Trench Cup

Gaelic football competition From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Trench Cup is the second-tier Gaelic football championship trophy for third-level education colleges, institutes of technology and universities in Ireland and England (first tier is the Sigerson Cup and third tier is Corn na Mac Léinn). The Trench Cup Championship is administered by Comhairle Ard Oideachais, the Gaelic Athletic Association's Higher Education Council.

IrishCorn Uí Thrinsigh
CodeGaelic Football, second tier
Founded1976
RegionThird-Level Institutions (GAA)
Quick facts Irish, Code ...
Trench Cup
IrishCorn Uí Thrinsigh
CodeGaelic Football, second tier
Founded1976
RegionThird-Level Institutions (GAA)
Title holdersTrinity College Dublin (3rd title)
First winnerThomond College
Most titlesInstitute of Technology, Sligo; Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach (5 titles)
SponsorsElectric Ireland
Official websitehttps://www.gaa.ie/highereducation/fixtures-and-results/trench-cup/
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History

In 1975 moves were made by non-university colleges to set up their own knock-out Gaelic football championship tournament as a consequence of being shut out of the Sigerson Cup Championship. The initiative came from St. Joseph's Training College, Belfast. The concept of the Trench Cup was proposed by Pat Blake, Comhairle Ard Oideachais Chairman (1978–1983), and Peter McGinnity (later a Fermanagh All-Star) as a knock-out competition for all higher education colleges not in the Sigerson Cup tournament. Pat Blake purchased a trophy costing £80 sterling at Tommy Lennon's Jewellers, Smithfield Market, Belfast.[1] The trophy was named 'The Trench Cup' after Trench House, St Joseph's Training College, Belfast.[2]

The competition first came into existence in the 1975/76 season. The inaugural final was played between St Joseph's T.C., Belfast and the National College of Physical Education, Limerick at Croke Park. NCPE became the inaugural champions.[1] In the 1980s the Sigerson championship was opened up to allow an increasing number of universities, regional technical colleges and institutes of higher education to participate on the basis of their league success. Subsequently, the Trench Cup became the second tier competition for the third-level institutions which were not in the Sigerson championship.

Dundalk Institute of Technology are the current Trench Cup champions, after defeating Waterford IT on a scoreline of 1-14 to 1-08 at University Ulster on 20 February 2016.[needs update] This was the college's first win. Both Coláiste Phádraig and Sligo IT share the record number of Trench Cup wins, standing at five, while Garda College have three wins. The highest winning margin is that of Thomond College, Limerick over Sligo RTC of 16 points in 1977, while the largest margin in the 21st century is that of Trinity College Dublin over Hope University, Liverpool of 10 points in 2012.

The joint highest individual points scorers in any Trench Cup final are D. Duggan of Garda College in 1993 (1-07, 10 points) and Seán O'Sullivan of Limerick IT in 1999 (2-06, 10 points).

The championship is currently sponsored by the Electric Ireland.[3] It was previously sponsored by Independent.ie (2014-2017), Irish Daily Mail (2012-2013), Ulster Bank (2007-2011), Datapac (2003-2006) and Bus Éireann (1998-2002).

Roll of honour

Wins listed by college

More information Team, County ...
Team County Wins Winning years
Sligo RTC Sligo 5 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991
Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Dublin 5 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
Thomond College Limerick 4 1976, 1977, 1982, 1988
Dundalk Institute of Technology [DkIT] Louth 4 2016, 2017, 2023, 2025
Garda College Tipperary 3 1993, 1994, 2015
Galway RTC Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Galway 3 1989, 1996, 2022
Trinity College Dublin Dublin 3 2006, 2012, 2026
Dublin Institute of Technology Dublin 3 1987, 1995, 1997
Letterkenny Institute of Technology Donegal 2 2005, 2019
Mary Immaculate College Limerick Limerick 2 2008, 2018
Institute of Technology Tallaght Dublin 2 2001, 2003
Northern Ireland Polytechnic [University of Ulster Jordanstown] Antrim 2 1980, 1983
Institute of Technology Tralee / MTU Tralee Kerry 2 2010, 2024
Cork RTC Cork Institute of Technology Cork 2 1979, 2020
Institute of Technology Blanchardstown Dublin 1 2013
St Mary’s, Strawberry Hill, London [St Mary's University College, Twickenham] Middlesex, England 1 2004
Cadet College, The Curragh Kildare 1 2000
Limerick Institute of Technology Limerick 1 1999
University of Ulster Coleraine Derry 1 1998
Athlone RTC [Athlone Institute of Technology] Westmeath 1 1992
NIHE Limerick [University of Limerick] Limerick 1 1984
St Joseph’s Training College, Belfast [St Mary's University College, Belfast] Antrim 1 1978
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[1]

