Francis McBrien, Caolon Duffy, Ben Corrigan 0-1 each	Report	Danny Magee (0-2f, 0-2 '65), Barry Shortt (0-2f) 0-4 each; Connor Renaghan 1-0; Sheá Gaffney 0-2; Charlie McArdle, Kane Laverty, Peter McKearney 0-1 each	Stadium: Brewster Park

Round 2

19 April 2025Round 2	Armagh	0-11 (11) - (32) 1-29	Mayo	Armagh
14:00	Pauric McNaughton 0-3 (0-2f); Sheá Gaffney, Danny MaGee (0-1f) 0-2 each; Stephen Keenan, Peter McKearney, Charlie McArdle, Odhrán Curry 0-1 each	Report	Shane Boland 0-7 (4f), Liam Lavin 0-6, Eoin Delaney 0-4, Simon Thomas 1-1, Cormac Phillips, Eoghan Collins, Bobby Douglas (1f, 1 65’) and Ryan Duffy 0-2 each, Evan Heraty, Brendan Sheridan and Daniel Huane 0-1 each	Stadium: BOX-IT Athletic Grounds

19 April 2025Round 2	Sligo	0-17 (17) - (17) 1-14	Roscommon	Sligo
14:00	Andrew Kilcullen 0-9 (7f); Paul 0'Brien, Darragh Flynn 0-2 each; Paul O'Leary, Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch, Thomas Cawley and Eddie O'Donoghue 0-1 each	Report	Conor Cosgrove 0-5 (4f), Jack Donnelly 1-0, Finn Killion 0-3f, Cathal Kenny and Conor Mulry 0-2 each, Robbie Fallon (f) and Keelan Ryan 0-1 each	Stadium: Markievicz Park

20 April 2025Round 2	Louth	3-20 (29) - (15) 0-15	Fermanagh	Dowdallshill
14:00	Darren Geoghegan (1-5, 4f), Leon Fox (1-4), Conor Murphy (0-4), Seán Conneely (1-0), Paddy Lynch (0-2, 1f), Seán Flynn (0-2), Aaron McGuinness (0-1), Brian Corcoran (0-1) , James Costello (0-1)	Report	Danaan McKeogh (0-5, 5f), Seán Corrigan (0-4), Luca McCusker (0-2), Ben Corrigan (0-2), Adam O'Shea (0-1), Eoin Cleary (0-1)	Stadium: Páirc Naomh Bríd

Round 3

26 April 2025Round 3	Mayo	2-25 (31) - (24) 2-18	Louth	Castlebar
15:00	Cormac Phillips 0-06, Shane Boland 0-05, Kieran McDermott 1-02, Eoin Delaney 0-04, Liam Lavin 0-04, Sioman Thomas 1-00, Daniel Huane 0-02, Ciaran Finn 0-01, Ryan Duffy 0-01	Report	Darren Geoghegan 0-9 (0-6f); Leon Fox 2-3 (1-0p); Paddy Lynch (0-1sl), Seán Flynn 0-2 each; Peter Fortune, Mark Gahan 0-1 each	Stadium: Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

26 April 2025Round 3	Fermanagh	2-18 (24) - (41) 7-20	Sligo	Enniskillen
15:00	L McCusker 1-5; S Corrigan 1-4; D Teague 0-4,3f; D McKeogh 0-3f; E Cleary 0-1; C Duffy 0-1	Report	A Kilcullen 4-7; C Griffin 2-2; F O’Kelly/Lynch 1-0; E O’Donoghue 0-3; P O’Leary 0-3; F Connolly 0-2; T O’Kelly/Lynch 0-1; D Flynn 0-1; T Cawley 0-1	Stadium: Brewster Park Referee: P Dunne (Laois)

27 April 2025Round 3	Roscommon	1-15 (18) - (15) 0-15	Armagh	Roscommon
12:30	S Canning 1-0, R Fallon, C Mulry 0-3 each, J Dowling, C Murray, F Killion 0-2 each, C Cosgrove (1f), M Hussey, B McGahon (1f) 0-1 each	Report	S Harvey (6f, 1’65) 0-8, S Gaffney, C McArdle 0-2 each, P McNaughton, D Fox, D Magee 0-1 each	Stadium: King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park Referee: A McAleer (Donegal)

Round 4

10 May 2025Round 4	Armagh	2-15 (21) - (19) 0-19	Louth	Armagh
12:00	P McKearney 1-2, S Keenen 1-0, S Harvey 0-7 (4f, 1 ’65), C Duffy 0-2 C Renaghan, J O’Connor, C McArdle, B Shortt 0-1 each	Report	D Geoghegan 0-8f, L Fox 0-4 M Gahan 0-4, C Murphy 0-2, Goss Kieran 0-1	Stadium: BOX-IT Athletic Grounds Referee: Kevin Parke (Cavan)

