The Men's Irish Junior Cup is a knockout trophy played for field hockey clubs in Ireland. Entry is open to sides that do not qualify for the Irish Senior Cup and to the second teams of clubs that play in the Irish Senior Cup. The trophy was first played for in 1895, a year after the Senior version of the trophy.
Historical format
From its start in 1895 until the 1980s, the tournament was played in regional tournaments. The winners of the regional tournaments in Leinster, Munster, Ulster and at times Connacht would proceed through to semi-final matches. The finals were played in one weekend until 1935. The final was then moved to a separate weekend. The change was prompted by the circumstances of the 1934 finals. Castlecomer played the semi-final against Cork Harlequins (with extra time) on the Friday afternoon and a semi-final replay (with more extra time) on the Saturday morning. After winning the marathon semi-final, the exhaustion of the Castlecomer team forced them to scratch from the Final that was due to be played on the Saturday afternoon.Belfast Newsletter 11/04/1934 Page 2
Current format
In the 1980s the format of the competition was changed when the last eight teams from the regions entered an open draw. After a few years of operating this system the competition was changed to a completely open draw.
The introduction of the Irish Trophy in 2008-09 meant that entry to the Irish Junior Cup was restricted to club's second teams. A small number of third eleven teams also qualify.
Both teams are allowed a squad of 18 as long as you have two fully kitted goalkeepers and there is no extra time, a drawn match will be finalised with penalty strokes.
The Irish Junior Cup Trophy is the only trophy in Ireland where the Captain's name is engraved as well as the team's name and year.
Finals
(Records are incomplete)
1890s
1895 Beechfield 1896 Sandyford 1897 Avoca 1898 Three Rock Rovers II 1899 Dublin University II
1900s
1900 Corinthians II 2-1 Antrim IIBelfast Newsletter 12/04/1900 Page 3 1901 Dublin University II beat Antrim II 1902 Dublin University II 1903 Dublin University II 1904 Kingston GS 1905 Naas 1906 Monkstown II 5–0 After replay. First game finished 2–2 after extra time. Lisnagarvey 1907 Dublin University II 1908 Monkstown II 1909 Monkstown II 3-0 Whitehead
Notes
1910s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes 1910 Three Rock Rovers 2XI 1911 Dublin University 2XI East Antrim 1912 Three Rock Rovers 2XI 1913 Dublin University 2XI 1914 BallinasloeDublin University II 1915 Not Played 1916 Not Played 1917 Not Played 1918 Not Played 1919 Not Played
1920s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1920Three Rock Rovers II1921 Dublin University II 1922 Waterford21 Dublin University IIBelfast Newsletter 28/03/1922 Page 91923 College of Science21 ArdsBelfast Newsletter 12/03/1923 Page 21924 Maryborough32 East Antrim IIafter extra timeBelfast Newsletter 15/03/1924 Page 21925 Railway Union II20 EnnisBelfast Newsletter 18/03/1925 Page 21926 Pembroke Wanderers II10 Athloneafter four periods of extra timeBelfast Newsletter 08/03/1926 Page 31927 Killyleagh20 MaryboroughBelfast Newsletter 21/03/1927 Page 111928 Ards31 PortraneBelfast Newsletter 05/03/1928 Page 51929 Banbridge II10 NaasBelfast Newsletter 11/03/1929 Page 3
1930s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1930Naas60Cork HarlequinsBelfast Newsletter 10/03/1930 Page 31931 Old Grammarians (Cork)21 Kingstown GS IIBelfast Newsletter 30/03/1931 Page 131932 Portrush32 Portraneafter 2 periods of extra timeBelfast Newsletter 04/04/1932 Page 31933 Portrane40 CastlecomerBelfast Newsletter 20/03/1933 Page 31934 PortraneWO Castlecomerwalkover1935 Newry20 Corinthians IIBelfast Newsletter 08/04/1935 Page 31936 Newry20 Athlunkard, LimerickBelfast Newsletter 23/03/1936 Page 41937 Parkview30 PortraneBelfast Newsletter 12/04/1937 Page 31938 Pembroke Wanderers II 1939 Maryborough21 Down County Mental Hospitalafter 2 periods of extra timeBelfast Newsletter 27/03/1939 Page 11
1940s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1940Maryborough Railway Union II1941 Maryborough20 Dublin University II1942 Pembroke Wanderers II40 Mossley1943 Portrush30 Graiguenamanagh1944 Mossley30 GraiguenamanaghNorthern Whig 27/03/1944 Page 41945 Down21 Graiguenamanagh1946 Portrush21 Monkstown II1947 Antrim II21 Roscrea1948 Antrim II32 Pembroke Wanderers IINorthern Whig 05/04/1948 Page 31949 Banbridge II10 Pembroke Wanderers IINorthern Whig 04/04/1949 Page 5
