The Kirk Cup is the oldest hockey tournament in Ulster and the oldest provincial hockey trophy in Ireland.[1] It has become a tradition since the 1966–67 season for the final to be played on Boxing Day, a date previously reserved for the Anderson Cup Final. The final attracts the largest crowd of the Ulster hockey season. The cup is named after its donor, Mr. John Kirk, J.P, who was a member of the Antrim club. Following the creation of the Irish Hockey League, the competition remained open only to Ulster Senior League members, until 2018–19, when Irish Hockey League teams from Ulster were admitted.[2]

In the early years of the competition it was also known as the Ulster Senior Challenge Cup.

Historical format

From the introduction of the Cup in the 1897–98 season until the major re-organisation of the Ulster Senior League for the 1969–70 season, the format was that of a knockout competition. The Cup was competed for towards the end of the season.

From the 1969-70 all the teams in Senior League Section One and Two were split into four groups. The winner of each group would go forward to an open draw for semi-final matches.

From the 2000-01 until the 2008–09 season, the format of the competition was altered slightly. The eight teams in the Ulster Premier Hockey League were drawn into four groups. The top eight teams from Section One were drawn into these groups to create four groups of four teams each. The eight Section One teams were the relegated Premier League team from the previous season and the teams finishing in second to eighth places in the final league standings of the previous season.

Each club played the other teams in their Group once. The winners of each Group proceed to semi-final matches, with the ties decided via an open draw.

The Premier League reverted to ten teams for the 2009–10 season and these teams together with the top six teams in Section One were drawn into four groups of four teams. Each team played the other teams in their group once. The group winners contested the semi-final with the ties decided by an open draw. The two semi-final winners contested the final which is scheduled for Boxing Day. This format was used in 2010-11 too.

Current format

For the start of the 2011–12 season the entry was restricted to the Premier League teams. The ten Premier League teams were drawn in two pools of five teams, with each team playing the other teams in their pool once. The semi-finals saw the winner of one pool playing the runner-up of the other pool, with the winners of the semi-finals going on to contest the final. In 2016–17, the top sixteen teams in the Ulster Senior League were drawn into four groups of four, but since 2017-18 it has reverted to two groups of five.

Finals

(records incomplete)

1890s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1897–98 North Staffordshire Regiment 3 2 Antrim [3]
1898–99 Antrim 3 1 King's Own Liverpool Regiment [4]

1900s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1899–1900 North Down 4 2 Cliftonville [5]
1900–01 Antrim 3 1 Banbridge [6]
1901–02 North Down 2 1 Cliftonville [7]
1902–03 Strabane 1 0 North Down [8]
1903–04 Cliftonville 1 0 Banbridge
1904–05 Antrim 2 1 Banbridge after extra time
1905–06 Banbridge 1 0 Malone
1906–07 Antrim 3 1 Downpatrick
1907–08 Malone &
North Down 		SHARED
1908–09 Banbridge 5 2 Malone

1910s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1909–10 Banbridge 3 0 Malone
1910–11 Banbridge 3 2 Queen's University
1911–12 Cliftonville 2 1 North Down
1912–13 Banbridge 3 1 Queen's University
1913–14 Banbridge 2 0 Queen's University
1914–05 Not played due to World War I
1915–16 Not played due to World War I
1916–17 Not played due to World War I
1917–18 Not played due to World War I
1918–19 Not played due to World War I

1920s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1919–20 Banbridge 4 1 Queen's University
1920–21 North Down 1 0 Banbridge [9]
1921–22 South Antrim 2 1 Banbridge [10]
1922–23 Lisnagarvey 3 0 North Down [11]
1923–24 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Cliftonville [12]
1924–25 Lisnagarvey 1 0 East Antrim [13]
1925–26 Banbridge 2 1 Antrim [14]
1926–27 Banbridge 3 0 East Antrim [15]
1927–28 Antrim 1 0 East Antrim [16]
1928–29 North Down 2 1 South Antrim after extra time[17]

1930s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1929–30 Cliftonville 3 0 Derry YMCA [18]
1930–31 Cliftonville 4 1 Derry YMCA [19]
1931–32 South Antrim 2 0 East Antrim [20]
1932–33 East Antrim 2 0 Banbridge [21]
1933–34 Lisnagarvey 5 4 Cliftonville [22]
1934–35 Banbridge 1 0 North Down [23]
1935–36 North Down 2 0 Wanderers after extra time[24]
1936–37 North Down 3 1 Lisnagarvey after extra time[25]
1937–38 Banbridge 3 1 North Down after extra time[26]
1938–39 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Antrim [27]

1940s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1939–40 Not Played due to World War II
1940–41 Not Played due to World War II
1941–42 Lisnagarvey 2 1 North Down
1942–43 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Banbridge
1943–44 North Down 3 1 Banbridge after two periods of extra time[28]
1944–45 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Short & Harland
1945–46 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Wanderers
1946–47 Portrush 1 0 Banbridge [29]
1947–48 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Belfast YMCA [30]
1948–49 Portrush 3 1 Lisnagarvey [31]