Finalists who have not won the Trench Cup:

  • Liverpool Hope University
  • Liverpool John Moore's University
  • Magee College, Derry (now UU Magee)

Winners listed by year

Winning captains listed by year

More information Year, Player ...
Year Player College County
1975/76 Brian Mullins[4] N.C.P.E., Limerick Dublin
1976/77 Pat Spillane[4][5][6] Thomond College, Limerick Kerry
1977/78 St Joseph's T.C., Belfast
1978/79 Diarmuid Mac Cartaigh[7] Cork RTC Cork
1979/80 Kevin McCabe[4] Northern Ireland Polytechnic Tyrone
1980/81 John Clarke[8] Sligo RTC
1981/82 Brian Ladden[9] Thomond College, Limerick Kerry
1982/83 Anthony McArdle[10] Northern Ireland Polytechnic Armagh
1983/84 Noel Hayes[9] NIHE Limerick Cork
1984/85 Gary Walsh[11] Sligo RTC Donegal
1985/86 Sligo RTC
1986/87 Fergus Rowley[12][13] Dublin Institute of Technology Dublin
1987/88 Seamus Kyne Thomond College, Limerick
Patrick Condon Thomond College, Limerick Kerry
1988/89 Michael Haran[14] Galway RTC Sligo
1989/90 Gerard Holohan[15] Sligo RTC Leitrim
1990/91 P.J. Monaghan[16] Sligo RTC Mayo
1991/92 John "Jack" Cooney[17] Athlone RTC Westmeath
1992/93 David O'Connor[18] Garda College Waterford
1993/94 Martin Coyle[18] Garda College Mayo
1994/95 Gerry Sheridan[12][13] Dublin Institute of Technology Cavan
Damian Diver[12][13] Dublin Institute of Technology Donegal
1995/96 Fergal Costello[19] Galway RTC Mayo
1996/97 Padraig Giles[13] Dublin Institute of Technology Dublin
1997/98 Neill McGleenan[20] UU Coleraine Derry
1998/99 Limerick Institute of Technology
1999/00 Padraig Brennan[21] Army Cadet College, The Curragh Kildare
2000/01 Shane O'Sullivan[22] Institute of Technology Tallaght Dublin
2001/02 Gareth Burns[23] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Galway
2002/03 Damien Murray[22] Institute of Technology Tallaght Offaly
2003/04 Cathal Smyth[24] St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill Meath
2004/05 Neil Gallagher[25] Letterkenny Institute of Technology Donegal
2005/06 Pearse Casey[1][26] Trinity College Dublin Dublin
Shane Gilleran[1][26] Trinity College Dublin Roscommon
2006/07 Rory Stapleton[27][28] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Laois
Brian Kavanagh[27] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Longford
2007/08 Andrew O'Regan[29][30] Mary Immaculate College, Limerick Kerry
2008/09 Declan McKiernan[31] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Cavan
2009/10 Shane Brosnan[32] Institute of Technology Tralee Kerry
Kevin Hartnett[32] Institute of Technology Tralee Clare
2010/11 Seán Denvir[33] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Galway
2011/12 Tomás Corrigan[34] Trinity College Dublin Fermanagh
2012/13 Eoin Woods[35] Institute of Technology Blanchardstown Meath
2013/14 Sean Kelly Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Mayo
2014/15 Colm Ó Cuív Garda College, Templemore Galway
2015/16 Kieran Duffy Dundalk Institute of Technology Monaghan
2016/17 Kieran Duffy[36] Dundalk Institute of Technology Monaghan
2017/18 Cillian Fahy Mary Immaculate College Limerick Limerick
2018/19 Callum Gallagher[37] Letterkenny Institute of Technology Donegal
2018/19 Kieran Murphy[38][39] Cork Institute of Technology Kerry
2020/21 Not held due to Covid-19
2021/22 Liam Costello Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Galway
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Man of the Match awardees listed by year

The accolade of Man of the Match or Tournament is a recent innovation (1998). In the case of the early years of the Trench Cup, the highest scoring member of the team is designated.

