Ulster Junior Cup (rugby union)

The Ulster Junior Cup is a rugby union competition for clubs in the Irish province of Ulster that are not considered strong enough to play in the Ulster Senior Cup. It also includes the second teams of the senior clubs. The perpetual trophy that is awarded to the winners is called The Balmoral Cup

The most successful club is Queen's University with 15 wins. The current holder is Ballyclare

Performance by Club

Club Winners Runners-Up Total Finals Last TitleQueen's University RFC158231969–70Dungannon98172002–03North of Ireland Football Club98171984–85Ballynahinch93122017–18City of Armagh87152009–10Ballymena82102004–05Collegians76131961–62Donaghadee7292011–12Malone5491980–81Omagh47112016–17Instonians5392014–15Coleraine3691985–86City of Derry3252008–09Larne3031922–23King's Scholars2461970–71Lurgan2351955–56Cooke2242006–07Ballyclare3252022–23Dromore3252023–24Rainey Old Boys2131978–79Ards1451976–77Banbridge1451989–90C.I.Y.M.S.1341952–53Clogher Valley2352021–22Carrickfergus1231913–14Knock1231910–11Sydenham1231904–05Albion1121890–91Fortwilliam1121903–04Holywood1121990–91Windsor1121892–93Belfast Harlequins1012003–04Bangor1782015–16BRA FP022-Enniskillen2572025-26Portadown022-RUC022-Belmont011-Civil Service011-Limavady011-Queen's Island011-

Finals 1880s and 90s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1888–89Queen's College II150Bangor1889–90Queen's College II60Albion II1890–91Albion II60Collegians1891–92Collegians50Windsor1892–93Windsor30Collegians1893–94Collegians II130City of Derry1894–95NIFC II50Collegians II1895–96Dungannon63NIFC II1896–97Dungannon II230Belmont1897–98City of Derry110Holywood1898–99Dungannon80NIFC II

1900s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1899–1900Dungannon II60Collegians IIReplay – Game 1: 0–0)1900–01Collegians II190Fortwilliam II1901–02Collegians II30NIFC II1902–03Collegians II30Queen's College II1903–04Fortwilliam53Collegians II1904–05Sydenham93Bangor1905–06Donaghadee135Malone II1906–07NIFC II80Queen's College II1907–08NIFC II223Queen's University II1908–09NIFC II133Sydenham

1910s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1909–10Armagh80Knock II1910–11Knock II54Bangor1911–12Dungannon136Sydenham1912–13Armagh80Knock II1913–14Carrickfergusw/o-DungannonReplay awarded to Carrickfergus when Dungannon withdrew – Game 1: 3–31914–15Not played due to World War I1915–16Not played due to World War I1916–17Not played due to World War I1917–18Not played due to World War I1918–19Not played due to World War I

1920s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1919–20Larne30Armagh1920–21Queen's University II90Lurgan1921–22Larne53Cooke1922–23Larne230Bangor1923–24Donaghadee103NIFC II1924–25Lurgan80Donaghadeeafter extra time1925–26Donaghadee43Dungannon1926–27Donaghadee30NIFC IIafter extra time1927–28Donaghadee50Queen's University II1928–29Ballymena30Instonians II

1930s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1929–30Ballymena30Enniskillenafter extra time)Belfast Newsletter 24 February 1930 Page 31930–31Armagh43Instonians IIBelfast Newsletter 16 February 1931 Page 121931–32Malone II30Queen's IslandBelfast Newsletter 29 February 1932 Page 31932–33Queen's University II64ArmaghBelfast Newsletter 6 April 1933 Page 131933–34Queen's University II240PortadownBelfast Newsletter 26 February 1934 Page 41934–35Coleraine186Queen's University IIBelfast Newsletter 11 February 1935 Page 31935–36NIFC II53Queen's University IIBelfast Newsletter 24 February 1936 Page 31936–37Instonians II30C.I.Y.M.S.after extra timeBelfast Newsletter 15 February 1937 Page 111937–38Queen's University II60Collegians IIBelfast Newsletter 28 March 1938 Page 31938–39Dromore30ColeraineBelfast Newsletter 20 February 1939 Page 12