10 May 2025Round 4	Mayo	1-32 (35) - (20) 1-17	Sligo	Castlebar
14:00	Shane Boland 0-9 (0-6f); Liam Lavin 0-5 (0-1f); John Heraty 1-1; Ryan Duffy 0-4; Eoin Delaney 0-3; Cormac Phillips (0-1 '65), Bobby Douglas(0-2f), Daniel Huane, Jason Coyne 0-2 each; Eoghan Collins, Michael Farrell 0-1 each	Report	Andrew Kilcullen 0-8 (0-8f); Robert O'Kelly Lynch 1-0; Conor Griffin, Eddie O'Donoghue, Paul O'Leary 0-2 each; Rory McHugh, Gerard O'Kelly Lynch, Darragh Flynn 0-1 each	Stadium: Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

11 May 2025Round 4	Roscommon	4-27 (39) - (22) 0-22	Fermanagh	Roscommon
14:00	R Fallon (3f) 2-4, B Mulry 0-8, F Killion 1-2, S Canning 1-1, C Murray 0-4, E Fitzgerald 0-3, C Cosgrove (1f, 1 ’65), C Mulry 0-2 each, J Dowling 0-1	Report	S Corrigan 0-6, L McCusker (2f), C Duffy 0-4 each, E Cleary 0-3, T Duane, J Tormey, A Flanagan, F McBrien, C McManus 0-1 each	Stadium: King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park Referee: James Clarke (Cavan)

Round 5

17 May 2025Round 5	Fermanagh	1-22 (25) - (25) 3-16	Mayo	Enniskillen
14:00	J Duffy 1-6 (0-3f, 0-2 65'), S Corrigan 0-7, J Tormey 0-2, T Keenan 0-2, B Corrigan 0-2, A McShea 0-1, U O'Reilly 0-1, O Johnston 0-1	Report	E Delaney 2-2 (0-1f), C Scahill 1-1, S Kenny 0-5 (2f, 1 65'), C Phillips 0-3 (2f), L Lavin 0-2, J Burke 0-1, R Duffy 0-1	Stadium: Brewster Park Referee: Ciaran McCloskey (Antrim)

17 May 2025Round 5	Sligo	3-13 (22) - (23) 0-23	Armagh	Tubbercurry
14:00	A Kilcullen 2-9 (2 pen 8f), D Flynn 1-0, E O'Donoghue 0-2, G O'Kelly-Lynch, T O'Kelly-Lynch 0-1 each	Report	S Harvey 0-9 (8f), T Galvin 0-6, B Shortt, C Renaghan 0-2 each, S Keenan, C McArdle, P McNaughton, C Duffy 0-1 each	Stadium: Kilcoyne Memorial Park Referee: J Judge (Mayo)

17 May 2025Round 5	Louth	0-20 (20) - (29) 4-17	Roscommon	Dowdallshill
14:00	D Geoghegan 0-9 (4f, 1 ’65); M Gahan 0-3; R McKeown 0-2; A McGuinness, C Murphy, T McCreesh, P Lynch, P Lynch, Fox 0-1 each	Report	S Canning 3-2; B Mulry 1-1; McGahon 0-3 (3f); C Cosgrove (1f, 1 '65), C Mulry, A Donnelly 0-2 each; E Fitzgerald, F Killion, J Dowling, R Fellon, L Óg Coyle 0-1 each	Stadium: Páirc Naomh Bríd

Knockout stage

Final

31 May 2025Final	Mayo	1-21 (24)–(25) 3-16	Roscommon	Dublin
13:00				Venue: Croke Park
	Pts: E Delaney 1-3; S Boland 0-6 (3f); L Lavin 0-4; D Huane 0-2; B Douglas, E Collins, K McDermott, R Duffy, J Coyne, S Kenny 0-1 apiece	Report	Pts: S Canning, R Fallon (0-2f), B Mulry 1-2 each; E Fitzgerald 0-3; B McGahan (1f), C Mulry 0-2 each; C Cosgrove (f), F Killion, E Kiernan 0-1 apiece	Referee: Conor Doyle (Tipperary) TV: Spórt TG4

Roscommon wins the Nicky Rackard Cup.^[9]

Stadia and locations

Armagh

Fermanagh

Louth

Mayo

Roscommon

Sligo

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Locations of the 2025 Nicky Rackard counties.