More information Year, MOTM ...
Year MOTM Top scorer College County Points scored
1975/76 Pat Spillane[40] N.C.P.E., Limerick Kerry 1-3
John Tobin[40] N.C.P.E., Limerick Galway 0-6
1976/77 Gerry Dillon[41] Thomond College, Limerick 1-3
1977/78 Peter Kane[42] St Joseph's TC, Belfast Galway 1-3
1978/79 Diarmuid McCarthy Cork RTC Cork 1-5
1979/80 Martin McCann[43] Northern Ireland Polytechnic Down 0-6
1980/81 Gerry Smith[8] Sligo RTC Cavan 1-6
1981/82 Thomond College, Limerick
1982/83 D. Durkan[44] Northern Ireland Polytechnic 1-0
P. Madden[44] Northern Ireland Polytechnic 0-3
1983/84 Patrick McGroarty[45] NIHE Limerick Donegal 1-2
Brian Donovan[45] NIHE Dublin Kildare 0-5
F O'Connor[45] NIHE Limerick 0-3 (Replay)
1984/85 Niall McVeigh[46] Sligo RTC Sligo 0-5
1985/86 Tom Og O'Brien[47] Sligo RTC Roscommon 0-2
1986/87 John Prendergast[12] Dublin IT Mayo 1-2
1987/88 John Madden[48] Thomond College, Limerick Tipperary 0-6
1988/89 Jarlath Jennings[49] Galway RTC Mayo 1-1
1989/90 Sligo RTC
1990/91 Derek Duggan[16] Sligo RTC Roscommon 0-6
1991/92 Brian Duignan[50] Athlone RTC Leitrim 0-4
1992/93 Derek Duggan[51] Garda College Roscommon 1-7
1993/94 Garda College
1994/95 Tony Byrne[12] Dublin IT Meath 0-3 (3fs)
1995/96 Alan MacFadden[52] Galway RTC Donegal 0-3
Enda Bardon[52] Galway RTC Longford 0-3
1996/97 Gavin Curley[53][54] Dublin IT Leitrim 0-7 (1f)
1997/98 Niall McSorley[55] Niall McSorley[20][55] UU Coleraine Tyrone 3-0
1998/99 Seán O'Sullivan Seán O'Sullivan[56] Limerick IT Kerry 2-4 (1-3fs)
1999/00 Ronan Carberry[21] Army Cadet College Longford —
Bernard Bohan[57] Army Cadet College Kildare 1-0
Dave O'Loughlin[57] Army Cadet College Clare 1-0
Padraig Brennan[57] Army Cadet College Kildare 0-3 (3fs)
2000/01 Michael Lyons IT Tallaght Dublin
Danny McCann[58] IT Tallaght Dublin 0-4 (2fs)
2001/02 Kevin Giblin Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Sligo
G Kenny[59] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Longford 0-5
2002/03 Danny McCann IT Tallaght Dublin
Jonathan Daniels IT Tallaght Wicklow 1-2
2003/04 St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill
C Slane[60] St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill 0-4 (2fs)
2004/05 Neil Gallagher[25] Letterkenny IT Donegal
Colm McFadden[25] Letterkenny IT Donegal 1-3 (1f)
2005/06 Dermot McTernan[61] Dermot McTernan[62] Trinity College Dublin Sligo 1-4
2006/07 David Henry[63] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Dublin 0-1
Brian Kavanagh[63] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-8 (8fs)
2007/08 George Hannigan[29] Mary Immaculate College, Limerick Tipperary
2008/09 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach
2009/10 Paul O'Donoghue[64] IT Tralee Kerry 0-1
Brendan Poff[65] IT Tralee Kerry 1-0 (f)
Denis Crowley[65] IT Tralee Cork 1-0
2010/11 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach
Frank Clune[66] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Wicklow 1-3 (3fs)
Seán Denvir[66] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Galway 1-3
2011/12 Kevin Fitzgerald[67][68] Trinity College Dublin Dublin —
Leo Turley[69] Trinity College Dublin 1-2 (2fs)
2012/13 Donal Lenihan[70][35] IT Blanchardstown Meath 0-5
Robert McCarthy[71] IT Blanchardstown Meath 0-6 (4fs)
2013/14 Diarmuid Murtagh[72] Diarmuid Murtagh Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach Roscommon 1-3
2014/15 Colin Compton Colin Compton Garda College Roscommon 0-8 (0-4fs)
2015/16 Daniel McKenna Daniel McKenna Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) Monaghan 0-5 (0-1f)
2016/17 Tadhg McEnaeney[73] Tadhg McEnaeney Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) Louth 1-6 (4fs)
2017/18 Liam Carey Mary Immaculate College Limerick Kerry
2018/19 Michael Langan[37] Letterkenny Institute of Technology Donegal 0-4 (4fs)
2018/19 John Campbell[37] Letterkenny Institute of Technology Donegal 0-5 (5fs)
2019/20 Damien Gore[39] Cork Institute of Technology Cork 0-8 (4fs)
2020/21 Not held due to Covid-19
2021/22 Final not held
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Finals listed by year