1950s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1949–50 Banbridge 2 0 Antrim [32]
1950–51 Banbridge Parkview
1951–52
1952–53 Lisnagarvey
1953–54 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Mossley after extra time[33]
1954–55
1955–56 Parkview &
Lisnagarvey 		SHARED
1956–57 Banbridge
1957–58 Belfast YMCA Banbridge
1958–59 Belfast YMCA Antrim

1960s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1959–60 Belfast YMCA 1 0 Portrush [34]
1960–61 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Banbridge [35]
1961–62 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Banbridge [36]
1962–63 Competition abandoned
due to severe winter weather
1963–64 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Antrim [37]
1964–65 Portrush 4 2 Banbridge AET – Replay – Game 1: 2-2[38][39]
1965–66 Antrim 1 0 Lisnagarvey [40]
1966–67 Parkview 2 1 Banbridge [41]
1967–68 Cliftonville 3 0 Antrim [42]
1968–69 Cliftonville 1 0 Instonians [43]

1970s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1969–70 Portrush 3 1 Instonians [44]
1970–71 Lisnagarvey Cliftonville Replay – Game 1: 1-1[45]
1971–72 Antrim &
Instonians 		SHARED 2nd replay – Game 1: 2-2, Game 2:[46]
1972–73 Lisnagarvey 1 0 Friends School Old Boys [47]
1973–74 Lisnagarvey 3 0 Mossley Replay – Game 1: 1-1[48]
1974–75 Instonians 2 1 Lisnagarvey [49]
1975–76 Instonians 2 1 Cliftonville [50]
1976–77 Belfast YMCA 2 0 Instonians [51]
1977–78 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Belfast YMCA [52]
1978–79 Belfast YMCA 3 0 Antrim [53]

1980s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1979–80 Lisnagarvey Instonians Replay – Game 1: 1-1[54]
1980–81 Instonians 3 1 Banbridge [55]
1981–82 Lisnagarvey 1 1 Banbridge Replay – Lisnagarvey won 4–2 on
penalty strokes – Game 1: 2-2[56][57]
1982–83 Banbridge 2 1 Belfast YMCA [58]
1983–84 Mossley 2 0 Lisnagarvey [59]
1984–85 Belfast YMCA 3 0 Lisnagarvey [60]
1985–86 Banbridge 2 1 RUC [61]
1986–87 Banbridge 2 0 Cookstown Replay – Game 1: 1-1[62]
1987–88 Banbridge 2 1 Mossley Replay – Game 1: 1-1[63][64]
1988–89 Cookstown 1 0 Mossley [65]

1990s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1989–90 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Banbridge [66]
1990–91 Holywood 87 2 1 Lisnagarvey Replay – Game 1: 2-2[67]
1991–92 Holywood 87 1 0 Lisnagarvey [68]
1992–93 Holywood 87 2 0 Instonians [69]
1993–94 Instonians 3 1 Banbridge
1994–95 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Instonians [70]
1995–96 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Newry [71]
1996–97 Lisnagarvey 3 2 Instonians [72]
1997–98 Lisnagarvey 2 0 Annadale [73]
1998–99 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Cookstown [74]

2000s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
1999–2000 Annadale 1 1 Lisnagarvey after extra time – Annadale
won 3–1 on penalty strokes[75]
2000–01 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Annadale
2001–02 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Instonians
2002–03 Cookstown 2 1 Instonians
2003–04 Annadale 2 1 Banbridge Annadale won with "Golden Goal"
in 7th minute of extra time
2004–05 Instonians 2 2 Lisnagarvey Instonians won 5–4 on
penalty strokes
2005–06 Banbridge 2 1 Annadale [76]
2006–07 Cookstown 2 1 Lisnagarvey [77]
2007–08 Annadale 3 2 Lisnagarvey [78][79]
2008–09 Cookstown 4 3 Lisnagarvey after extra time[80]

2010s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
2009–10 Cookstown 2 0 Banbridge [81]
2010–11 Banbridge 4 2 Cookstown [82]
2011–12 Lisnagarvey 2 1 Cookstown [83]
2012–13 Cookstown 3 1 Lisnagarvey [84]
2013–14 Annadale 1 1 Lisnagarvey after extra time – Annadale win 4–2 on penalty strokes[85]
2014–15 Banbridge 3 1 Cookstown [86]
2015–16 Instonians 8 2 Mossley [87][88]
2016–17 Annadale 8 1 Cookstown [89][90]
2017–18 Kilkeel 1 1 Mossley Kilkeel win 3–2 on penalties.[91][92]
2018–19 Banbridge 4 1 Annadale [93]