1950s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1950Glenanne II21RUCNorthern Whig 27/03/1950 Page 61951 Monkstown II 1952 RUC21 Monkstown II1953 Banbridge II10 CarlowIreland's Saturday Night 21/03/1953 Page 41954 Dublin YMCA II21 Lisnagarvey IIAfter extra timeIreland's Saturday Night 10/04/1954 Page 7;Northern Whig 12/04/1954 Page 51955 Lisnagarvey II40 University College, DublinIreland's Saturday Night 23/04/1955 Page 61956 Lisnagarvey II10 North KildareIreland's Saturday Night 14/04/1956 Page 71957 Railway Union II Carlow1958 Lisnagarvey II10 Dublin YMCA IIIreland's Saturday Night 12/04/1958 Page 71959 Lisnagarvey II30 Dublin University IIIreland's Saturday Night 14/04/1959 Page 9
1960s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1960Lisnagarvey II20Dublin University IIReplay - Game 1: 3-3Belfast Newsletter 04/04/1960 Page 7; Ireland's Saturday Night 19/03/1960 Page 9 & 02/04/1960 Page 91961 Pembroke Wanderers II20 Catholic Institute IIIreland's Saturday Night 29/04/1961 Page 8; Belfast Newsletter 01/05/1961 Page 81962 Lisnagarvey II41 Waterford Y.M.C.A.Belfast Newsletter 02/04/1962 Page 8; Ireland's Saturday Night 31/03/1962 Page 91963 Lisnagarvey II20 Éire Air CorpAfter extra time in replay - Game 1: 1-1Ireland's Saturday Night 04/05/1963 Page 2 & 11/05/1963 Page 31964 Cliftonville II32 Three Rock Rovers IIIreland's Saturday Night 14/03/1964 Page 21965 Avoca II60 Deighton Wanderers1966 Mossley II41 Catholic Institute IIBelfast Newsletter 25/04/1966 Page 131967 Lisnagarvey II10 Railway Union IIIreland's Saturday Night 08/04/1967 Page 31968 Cork Church of Ireland II Monkstown II1969 Monkstown II Belvedere II
1970s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1970Lisnagarvey II10Pembroke Wanderers IIReplay - Game 1: 0-0Ireland's Saturday Night 04/04/1970 Page 2 & 18/04/1970 Page 21971 Lorraine20 Cork Church of Ireland IIIreland's Saturday Night 03/04/1971 Page 21972 Lisnagarvey II30 Deighton WanderersIreland's Saturday Night 15/04/1972 Page 21973 Lisnagarvey II40 Waterford IIIreland's Saturday Night 07/04/1973 Page 21974 Lisnagarvey II40 St Brendan'sIreland's Saturday Night 06/04/1974 Page 21975 Railway Union II31 Lisnagarvey IIafter extra timeBelfast Newsletter 14/04/1975 Page 12; Ireland's Saturday Night 12/04/1975 Page 21976 Antrim II21 Limerick PYMA IIBelfast Newsletter 12/04/1976 Page 12; Ireland's Saturday Night 10/04/1976 Page 41977 Lisnagarvey II31 Three Rock Rovers IIBelfast Newsletter 18/04/1977 Page 101978 Instonians II21 Cork Church of Ireland II1979 Three Rock Rovers II32 Cork Harlequins IIBelfast Newsletter 02/04/1979 Page 12
1980s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1980Instonians II10Cookstown IIBelfast Newsletter 21/04/1980 Page 11; Ireland's Saturday Night 19/04/1980 Page 31981 Belfast YMCA II20 Instonians IIafter extra timeBelfast Newsletter 13/04/1981 Page 91982 Newry43 Monkstown II1983 Cookstown II31 Three Rock Rovers IIIIreland's Saturday Night 16/04/1983 Page 21984 Cork Church of Ireland II 1985 Cookstown II21 Glennane1986 Mossley II20 Banbridge II1987 Lisnagarvey II 1988 Aer Lingus20 Cork Harlequins II1989 Banbridge II30 Lisnagarvey III
1990s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes1990Lisnagarvey II10Holywood '87 IIReplay - Game 1: 2-21991 Holywood '87 II10 Cork Harlequins II1992 Holywood '87 II10 Banbridge II1993 Cork Church of Ireland II21 Lisnagarvey II1994 Banbridge II40 Pembroke Wanderers II1995 Glennane II42 Banbridge II1996 Pembroke Wanderers II10 Banbridge IIBelfast Newsletter 01/04/1996 Page 301997 Avoca II20 Cork Harlequins II1998 Three Rock Rovers II40 Annadale II1999 Cork Harlequins II54 Lisnagarvey II
2000s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes2000Annadale II30Three Rock Rovers II2001 Pembroke Wanderers II21 Lisnagarvey II2002 Annadale II21 Pembroke Wanderers II2003 Lisnagarvey II50 Kilkenny (Kilkenny) 2004 Annadale II43 Lisnagarvey II2005 Banbridge II21 Cork Harlequins II2006 Annadale II21 Glenanne II 2007 Pembroke Wanderers II 31 Cork Harlequins IICaptain - Douglas Good2008 Pembroke Wanderers II32 Annadale IICaptain - Douglas Good2009 Cork Church of Ireland II51 Pembroke Wanderers II
2010s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes2010Monkstown II31YMCA IICaptain - Donal O Mearain2011 Lisnagarvey II31 Banbridge II 2012Corinthians II 31Cookstown IICaptain Adrian Missen 2013Monkstown II21Banbridge IICaptain - Daniel Poff2014 Pembroke Wanderers IIMonkstown II Captain - Craig Wilson2015Monkstown II 6 2Three Rock Rovers II Captain - Robert Mason2016 Cork Church of Ireland II 2 0Monkstown II 2017 Cork Church of Ireland II 3 1Three Rock Rovers II2018 Glenanne II 3 2 Pembroke Wanderers II 2019Three Rock Rovers II 4 1Instonians II Captain - Luke McSharry
2020s
Year Winner Runner-up Notes2020Corinthians II10Lisnagarvey IICaptain -Gareth Davis 2021 2022 Cookstown 2023Lisnagarvey II Banbridge II 2024Corinthians IILisnagarvey IICaptain - Ciarán O'Shea 2025Three Rock Rovers II30Portrane IICaptain -Mikey Maguire 2026 Lisnagarvey II Corinthians II
Sources
External links The Irish Hockey Union Website