2009 Nicky Rackard Cup

The 2009 Nicky Rackard Cup is the 5th annual third-tier hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. Seven county teams and one regional team participate in the competition. The teams are Fingal, Monaghan, Louth, Sligo, Meath, London, Armagh and Roscommon.

The winners of the competition were promoted to the 2010 Christy Ring Cup.

On 11 July, Meath won the cup with a 2-18 to 1-15 win over London at Croke Park.

Team changes

To Championship

Relegated from the Christy Ring Cup

• Armagh
• London
• Meath
• Roscommon

From Championship

Relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup

• Cavan
• Donegal
• Fermanagh
• Leitrim
• Longford
• South Down
• Tyrone
• Warwickshire

Format

New structure

The tournament has a double elimination format - each team will play at least two games before being knocked out.

• The eight teams play four Round 1 matches.
  • The winners in Round 1 advance to Round 2A.
  • The losers in Round 1 go into Round 2B.
• There are two Round 2A matches.
  • The winners in Round 2A advance to the semi-finals.
  • The losers in Round 2A go into the quarter-finals.
• There are two Round 2B matches.
  • The winners in Round 2B advance to the quarter-finals.
  • The losers in Round 2B go into the relegation playoff.
    • The losers of the relegation playoff are relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup 2010.
• There are two quarter-final matches between the Round 2A losers and Round 2B winners.
  • The winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals.
  • The losers of the quarter-finals are eliminated.
• There are two semi-final matches between the Round 2A winners and the quarter-final winners.
  • The winners of the semi-finals advance to the final.
  • The losers of the semi-finals are eliminated.
• The winners of the final win the Nicky Rackard Cup for 2009.

Round 1

Date	Venue	Team	Score	Team	Score
June 6	Athleague	File:Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon	1-11	File:Colours of Fingal.svg Fingal	1-08
June 6	Sligo	File:Colours of Sligo.svg Sligo	0-10	File:Colours of Meath.svg Meath	1-23
June 6	Armagh	File:Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh	0-12	File:Colours of London.svg London	1-19
June 6	Dundalk	File:Colours of Louth.svg Louth	1-12	File:Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan	1-08

Round 2

Date	Venue	Team	Score	Team	Score
June 13	Ruislip	File:Colours of London.svg London	1-22	File:Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon	1-11
June 13	Navan	File:Colours of Meath.svg Meath	1-26	File:Colours of Louth.svg Louth	0-10
June 13	Sligo	File:Colours of Sligo.svg Sligo	0-05	File:Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh	3-19
June 13	Clones	File:Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan	2-13	File:Colours of Fingal.svg Fingal	1-18

Quarter-finals

Date	Venue	Team	Score	Team	Score
June 20	Armagh	File:Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh	6-26	File:Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon	2-09
June 20	Swords	File:Colours of Fingal.svg Fingal	0-16	File:Colours of Louth.svg Louth	1-11

Semi-finals

Date	Venue	Team	Score	Team	Score
June 27	Ruislip	File:Colours of London.svg London	1-19	File:Colours of Fingal.svg Fingal	2-08
June 27	Navan	File:Colours of Meath.svg Meath	0-21	File:Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh	1-14

Final

Date	Venue	Team	Score	Team	Score
July 11	Croke Park	File:Colours of London.svg London	1-15	File:Colours of Meath.svg Meath	2-18

Relegation play-off

Date	Venue	Team	Score	Team	Score
June 20	Ballinamore	Sligo	3-14	Monaghan	2-9

Monaghan were relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup 2010.

See also

• 2009 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
• 2009 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
• 2009 Christy Ring Cup (Tier 2)
• 2009 Lory Meagher Cup (Tier 4)