More information Year, Winners ...
Year Winners Score Finalists Score Where played Date
1975/76[40] National College of Physical Education 1-11 St Joseph's Training College, Belfast 0-09 Croke Park, Dublin 29 February 1976
1976/77[41] Thomond College, Limerick 2-13 Sligo RTC 0-03 Athlone 1 April 1977
1977/78[42] St Joseph's Training College, Belfast 1-08 Thomond College, Limerick 1-06 Parnell Park, Dublin 22 April 1978
1978/79[74] Cork RTC 1-10 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 1-07 Cashel, County Tipperary 19 May 1979[75]
1979/80[43] Northern Ireland Polytechnic 1-06 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-08 Croke Park, Dublin 9 March 1980
1980/81[8] Sligo RTC 1-08 Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 0-08 Croke Park, Dublin 15 April 1981
1981/82[76] Thomond College, Limerick 1-09 Cork RTC 2-05 Buttevant, County Cork 20 March 1982
1982/83[44] Northern Ireland Polytechnic 1-06 Cork RTC 0-07 Croke Park, Dublin 26 March 1983
1983/84[45] NIHE Limerick 3-07 NIHE Dublin 2-10 Tullamore, County Offaly 5 May 1984
[77] NIHE Limerick 0-07 NIHE Dublin 0-05 Tullamore, County Offaly 12 May 1984 (Replay)
1984/85[46] Sligo RTC 0-11 St Joseph's Training College, Belfast 1-06 Omagh, County Tyrone 8 May 1985
1985/86[47] Sligo RTC 0-05 Dublin Institute of Technology 0-04 Centenary Park, Newtownforbes, County Longford 3 May 1986
1986/87[12] Dublin Institute of Technology 2-11 Sligo RTC 2-09 Ballynacargy, County Westmeath (AET) 5 June 1987[78]
1987/88[48][79] Thomond College, Limerick 2-11 Athlone RTC 2-07 Plassey, Limerick 6 March 1988
1988/89[49] Galway RTC 2-06 Dundalk RTC 1-05 Dublin 5 March 1989
1989/90[80] Sligo RTC Athlone RTC Dundalk, County Louth 11 March 1990
1990/91[16] Sligo RTC 2-11 Dublin Institute of Technology 1-10 Terenure, Dublin (AET) 24 March 1991
1991/92[50] Athlone RTC 0-11 Galway RTC 1-04 Kiltoom, County Roscommon 15 March 1992
1992/93[51] Garda College 1-13 Dundalk RTC 1-05 Thurles, County Tipperary 21 March 1993
1993/94[81] Garda College 1-10 Dublin Institute of Technology 1-07 VEC Grounds, Terenure, Dublin 27 February 1994
1994/95[12][82] Dublin Institute of Technology 0-10 Institute of Technology Tralee 1-06 Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork 12 March 1995
1995/96[83] Galway RTC 0-11 Dublin Institute of Technology 0-07 Limerick 3 March 1996
1996/97[53] Dublin Institute of Technology 0-17 Dundalk RTC 2-09 UUC Playing Fields, Coleraine 9 March 1997
1997/98[55] University of Ulster Coleraine 4-04 Cork Institute of Technology 2-07 Ballyheighue, County Kerry 8 March 1998
1998/99[56] Limerick Institute of Technology 2-07 Magee College 1-07 The Dub, Belfast 7 March 1999
1999/00[57] Army Cadet College, The Curragh 2-05 Limerick Institute of Technology 1-07 Dangan, Galway 27 February 2000
2000/01[58] Institute of Technology Tallaght 3-07 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 1-11 O'Toole Park, Crumlin, Dublin 11 April 2001
2001/02[59] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 2-07 Limerick Institute of Technology 0-04 Kent Park, Sligo 23 February 2002
2002/03[84] Institute of Technology Tallaght 1-07 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 1-05 UCC Grounds, The Mardyke, Cork 8 March 2003