1940s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1939–40Not played due to World War II1940–41Not played due to World War II1941–42Not played due to World War II1942–43Not played due to World War II1943–44Not played due to World War II1944–45Not played due to World War II1945–46City of Derry50C.I.Y.M.S.1946–47Queen's University II163Carrickfergus1947–48Queen's University II136King's ScholarsNorthern Whig 16 February 1948 Page 31948–49Queen's University II98Dungannonafter extra timeNorthern Whig 28 February 1949 Page 2

1950s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1949–50Coleraine118Queen's University IINorthern Whig 13 February 1950 Page 51950–51Queens University II86Instonians IINorthern Whig 12 April 1951 Page 21951–52Queens University II143NIFC II1952–53C.I.Y.M.S. II120King's Scholars1953–54NIFC II30LurganNorthern Whig 15 February 1954 Page 51954–55King's Scholars140BRA FP1955–56Lurgan83Ballyclare1956–57NIFC II93Portadown1957–58Donaghadee53BRA FP1958–59Queens University II30Malone II

1960s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1959–60Instonians II173RUC1960–61Collegians II86Ballymena IIBelfast Newsletter 6 March 1961 Page 71961–62Collegians II60NIFC IIBelfast Newsletter 19 February 1962 Page 91962–63NIFC II60LurganBelfast Newsletter 11 April 1963 Page 101963–64Queen's Freshers30OmaghBelfast Newsletter 16 December 1963 Page 101964–65Armagh30Dungannon IIBelfast Newsletter 18 January 1965 Page 111965–66Ballynahinch53Dungannon IIBelfast Newsletter 31 January 1966 Page 111966–67Ballynahinch150King's Scholars1967–68Malone II30Civil Service II1968–69Queens University II65Bangor

1970s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1969–70Queen's University II30King's Scholars1970–71King's Scholars113Queen's University II1971–72Ballymena II150CIYMS II1972–73Ballymena II2012Ards1973–74Instonians II109Ards1974–75Malone II100Coleraine1975–76Rainey Old Boys90NIFC II1976–77Ards70Malone II1977–78Malone II96Ards II1978–79Rainey Old Boys106Malone II

1980s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1979–80Armagh173Coleraine1980–81Malone II159Coleraine1981–82Omagh229Bangor IIBelfast Newsletter 02/01/1982 Page 101982–83Omagh64Coleraine1983–84Omagh30Banbridge1984–85NIFC II96Omagh1985–86Coleraine63Rainey Old Boys1986–87Cooke1512Enniskillen1987–88Ballynahinch93Ards II1988–89Ballyclare1812Omagh

1990s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1989–90Banbridge107RUC.1990–91Holywood199Omagh1991–92Ballynahinch1312Ballymena II1992–93Omagh176Donaghadee1993–94Instonians II173Bangor II1994–95Ballynahinch148Banbridge1995–96Dungannon II86Banbridge1996–97Dungannon II3712Omagh1997–98Ballymena II130Banbridge1998–99Dungannon II388Armagh

2000s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes1999–2000Ballymena II608Armagh2000–01Ballymena II2422Dungannon II2001–02Ballyclare3110Carrick2002–03Dungannon II245Clogher Valley2003–04Belfast Harlequins II2714Dungannon II2004–05Ballymena II3318Dromore2005–06Armagh1715Dungannon II2006–07Cooke203Clogher Valley2007–08Armagh1912Clogher Valley2008–09City of Derry3613Cooke

2010s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes2009–10Armagh123Limavady2010–11Ballynahinch II2210Armagh2011–12Donaghadee100Coleraine2012–13Clogher Valley2221Ballynahinch II2013–14Ballynahinch II177Ballyclare2014–15Instonians140OmaghUlster Rugby News2015–16Bangor75Instonians2016–17Ballynahinch II173Omagh2017–18Ballynahinch II238Armagh IIUlster Rugby2018–19Dromore2219Ballynahinch IINews Letter

2020s

Year Winner Runner-up Notes2019–20Enniskillen1817Armagh IIBelfast Telegraph2020–21not played due to Covid-19 pandemicwidth=2002021–22Clogher Valley4312Armagh II2022–23Ballyclare4342EnniskillenUlster Rugby2023–24Dromore3017City of DerryDerry Journal2024–25Enniskillen2316DromoreUlster Rugby2025–26Enniskillen4814Ballynahinch IIFermanagh Herald

Sources