2008 Nicky Rackard Cup


The 2008 Nicky Rackard Cup was the 4th annual third tier hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. Sligo beat Louth in the final.

Format

Ten county teams participated in the 2008 Nicky Rackard Cup, with Fingal and "South Down" bringing the total to twelve.
Each team in the group played each other once in the first phase. The top two teams in each group advanced to the quarter-finals.

Group 3A

TeamPWDLFAPts+/-
Fingal21013-294-202+6
Louth21011-260-2920
Longford21013-223-282-6

Group 3B

TeamPWDLFAPts+/-
South Down22007-314-294+11
Leitrim21014-294-272+2
Fermanagh20023-246-280-13

Group 3C

TeamPWDLFAPts+/-
Monaghan22003-324-234+6
Tyrone21015-205-242-4
Donegal20023-262-310-2

Group 3D

TeamPWDLFAPts+/-
Sligo22004-303-174+16
Cavan21011-233-272-10
Warwickshire20022-221-310-6

Knockout stages

Bracket

MatchDateVenueTeamScoreTeamScore
Quarter-final19 JulyParnell ParkFingal1-19Leitrim0-12
Quarter-final19 JulyPáirc EslerSouth Down2-16Louth4-13
Quarter-final19 JulySt Tiernach's ParkMonaghan1-11Cavan0-09
Quarter-final19 JulyMarkievicz ParkSligo2-15Tyrone2-11
Semi-final26 JulyMonaghanMonaghan1-13Louth0-18
Semi-final26 JulyMarkievicz ParkSligo1-16Fingal0-11
Final3 AugustCroke ParkLouth3-10Sligo3-19

2008 season facts

, the eventual winners of the competition finished the preceding league tournament without a win, resulting in relegation to division 4 next year. Donegal, who won every game of the league, were eliminated from the Championship at the first hurdle.
Sligo had the opportunity of defending their crown in 2009 after losing 1-17 to 1-13 to Roscommon in the championship promotion/relegation play-off. However a change in the Hurling competition structures with the introduction of a 4th tier championship Lory Meagher Cup meant that sligo and Roscommon both played in the 2009 Nicky Rackard Cup.
The Sligo team that won the 2008 Nicky Rackard Cup was
C Brennan; F Coyne, W Gill, R Cox; D Clarke, M Burke, L Reidy; J Mullins, D Collery; M Gilmartin, D Burke, P Severs ; J Bannerton, K Raymond, L Cadden
Subs J O'Brien F Hayes C Herrity R Haughey N Cadden J Kelly S Kerins M Shelly C O'Mahony D Cox C Hacket K Doyle P Quinn