The Fergal Maher Cup is a hurling cup competition for Third-level Colleges. The Cup is awarded to the winners of the Tier 3 Championship (the Fitzgibbon Cup and Ryan Cup are the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Higher Education Hurling Championships).
The Fergal Maher Cup Championship is administered by Comhairle Ard Oideachais Cumann Lúthchleas Gael (CLG), the Gaelic Athletic Association's Higher Education Council which oversees Third-Level GAA championships. The GAA Higher Education Cup Championships are currently sponsored by the Electric Ireland[1] following on from the Irish Daily Mail, Ulster Bank, Datapac, Bus Éireann and Independent.ie.
History
The Cup is named in memory of Fergal Maher, a student and hurler at Dublin City University who hailed from Leixlip. Fergal was fatally injured when struck by a car near The Sheaf O'Wheat at Bracetown, Clonee, County Meath on 22 March 1998.[2][3] At the time of his death Fergal Maher was a 2nd year engineering student at DCU and was Honorary Secretary of the DCU Hurling club. He played Ryan Cup hurling for DCU and at age 18 he captained the Kildare U21 hurling team.[4]
The Cup was first presented for the Third Division Championship in 2002, the inaugural winner being Athlone Institute of Technology. In 2002/03 IT Tallaght achieved its maiden hurling title in this competition. King's Inns hurling club was launched in 2005 and in its first season won the trophy.[2][5] The first President of the King's Inn Hurling Club was the President of the High Court (2001-2006), the Honourable Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan.[5] In 2007/08 Edinburgh Napier University, winners of the British University Hurling Championship in both 2006/07 and 2007/08, became the first overseas winner of the Fergal Maher Cup.
Fergal Maher Tournament 2018-19
2018-19 Group A Qualifying
Round
Team 1
Score
Team 2
Score
Where Played
Date
Rd1
Letterkenny Institute of Technology
0-05
St Mary's University College Belfast
10-23
O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny
11 February 2019
Rd1
Ulster University Magee
CC
Ulster University Coleraine
W/O
University of Ulster Magee
30 January 2019
Rd2
St Mary's University College Belfast
W/O
Ulster University Magee
CC
St Mary's University College
6 February 2019
Rd2
Ulster University Coleraine
5-12
Ulster University Magee
5-05
Owenbeg, Dungiven, Derry
6 February 2019
Rd3
Ulster University Coleraine
0-0†
St Mary's University College Belfast
0-0†
Owenbeg, Dungiven, Derry
18 February 2019
Rd3
Letterkenny Institute of Technology
W/O
Ulster University Magee
CC
Letterkenny Institute of Technology
13 February 2019
†Match never played
Qualifiers: St Mary's University College Belfast, Ulster University Coleraine
2018-19 Group B Qualifying
Round
Team 1
Score
Team 2
Score
Where Played
Date
Rd1
Institute of Technology Tallaght
1-12
Marino Institute of Education
2-14
Thomas Davis All Weather Pitch
31 January 2019
Rd2
Institute of Technology Blanchardstown
3-11
Marino Institute of Education
7-15
TIT Blanchardstown GAA Pitch
6 February 2019
Rd3
Institute of Technology Blanchardstown
CC
Institute of Technology Tallaght
W/O
IT Blanchardstown GAA Pitch
25 February 2019
Qualifier: Marino Institute of Education
2018-19 Group C Qualifying
Round
Team 1
Score
Team 2
Score
Where Played
Date
Rd2
Mary Immaculate College Thurles
7-18
Galway-Mayo IT Letterfrack
0-13
UL Grounds
7 February 2019
Cadets were drawn in this Group, but did not compete
^ abcdFergal Maher Cup: Goals from Mooney and McMahon prove vital in Colleges final - Galway-Ros ETB complete the double, Connacht Tribune, 6 March 2015, Sport, page 46; Fergal Maher Cup: Goals from Mooney and McMahon prove vital in Colleges final - Galway-Ros ETB complete the double, Galway City Tribune, 6 March 2015, Sport, page 117
^ ab
| IT Sligohttps://www.itsligo.ie/2016/02/29/fergalmahercupwinners27022016/
^ abcTwitter HE GAA@HigherEdGAA: Our 2017 @Independent_ie Fergal Maher Cup winners GMIT Letterfrack receive the cup Tom Rigney (Captain) and Sean Claffey (Man of the Match)
^ abcdIrish Examiner, 27 February 2017, Sport, p. 29, Maher praises Garda College dedication after Ryan Cup win
^Irish Independent, 14 May 1980, p. 16, AGM insists on big slice of the cake (Higher Education AGM)
^Irish Press, 6 March 1982, p. 15, Full Guide to Weekend Fixtures
^Semi-finals, 27 February 1988: NIHE Dublin v St Patrick's College, Thurles, Dundalk RTC v Magee College, Irish Independent, February 27, 1988, p. 23; Irish Press, March 23, 1988, p. 15
^Semi-finals, The Curragh: Army Apprentice School v Air Corps; Dundalk RTC v St Patricks' College, Thurles; Irish Press, April 7, 1990, Sport, p. 35
^Semi-final, Na Fianna Grounds: UU Coleraine v Tralee RTC; Irish Independent, February 7, 1991, p. 14
^Semi-finals: Sligo RTC 2-06 Letterkenny RTC 1-02; Cadets 1-11 Waterford RTC 2-07; Sunday Independent, February 7, 1993, p. 18L; Irish Independent, February 18, 1993, p. 12; Limerick Leader, February 27, 1993, p. 27
^Semi-finals, Kenny Park, Athenry, Co. Galway: Napier University 9-13 Colaiste Mhuire Marino 0-07; Dundalk IT 4-13 IT Tallaght 1-11 Irish Independent, March 6, 2010, Sport, p. 24; Irish Independent, March 8, 2010, Sport, p. 24; DkITimes, Fitzgibbon Cup Weekend, A Sporting Special as DkIT reach Maher Cup Final, Maher Cup Final by Marie Greenan, pp. 3-4
^Semi-finals, De La Salle G.A.A. Club Grounds, Gracedieu, Waterford: St. Patrick's College, Thurles v Cork Colleges of Further Education, Southern Regional College v Dundalk IT; Sunday Independent, February 27, 2011, Sport, p. 15
^Luceat 2011, St Patrick's College, Thurles, pp. 16-17, St Patrick's College, Thurles 2-11 Cork Colleges of Further Education 1-4