2003/04[60] St Mary’s College, Strawberry Hill, London 1-09 Institute of Technology Tallaght 1-08 St Gall's Park, Belfast 29 February 2004
2004/05[25] Letterkenny Institute of Technology 2-09 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-10 Dundalk IT Grounds, Dundalk 26 February 2005
2005/06[62] Trinity College Dublin 3-07 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 2-08 DCU Sport Grounds, Dublin 25 February 2006
2006/07[63] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-13 John Moore's University, Liverpool 0-12 QUB Grounds, Malone, Belfast 3 March 2007
2007/08[29][85] Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 1-12 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-09 IT Carlow Grounds, Carlow 9 March 2008
2008/09[86] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-12 Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 0-07 Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork 1 March 2009
2009/10[87][65] Institute of Technology Tralee 2-06 Trinity College Dublin 0-10 Leixlip GAA Club, Leixlip, County Kildare 27 February 2010
2010/11[66] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 2-11 Waterford Institute of Technology 0-10 UCD, Belfield, Dublin 5 March 2011
2011/12[34][69] Trinity College Dublin 2-11 Hope University, Liverpool 0-07 Dangan, Galway 25 February 2012
2012/13[70][71] Institute of Technology Blanchardstown 0-11 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-10 Athlone Institute of Technology 23 February 2013
2013/14[72] Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 2-16 Letterkenny Institute of Technology 2-06 The Dub, QUB, Belfast 21 February 2014
2014/15;[88][89][90] Garda College, Templemore 1-13 Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach 0-10 The Mardyke, Cork 21 February 2015
2015/16[91][92] Dundalk Institute of Technology 1-14 Waterford Institute of Technology 1-08 University of Ulster, Belfast 20 February 2016
2016/17[73] Dundalk Institute of Technology 3-10 Waterford Institute of Technology 1-14 Connacht GAA Centre, Bekan, County Mayo 19 February 2017
2017/18 Mary Immaculate College Limerick 2-14 Waterford Institute of Technology 1-16 TCD GAA Pitch, Santry, Dublin 17 February 2018
2018/19[37][93] Letterkenny Institute of Technology 2-07 Dundalk Institute of Technology 0-15 Mallow, Cork 16 February 2019
2019/20[94] Cork Institute of Technology 2-20 Mary Immaculate College 0-12 Dublin City University Sports Campus 12 February 2020
2020/21 Not held due to Covid-19 pandemic
2021/22 Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology w/o Dundalk Institute of Technology Withdrew from final Institute of Technology Carlow 18 February 2022
2022/23 Dundalk Institute of Technology TUS Midlands WIT Sports Campus 15 February 2023
2023/24 MTU Tralee 3-13 Dundalk Institute of Technology 2-10 MTU Kerry 14 February 2024
2024/25 Dundalk Institute of Technology 0-16 Trinity College Dublin 0-13 Connacht Centre of Excellence 12 February 2025
2025/26 Trinity College Dublin 3-19 Mary Immaculate College 2-21 Dublin City University Sports Campus 11 February 2026
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References

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