2020s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes
2019–20 Banbridge 3 2 Lisnagarvey [94]
2020–21 Not played due to Covid-19
2021–22 Lisnagarvey 3 2 Banbridge [95]
2022–23 Lisnagarvey 2 2 Banbridge Garvey won on penalty run-ins[96]

Sources

  1. ^ Belfast Newsletter 18 April 1928 Page 5
  2. ^ Belfast Telegraph
  3. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 25 April 1898. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 24 April 1899. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 23 April 1900. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 April 1901. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 April 1902. p. 5. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 7 April 1903. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 11 April 1921. p. 2. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 24 April 1922. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 23 April 1923. p. 2. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 21 April 1924. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 April 1925. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 19 April 1926. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 20 April 1927. p. 11. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 16 April 1928. p. 6. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 22 April 1929. p. 2. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 22 April 1930. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ^ Northern Whig & Belfast Post. 20 April 1931. p. 5. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 29 March 1932. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 24 April 1933. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  22. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 9 April 1934. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 23 April 1935. p. 4. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 14 April 1936. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  25. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 30 March 1937. p. 4. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ^ Northern Whig & Belfast Post. 19 April 1938. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 April 1939. p. 2. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ^ Northern Whig & Belfast Post. 28 April 1944. p. 4. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ^ "Portrush win Kirk Cup". Northern Whig. 24 April 1947. p. 3.
  30. ^ Northern Whig & Belfast Post. 19 April 1948. p. 3. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. ^ Northern Whig & Belfast Post. 25 April 1949. p. 2. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. ^ Northern Whig & Belfast Post. 17 April 1950. p. 6. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  33. ^ Ireland's Saturday Night. 8 May 1954. p. 6. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  34. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 19 May 1960. p. 7. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  35. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 25 May 1961. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  36. ^ Ireland's Saturday Night. 12 May 1962. p. 9. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  37. ^ Ulster Star. 9 May 1964. p. 19. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  38. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 15 May 1965. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  39. ^ Northern Constitution. 29 May 1965. p. 15. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ^ Ulster Star. 28 May 1966. p. 19. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  41. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1966. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  42. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1967. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  43. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1968. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  44. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1969. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  45. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1970. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  46. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1971. p. 9. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  47. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1972. p. 7. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  48. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1973. p. 9. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  49. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1974. p. 12. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  50. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1975. p. 9. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  51. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1976. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  52. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1977. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  53. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1978. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  54. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1979. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  55. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1980. p. 9. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  56. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1981. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  57. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 2 January 1982. p. 10. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  58. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1982. p. 9. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  59. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1983. p. 8. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  60. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1984. p. 22. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  61. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1985. p. 22. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  62. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1986. p. 22. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  63. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1987. p. 22. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  64. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 2 January 1988. p. 22. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  65. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1988. p. 24. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  66. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1989. p. 20. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  67. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1990. p. 20. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  68. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1991. p. 22. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  69. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 28 December 1992. p. 21. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  70. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1994. p. 13. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  71. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 2 January 1996. p. 22. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  72. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1996. p. 34. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  73. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 27 December 1997. p. 36. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  74. ^ Belfast Newsletter. 29 December 1998. p. 27. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  75. ^ Belfast Telegraph. 28 December 1999. p. 19. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  76. ^ "Banbridge earn Kirk Cup triumph". BBC Sport. 26 December 2005. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  77. ^ "Cookstown triumph in Kirk final". BBC Sport. 26 December 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  78. ^ "Annadale claim Kirk Cup triumph". BBC Sport. 26 December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
  79. ^ "Annadale hold off Garvey's late show". Belfast Telegraph. 27 December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
  80. ^ "Red Army provide that little bit extra in hockey final". Belfast Telegraph. 27 December 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
  81. ^ "Cookstown beat Banbridge in Kirk Cup final". BBC Sport. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  82. ^ "Harsh words do trick". Belfast Newsletter. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  83. ^ "Lisnagarvey defeat Cookstown in Kirk Cup final". BBC Sport. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  84. ^ "Comfortable win in the end for Cookstown". Belfast Newsletter. 26 December 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  85. ^ "Lisnagarvey pay the penalty against Annadale". 26 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  86. ^ "Cookstown beaten 1-3 by Banbridge in Kirk Cup Final". midulstermail.co.uk. 27 December 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  87. ^ News Letter, 26 December 2015
  88. ^ BBC
  89. ^ "Cookstown demolished by Anndale in Kirk Cup Final". midulstermail.co.uk. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  90. ^ "Agony and ecstasy for Caruth as Dale land Kirk Cup in style". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  91. ^ "Kilkeel defeat Mossley on penalties to lift Kirk Cup for first time". newsletter.co.uk. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  92. ^ "Kilkeel win Kirk Cup for first time as Queen's land Ulster Shield". BBC. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  93. ^ "In pictures: Banbridge return to win Kirk Cup after three year absence". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  94. ^ Belfast Telegraph
  95. ^ Front Row Union
  96. ^ Ulster Hockey

External links

Field hockey in Ireland
Categories