Nicky Rackard Cup 2006

The Nicky Rackard Cup 2006 is the current Nicky Rackard Cup, having begun on Saturday June 10, 2006. 2006 was the second time this new element of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was introduced. It was devised by the Hurling Development Committee to encourage some of the weaker hurling counties and to give them the chance of playing more games. The final will be played on Sunday, August 13 in Croke Park, Dublin City.

Donegal, Armagh, Longford and Derry played in the semi-finals. Longford qualified by defeating the other two group runners-up. After winng their semi-finals, Donegal and Derry contested the final in Croke Park on August 12. Derry won easily and will contest the Christy Ring Cup in 2007.

Format

Twelve teams participate in the 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup. The teams were divided into three groups of four roughly based on geographical criteria. The groups are identical to the Nicky Rackard Cup 2005 except that in 3C Derry replace London, who have been promoted.

• Group 3A: Sligo, Tyrone, Donegal and Fermanagh
• Group 3B: Louth, Cavan, Armagh and Leitrim
• Group 3C: Derry, Warwickshire, Longford and Monaghan

Group 3A

Date	Venue	Winner	Score	Loser	Score
June 10	Irvinestown	Fermanagh	4-15	Tyrone	1-16
June 10	Ballyshannon	Donegal	3-7	Sligo	1-13
June 24	Omagh	Tyrone	1-10	Donegal	4-19
June 24	Markievicz Park	Sligo	4-15	Fermanagh	3-8
July 8	Enniskillen	Donegal	1-17	Fermanagh	0-08
July 8		Sligo	2-15	Tyrone	1-06

Table	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Donegal	3	2	1	0	8-43	2-33	28	5
Sligo	3	2	1	0	7-43	7-20	23	5
Fermanagh	3	1	0	2	7-31	6-48	-14	2
Tyrone	3	0	0	3	3-33	10-49	-37	0

Group 3B

Date	Venue	Winner	Score	Loser	Score
June 10	Ballinamore	Leitrim	0-10	Louth	3-12
June 10		Armagh	6-20	Cavan	0-2
June 24	Knockbridge	Louth	8-25	Cavan	2-3
June 24	Keady	Armagh	4-20	Leitrim	1-9
July 8	Ballyconnell	Cavan	3-05	Leitrim	5-13
July 8	Drogheda	Louth	1-07	Armagh	1-15

Table	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Armagh	3	3	0	0	11-65	2-18	74	6
Louth	3	2	0	1	12-44	3-28	43	4
Leitrim	3	1	0	2	6-32	10-37	-17	2
Cavan	3	0	0	3	5-10	19-58	-90	0

Group 3C

Date	Venue	Winner	Score	Loser	Score
June 10	Ballinascreen	Derry	2-14	Longford	0-12
June 10		Warwickshire	1-11	Monaghan	0-9
June 24	Clontibret	Derry	4-24	Monaghan	0-11
June 24	Pearse Park	Longford	2-18	Warwickshire	0-6
July 8	Páirc na hÉireann	Derry	2-17	Warwickshire	3-12
July 8	Clones	Longford	1-14	Monaghan	1-11

Table	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Derry	3	3	0	0	8-54	3-35	34	6
Longford	3	2	0	1	3-44	3-31	13	4
Warwickshire	3	1	0	2	4-29	4-44	-15	2
Monaghan	3	0	0	3	1-31	6-48	-32	0

Knockout Stages

Match	Date	Venue	Winners	Score	Losers	Score
Quarter-Final Playoff	July 15		Louth	1-18	Sligo	1-13
Quarter-Final	July 22	Pearse Park, Longford	Longford	1-19	Louth	2-7
Semi-Final	July 29	Crossmaglen, Armagh	Derry	3-10	Armagh	0-10
Semi-Final	July 30	Enniskillen, Fermanagh	Donegal	1-19	Longford	0-10
Final	August 12	Croke Park, Dublin	Derry	5-15	Donegal	1-14