County	Location	Province	Stadium(s)	Capacity
Neutral	Dublin	Leinster	Croke Park	82,300
Armagh	Armagh	Ulster	Athletic Grounds	18,500
Fermanagh	Enniskillen	Ulster	Brewster Park	20,000
Louth	Drogheda	Leinster	Drogheda Park	3,500
Mayo	Castlebar	Connacht	MacHale Park	25,369
Roscommon	Roscommon	Connacht	Dr Hyde Park	25,000
Sligo	Sligo	Connacht	Markievicz Park	18,558

Statistics

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Andrew Kilcullen	Sligo	6-43	61	5	12.20
2	Darren Geoghegan	Louth	1-39	42	5	8.40
3	Shane Boland	Mayo	0-34	34	5	6.80
4	Sheá Harvey	Armagh	0-28	28	5	5.60
5	Eoin Delaney	Mayo	3-18	27	6	4.50
6	Leon Fox	Louth	3-16	25	5	5.00
7	Seán Corrigan	Fermanagh	1-21	24	4	6.00
7	Liam Lavin	Mayo	0-24	24	6	4.00
9	Seán Canning	Roscommon	6-05	23	4	5.75
9	Robbie Fallon	Roscommon	3-14	23	6	3.83

In a single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Andrew Kilcullen	Sligo	4-07	19	Fermanagh
2	Andrew Kilcullen	Sligo	2-09	15	Armagh
3	Seán Canning	Roscommon	3-02	11	Louth
4	Andrew Kilcullen	Sligo	0-10	10	Louth
5	Andrew Kilcullen	Sligo	0-09	9	Roscommon
	Darren Geoghegan	Louth	0-09	9	Mayo
	Leon Fox	Louth	2-03	9	Mayo
	Shane Boland	Mayo	0-09	9	Sligo
	John Duffy	Fermanagh	1-06	9	Mayo
	Sheá Harvey	Armagh	0-09	9	Sligo
	Darren Geoghegan	Louth	0-09	9	Roscommon

Scoring events

Widest winning margin: 21points
- Armagh 0-11 - 1-29 Mayo (Round 2)
Most goals in a match: 9
- Fermanagh 2-18 - 7-20 Sligo (Round 3)
Most points in a match: 49
- Mayo 1-32 - 1-17 Sligo (Round 4)
- Roscommon 4-27 - 0-22 Fermanagh (Round 4)
Most goals by one team in a match: 7
- Fermanagh 2-18 - 7-20 Sligo (Round 3)
Most points by one team in a match: 32
- Mayo 1-32 - 1-17 Sligo (Round 4)
Highest aggregate score: 65 points
- Fermanagh 2-18 - 7-20 Sligo (Round 3)
Lowest aggregate score: 31 points
- Fermanagh 0-15 - 1-13 Armagh (Round 1)
Hat-trick Heros:
- Andrew Kilcullen (Sligo) 4-07 vs Fermanagh (Round 3)
- Seán Canning (Roscommon) 3-02 vs Louth (Round 5)

References

↑ "Kelly favours relaxation of transfer rule". Irish Independent. 2004-12-09. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
1 2 Sport (2024-05-18). "Sligo hurlers relegated from Christy Ring Cup". OceanFM. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
1 2 Gaa.ie (2024-06-02). "Lory Meagher Cup Final: Fermanagh overcome Longford". www.gaa.ie. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
↑ Lochlainn, Rónan Mac (2024-06-02). "Donegal rally to seal Nicky Rackard Cup". RTÉ.ie.
↑ "Monaghan relegated to Lory Meagher Cup after Armagh defeat". NorthernSound. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
↑ "Fermanagh hurling boss Baldwin steps down". Hogan Stand. 20 May 2025.
↑ Ryan, Eoin (21 May 2025). "Pride and frustration for Joe Baldwin after nurturing Fermanagh hurling's green shoots". RTÉ.
↑ "Mayo finish strong to eclipse Louth for third win in Nickey Rackard Cup". Hogan Stand. 26 April 2025.
↑ Gaa.ie. "GAA.ie - GAA Match Video and Highlights, Fixtures and Results, Latest News". Gaa.ie. Retrieved 2025-05-31.

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[1] "Kelly favours relaxation of transfer rule". Irish Independent. 2004-12-09. Retrieved 2025-04-22.

[:0-2] 1 2 Sport (2024-05-18). "Sligo hurlers relegated from Christy Ring Cup". OceanFM. Retrieved 2025-04-22.

[:1-3] 1 2 Gaa.ie (2024-06-02). "Lory Meagher Cup Final: Fermanagh overcome Longford". www.gaa.ie. Retrieved 2025-04-22.

[4] Lochlainn, Rónan Mac (2024-06-02). "Donegal rally to seal Nicky Rackard Cup". RTÉ.ie.

[5] "Monaghan relegated to Lory Meagher Cup after Armagh defeat". NorthernSound. Retrieved 2025-04-22.

[6] "Fermanagh hurling boss Baldwin steps down". Hogan Stand. 20 May 2025.

[7] Ryan, Eoin (21 May 2025). "Pride and frustration for Joe Baldwin after nurturing Fermanagh hurling's green shoots". RTÉ.

[8] "Mayo finish strong to eclipse Louth for third win in Nickey Rackard Cup". Hogan Stand. 26 April 2025.

[9] Gaa.ie. "GAA.ie - GAA Match Video and Highlights, Fixtures and Results, Latest News". Gaa.ie. Retrieved 2025-05-31.

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v t e Nicky Rackard Cup
2026 participants	Armagh Fermanagh Louth Mayo Sligo Tyrone
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)