# Kirk Cup

The Kirk Cup is the oldest hockey tournament in Ulster and the oldest provincial hockey trophy in Ireland. It has become a tradition since the 1966–67 season for the final to be played on Boxing Day, a date previously reserved for the Anderson Cup Final. The final attracts the largest crowd of the Ulster hockey season. The cup is named after its donor, Mr. John Kirk, J.P, who was a member of the Antrim club. Following the creation of the Irish Hockey League, the competition remained open only to Ulster Senior League members, until 2018–19, when Irish Hockey League teams from Ulster were admitted.
In the early years of the competition it was also known as the Ulster Senior Challenge Cup.

## Historical format

From the introduction of the Cup in the 1897–98 season until the major re-organisation of the Ulster Senior League for the 1969–70 season, the format was that of a knockout competition. The Cup was competed for towards the end of the season.
From the 1969-70 all the teams in Senior League Section One and Two were split into four groups. The winner of each group would go forward to an open draw for semi-final matches.
From the 2000-01 until the 2008–09 season, the format of the competition was altered slightly. The eight teams in the Ulster Premier Hockey League were drawn into four groups. The top eight teams from Section One were drawn into these groups to create four groups of four teams each. The eight Section One teams were the relegated Premier League team from the previous season and the teams finishing in second to eighth places in the final league standings of the previous season.
Each club played the other teams in their Group once. The winners of each Group proceed to semi-final matches, with the ties decided via an open draw.
The Premier League reverted to ten teams for the 2009–10 season and these teams together with the top six teams in Section One were drawn into four groups of four teams. Each team played the other teams in their group once. The group winners contested the semi-final with the ties decided by an open draw. The two semi-final winners contested the final which is scheduled for Boxing Day. This format was used in 2010-11 too.

## Current format

For the start of the 2011–12 season the entry was restricted to the Premier League teams. The ten Premier League teams were drawn in two pools of five teams, with each team playing the other teams in their pool once. The semi-finals saw the winner of one pool playing the runner-up of the other pool, with the winners of the semi-finals going on to contest the final. In 2016–17, the top sixteen teams in the Ulster Senior League were drawn into four groups of four, but since 2017-18 it has reverted to two groups of five.

## Finals

(records incomplete)

### 1890s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1897–98 | North Staffordshire Regiment | 3 | 2 | Antrim | |
| 1898–99 | Antrim | 3 | 1 | King's Own Liverpool Regiment | |

### 1900s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1899–1900 | North Down | 4 | 2 | Cliftonville | |
| 1900–01 | Antrim | 3 | 1 | Banbridge | |
| 1901–02 | North Down | 2 | 1 | Cliftonville | |
| 1902–03 | Strabane | 1 | 0 | North Down | |
| 1903–04 | Cliftonville | 1 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 1904–05 | Antrim | 2 | 1 | Banbridge | after extra time |
| 1905–06 | Banbridge | 1 | 0 | Malone | |
| 1906–07 | Antrim | 3 | 1 | Downpatrick | |
| 1907–08 | Malone & North Down | | | SHARED | |
| 1908–09 | Banbridge | 5 | 2 | Malone | |

### 1910s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up |
| 1909–10 | Banbridge | 3 | 0 | Malone |
| 1910–11 | Banbridge | 3 | 2 | Queen's University |
| 1911–12 | Cliftonville | 2 | 1 | North Down |
| 1912–13 | Banbridge | 3 | 1 | Queen's University |
| 1913–14 | Banbridge | 2 | 0 | Queen's University |
| 1914–05 | Not played due to World War I |
| 1915–16 | Not played due to World War I |
| 1916–17 | Not played due to World War I |
| 1917–18 | Not played due to World War I |
| 1918–19 | Not played due to World War I |

### 1920s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1919–20 | Banbridge | 4 | 1 | Queen's University | |
| 1920–21 | North Down | 1 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 1921–22 | South Antrim | 2 | 1 | Banbridge | |
| 1922–23 | Lisnagarvey | 3 | 0 | North Down | |
| 1923–24 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Cliftonville | |
| 1924–25 | Lisnagarvey | 1 | 0 | East Antrim | |
| 1925–26 | Banbridge | 2 | 1 | Antrim | |
| 1926–27 | Banbridge | 3 | 0 | East Antrim | |
| 1927–28 | Antrim | 1 | 0 | East Antrim | |
| 1928–29 | North Down | 2 | 1 | South Antrim | after extra time |

