2026 Nicky Rackard Cup
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| Corn Niocláis Mhic Riocaird | |
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Level | 4 |
| Year | 2026 |
| Trophy | Nicky Rackard Cup |
| Dates | 12 April - 30/31 May 2026 |
| Teams | 7 |
| Defending champions |  Roscommon |
| Winners | |
| Qualify for | Nicky Rackard Cup Knockout Stage |
The 2026 Nicky Rackard Cup will be the twenty-second 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 24–30 in the 2026 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. The competition runs from 12 April to 30/31 May 2026.
Roscommon, winner of the 2025 final, were promoted to the Christy Ring Cup, replaced by Tyrone who were relegated to this competition.[2] New York were promoted from the Lory Meagher Cup.[3]
The second-placed team from the round robin stage will play off against New York in the semi-final.
The top team from the round robin stage will then play off against the semi-final winner in the final to decide the winner of the competition. The Nicky Rackard Cup Final will be played on 30/31 May 2026 at Croke Park in Dublin.
The bottom team from the round robin stage will be relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup. New York will remain in the competition for three years, during which period they must win at least one semi-final to maintain their status, or be relegated back to the Lory Meagher Cup. As such, they cannot be relegated in 2026.
To Championship
Relegated from the Christy Ring Cup
Promoted from the Lory Meagher Cup
From Championship
Promoted to the Christy Ring Cup
Format
Cup format
Initially six teams play the each other five teams in single round-robin matches. The second-placed team after the round robin games will compete against New York in the Nicky Rackard Cup Semi-Final. The top team 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.
Once promoted, New York will have a 3-year period in which to win a semi-final or they will be automatically Relegated to the next lowest Tier. Should New York win a semi-final but remain in a given Tier, a new 3-year period will commence in which they must win a semi-final or be automatically Relegated to the next lowest Tier.[5]
Teams by Province
The participating teams, listed by province, with numbers in parentheses indicating final positions in the 2026 National Hurling League before the championship were:
Connacht (2)
Leinster (1)
Louth (26)
Munster (0)
- None participated
Ulster (3)
North America (1)
New York (DNP)
Teams
General Information
| County | Last Cup Title | Last Provincial Title | Last All-Ireland Title | Position in 2025 Championship | Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Armagh |
2012 | — | — | 3rd | 17th |
 Fermanagh |
— | — | — | 6th | 9th |
 Louth |
— | — | — | 5th | 18th |
 Mayo |
2021 | 1909 | — | Runners-Up | 7th |
 New York |
— | — | — | Champions (Lory Meagher Cup) | 1st |
 Sligo |
2019 | — | — | 4th | 13th |
 Tyrone |
2022 | — | — | 6th (Christy Ring Cup) | 16th |
Personnel and kits
| County | Manager (s) | Captain(s) | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armagh |
Karl McKeegan | Barry Shortt and Odhrán Curry | Simplyfruit |
| Fermanagh |
Daithí Hand and Peter Galvin | Ódhrán Johnston | Belter Tech |
| Louth |
Paddy McArdle and Diarmuid Murphy | Conor Clancy | STATSports |
| Mayo |
Ray Larkin | Eoghan Collins | Intersport Elverys |
| New York |
Richie Hartnett | Navillus Contracting | |
| Sligo |
Tom Hennessey | Kevin O'Kennedy and Andrew Kilcullen | Clayton Hotels |
| Tyrone |
Stephen McGarry | Aidan Kelly | McAleer & Rushe |
Group Stage
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | SF | SA | Diff | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyrone |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10-48 | 3-54 | +15 | 6 | Advance to Final |
| 2 | Sligo |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4-74 | 6-35 | +33 | 4 | Advance to Semi-Final |
| 3 | Mayo |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5-84 | 8-36 | +39 | 4 | |
| 4 | Fermanagh |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3-48 | 4-72 | -27 | 2 | |
| 5 | Louth |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3-40 | 2-68 | -25 | 2 | |
| 6 | Armagh |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5-44 | 7-73 | -35 | 0 | Relegated to Lory Meagher Cup |
Round 1
| 11 April 2026 Round 1 | Armagh | 2-07 (13) - (31) 2-25 | Mayo | Armagh |
| 13:30 | Stadium: BOX-IT Athletic Grounds Referee: Matthew Redmond |
| 11 April 2026 Round 1 | Louth | 1-16 (19) - (15) 0-15 | Fermanagh | Darver |
| 15:00 | Stadium: Protection & Prosperity Louth CoE Referee: Seaghan Walsh |
Round 2
| 18 April 2026 Round 2 | Fermanagh | 2-20 (26) - (25) 1-22 | Armagh | Enniskillen |
| 15:00 | Stadium: Brewster Park |
| 18 April 2026 Round 2 | Sligo | 1-31 (34) - (10) 0-10 | Louth | Sligo |
| 15:00 | Stadium: Markievicz Park |
| 19 April 2026 Round 2 | Mayo | 1-25 (28) - (31) 5-16 | Tyrone | Castlebar |
| 13:30 | Stadium: Hastings Insurance MacHale Park |
Round 3
| 25 April 2026 Round 3 | Louth | 2-14 (20) - (25) 1-22 | Tyrone | Darver |
| 15:00 | Stadium: Protection & Prosperity Louth CoE |
| 26 April 2026 Round 3 | Fermanagh | 1-13 (16) - (40) 2-34 | Mayo | Enniskillen |
| 14:00 | Stadium: Brewster Park |
| 26 April 2026 Round 3 | Sligo | 3-28 (37) - (21) 2-15 | Armagh | Tubbercurry |
| 14:00 | Stadium: Kilcoyne Park |
Round 4
| 9 May 2026 Round 4 | Armagh | v | Louth | Armagh |
| TBC | Stadium: BOX-IT Athletic Grounds |
| 9 May 2026 Round 4 | Mayo | v | Sligo | Castlebar |
| TBC | Stadium: Hastings Insurance MacHale Park |
Round 5
| 16 May 2026 Round 5 | Sligo | v | Fermanagh | Sligo |
| TBC | Stadium: Markievicz Park |
Knockout Stage
Bracket
| Semi-Final | Final | ||||||
| First-Placed Team | |||||||
| New York
| Semi-Final Winner | ||||||
| Second-Placed Team | |||||||
Semi-Final
| 23/24 May 2025 Semi-Final |  New York |
v | Second-Placed Team | TBC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | |||||
|
|
Final
| 30/31 May 2026 Final | First-Placed Team | v | Semi-Final Winner | Dublin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | Venue: Croke Park | ||||
| TV: Spórt TG4
|
Stadia and locations
| 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 |
| New York |
Bronx | USA | Gaelic Park | 2,000 |
| Sligo |
Sligo | Connacht | Markievicz Park | 18,558 |
| Tyrone |
Carrickmore | Ulster | Páirc Colmcille |
