British University Hurling Championship

Last updated

Michael O'Leary Cup
Current season or competition:
Current event clock.svg2012/13 Michael O'Leary Cup
Irish Corn Michael O'Leary
Code Hurling (British University Championship)
Founded2001/02
RegionThird-Level Institutions (GAA)
Title holders Robert Gordon University (th title)
First winner University of Abertay, Dundee
Most titles Edinburgh Napier University (7 titles)
Official website [1]

The British University Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling competition held for universities in Great Britain. It is organised by the BUGAA [1] which is a branch of the Higher Education GAA committee which oversees Gaelic Games in Universities. Unlike its sister competition, the British University Gaelic Football Championship, this competition is not overseen by the British Universities Sports Association as yet. The best players each year are chosen for an all-star team to play the Scottish Universities Shinty Team. The trophies for British University Gaelic Games Championships memorialise students who were pioneers of Gaelic Games at British Universities. The Michael O'Leary Cup is awarded to the winner of the British University Hurling Championship. It was presented to BUGAA by The Friary, Dundee. [2] The Cup is named after a founder member of the hurling club at the University of Glasgow who died in 2001. [3]

Contents

History

The British University Hurling Championship took longer to get off the ground than its Gaelic Football counterpart, notwithstanding the long history of hurling v shinty tests between Irish and Scottish University teams. In 2001/02 efforts to organise a British Intervarsity Championship finally bore fruit, given an extra stimulus by the exhibition game played by Combined Universities selections of Ireland in 2000. [3] [4] The inaugural British University Hurling Championship was held in Glasgow at Pearse Park in April 2002. The initial tournament involved 'regional' teams plus the University of Abertay as the single university team, the inaugural winner managed by a Kilkenny native, Fr Eugene O'Sullivan. [5] From academic year 2002–03 onwards the championship has been contested by single university teams.

The first single-university championship final was a local derby between the University of Dundee and the University of Abertay, Dundee, when the former took the title. The University of Dundee became the first British and Scottish University to compete in the Fergal Maher Cup Division 3 Hurling Championship. [6] [4] The University of Dundee has won the British University Hurling Championship three times, the University of Abertay once, the University of Glamorgan once, and Edinburgh Napier University seven times. The championship has been hosted in Glasgow, Dundee, Manchester and Solihull, near Birmingham.

The dominance of Scottish universities in this championship reflects the strong diaspora of Irish students at Scottish Universities as well as the presence of shinty clubs on campus which has helped in no small way to promote and develop the kindred Irish sport. [3] [4]

Roll of Honour

Colleges by Wins

TeamCountyWinsLast win
Edinburgh Napier UniversityMidlothian72012/13
University of DundeeAngus32005/06
University of Abertay, DundeeAngus12001/02
University of Glamorgan
(now University of South Wales)		Glamorgan12004/05

Michael O'Leary Cup Champions

  • 2001/02 University of Abertay, Dundee
  • 2002/03 University of Dundee
  • 2003/04 University of Dundee
  • 2004/05 University of Glamorgan
    (now University of South Wales)
  • 2005/06 University of Dundee
  • 2006/07 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2007/08 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2008/09 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2009/10 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2010/11 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2011/12 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2012/13 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2013/14 Edinburgh Napier University
  • 2014/15 Liverpool John Moores University
  • 2015/16 Robert Gordon University

Captains of Winning Teams

YearCaptainCollegeCounty
2001/02Richie McRedmondUniversity of Abertay, Dundee Offaly
2002/03University of Dundee
2003/04University of Dundee
2004/05University of Glamorgan
(now University of South Wales)
2005/06University of Dundee
2006/07Edinburgh Napier University
2007/08Conor Delaney [7] Edinburgh Napier University Kilkenny
2008/09Edinburgh Napier University
2009/10Shane Bennett [8] Edinburgh Napier University Waterford
2010/11Edinburgh Napier University
2011/12Timmy O'Connell [9] Edinburgh Napier University Tipperary
2012/13Edinburgh Napier University
2015/16Gary MurphyRobert Gordon University Cork

Man of the Match/Player of the Tournament Awardees

YearMOTMTop ScorerCollegeCountyPoints scored
2001/02University of Abertay, Dundee
Richie McRedmondUniversity of Abertay, Dundee Offaly
2002/03University of Dundee
Michael Coughlan [6] University of Dundee Galway 2–4
2004University of Dundee
University of Dundee
2004/05University of Glamorgan
(now University of South Wales)
University of Glamorgan
(now University of South Wales)
2005/06University of Dundee
University of Dundee
2006/07Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh Napier University2–3
2007/08Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh Napier University
2008/09Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh Napier University
2009/10Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh Napier University
2010/11Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh Napier University
2011/12Eamon Duane [9] Edinburgh Napier University Galway
Edinburgh Napier University
2012/13Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh Napier University
2015/16Tommy WalshROBERT GORDON UNIVERSITY Kilkenny

Match Details

YearWinnerScoreRunner-upScoreVenueDate
2001–02 [5] University of Abertay, DundeeScottish Select [10] Pearse Park, Glasgow20 April 2002
2002–03 [6] University of DundeeUniversity of Abertay, DundeeDawson Park, Dundee8 March 2003?
2003–04University of Dundeewon
2004–05University of Glamorganwon
2005–06University of Dundee3–07Robert Gordon University1–00Hough End, Manchester26 November 2006
2006–07Edinburgh Napier University1–04Robert Gordon University0–01Hough End, ManchesterNovember 2006
2007–08Edinburgh Napier University0–14Liverpool John Moores University1–01 Páirc na hÉireann, Bickenhill, Solihull10 November 2007
2008–09 [11] Edinburgh Napier University1–07Liverpool John Moores University0–03Páirc na hÉireann, Bickenhill, Solihull9 November 2008
2009–10Edinburgh Napier UniversityPáirc na hÉireann, Bickenhill, Solihull15 November 2009
2010–11Edinburgh Napier University
2011–12 [9] Edinburgh Napier University4–20Robert Gordon University0–07Páirc na hÉireann, Bickenhill, Solihull5 November 2011
2012–13 [12] Edinburgh Napier UniversityPáirc na hÉireann, Bickenhill, Solihull6 November 2012
2015–16Robert Gordon University2–08Liverpool John Moores University0–13Glasgow13 February 2016

References

  1. 1 2 "Universities - Britain GAA". Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Dundee". Archived from the original on 4 September 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Dónal McAnallen (2012). The Cups That Cheered – A History of the Sigerson, Fitzgibbon and Higher Education Gaelic Games, The Collins Press, Cork, pp. 495—509
  4. 1 2 3 Paul Derby & David Hassan (2013). Emigrant Players: Sport and the Irish Diaspora, Routledge, pp. 232
  5. 1 2 Donegal Times, 8 May 2002, http://www.donegaltimes.com/2002/05_1/sport.html
  6. 1 2 3 "University of Dundee, Press Release".
  7. ↑ ; http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=2755658516%5B%5D
  8. ↑ "Shane Bennett's speech after winning the Fergal Maher Cup 2010". YouTube .
  9. 1 2 3 "British Universities GAA Hurling Championships Report - Higher Education".
  10. ↑ Team comprised Irish students hailing from Donegal, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny and Limerick
  11. ↑ https://archive.today/20130712030255/http://www.bebo.com/BlogView.jsp?MemberId=409023136&BlogId=8137892921
  12. ↑ Semi-final: Edinburgh Napier University v Liverpool John Moore's University
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