Trench_Cup

Trench Cup

Trench Cup

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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.

Quick Facts Irish, Code ...

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. This was the Colleges first win. Both Coláiste Phádraig and Sligo IT share the record number of Trench Cup wins, standing at five, while Garda College have 3 wins. The highest winning margin ever 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] The Trench Cup 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[1]

More information Team, County ...

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 ...

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 ...

Finals listed by year[74]

More information Year, Winners ...

References

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    The Cups That Cheered: A History of the Sigerson, Fitzgibbon and Higher Education Gaelic Games, Dónal McAnallen, 2012, The Collins Press, Cork, p. 345
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  43. [43]
    Irish Press 10 March 1980, p.13
  44. [44]
    Irish Independent, 28 March 1983, p. 13, Trench Cup final, Polytechnic Belfast 1-6 Regional College, Cork 1-7
  45. [45]
    Sunday Independent 6 May 1984, p. 28; Irish Independent 9 May 1984, p. 3; Irish Times 10 May 1984, p. 2
  46. [46]
    Irish Press 09 May 1985, p. 18
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    Connacht Sentinnel 7 March 1989, p. 15
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    Irish Independent 8 March 1999, p. 47; Irish Times 8 March 1999, p. A6; Limerick Leader 8 March 1999, p. 26; Kerryman 12 March 1999, p. 26 - this report recorded Seán O'Sullivan as "Man of the Tournament"; Irish Examiner, 8 March 1999, p. 25
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    Trench Cup win for Gaelic Football Club, Trinity News, 7 March 2006, p. 28
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  75. [75]
    The Irish Times, 25 May 1979, p. 4; Irish Independent 23 May 1979, p. 17
  76. [76]
    Irish Independent, 30 May 1979; the Higher Education GAA Council decided that the Trench Cup final must be decided on or before the Sigerson weekend
  77. [77]
    Irish Times, 19 March 1982, p. 14; Irish Independent 24 March 1982, p. 14
  78. [78]
    Sunday Independent 13 May 1984, p. S26
  79. [79]
    The match had been due to be played on 25 April 1987 but was postponed at the request of the colleges due to holidays; Irish Press 24 April 1987, p. 22
  80. [80]
    NB: Irish Times, 7 Mar 1988, p.4 reported score as Thomond College 2-10 Athlone RTC 2-06
  81. [81]
    Sligo RTC were beaten by Galway RTC in a semi-final at Dundalk on 10 March 1990. However, following objections, a meeting of officers of the Higher Education GAA Board threw Galway RTC out of the competition on the grounds that two of their players were not properly registered and awarded the match to Sligo RTC to play in the final against Athlone IT, winners of the other semi-final over Carlow RTC. City Tribune, 6 March 1990, p. 20; Anglo-Celt, 22 March 1990, p.16, Athlone RTC described as being "narrowly beaten" by Sligo RTC in Trench Cup final
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  83. [83]
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