### 1930s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1929–30 | Cliftonville | 3 | 0 | Derry YMCA | |
| 1930–31 | Cliftonville | 4 | 1 | Derry YMCA | |
| 1931–32 | South Antrim | 2 | 0 | East Antrim | |
| 1932–33 | East Antrim | 2 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 1933–34 | Lisnagarvey | 5 | 4 | Cliftonville | |
| 1934–35 | Banbridge | 1 | 0 | North Down | |
| 1935–36 | North Down | 2 | 0 | Wanderers | after extra time |
| 1936–37 | North Down | 3 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | after extra time |
| 1937–38 | Banbridge | 3 | 1 | North Down | after extra time |
| 1938–39 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Antrim | |

### 1940s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1939–40 | Not Played due to World War II |
| 1940–41 | Not Played due to World War II |
| 1941–42 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | North Down | |
| 1942–43 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 1943–44 | North Down | 3 | 1 | Banbridge | after two periods of extra time |
| 1944–45 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Short & Harland | |
| 1945–46 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Wanderers | |
| 1946–47 | Portrush | 1 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 1947–48 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Belfast YMCA | |
| 1948–49 | Portrush | 3 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | |

### 1950s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1949–50 | Banbridge | 2 | 0 | Antrim | |
| 1950–51 | Banbridge | | | Parkview | |
| 1951–52 | | | | | |
| 1952–53 | Lisnagarvey | | | | |
| 1953–54 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Mossley | after extra time |
| 1954–55 | | | | | |
| 1955–56 | Parkview & Lisnagarvey | | | SHARED | |
| 1956–57 | Banbridge | | | | |
| 1957–58 | Belfast YMCA | | | Banbridge | |
| 1958–59 | Belfast YMCA | | | Antrim | |

### 1960s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1959–60 | Belfast YMCA | 1 | 0 | Portrush | |
| 1960–61 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Banbridge | |
| 1961–62 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 1962–63 | Competition abandoned due to severe winter weather |
| 1963–64 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Antrim | |
| 1964–65 | Portrush | 4 | 2 | Banbridge | AET – Replay – Game 1: 2-2 |
| 1965–66 | Antrim | 1 | 0 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 1966–67 | Parkview | 2 | 1 | Banbridge | |
| 1967–68 | Cliftonville | 3 | 0 | Antrim | |
| 1968–69 | Cliftonville | 1 | 0 | Instonians | |

### 1970s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1969–70 | Portrush | 3 | 1 | Instonians | |
| 1970–71 | Lisnagarvey | | | Cliftonville | Replay – Game 1: 1-1 |
| 1971–72 | Antrim & Instonians | | | SHARED | 2nd replay – Game 1: 2-2, Game 2: |
| 1972–73 | Lisnagarvey | 1 | 0 | Friends School Old Boys | |
| 1973–74 | Lisnagarvey | 3 | 0 | Mossley | Replay – Game 1: 1-1 |
| 1974–75 | Instonians | 2 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 1975–76 | Instonians | 2 | 1 | Cliftonville | |
| 1976–77 | Belfast YMCA | 2 | 0 | Instonians | |
| 1977–78 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Belfast YMCA | |
| 1978–79 | Belfast YMCA | 3 | 0 | Antrim | |

### 1980s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1979–80 | Lisnagarvey | | | Instonians | Replay – Game 1: 1-1 |
| 1980–81 | Instonians | 3 | 1 | Banbridge | |
| 1981–82 | Lisnagarvey | 1 | 1 | Banbridge | Replay – Lisnagarvey won 4–2 on penalty strokes – Game 1: 2-2 |
| 1982–83 | Banbridge | 2 | 1 | Belfast YMCA | |
| 1983–84 | Mossley | 2 | 0 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 1984–85 | Belfast YMCA | 3 | 0 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 1985–86 | Banbridge | 2 | 1 | RUC | |
| 1986–87 | Banbridge | 2 | 0 | Cookstown | Replay – Game 1: 1-1 |
| 1987–88 | Banbridge | 2 | 1 | Mossley | Replay – Game 1: 1-1 |
| 1988–89 | Cookstown | 1 | 0 | Mossley | |

### 1990s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1989–90 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 1990–91 | Holywood 87 | 2 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | Replay – Game 1: 2-2 |
| 1991–92 | Holywood 87 | 1 | 0 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 1992–93 | Holywood 87 | 2 | 0 | Instonians | |
| 1993–94 | Instonians | 3 | 1 | Banbridge | |
| 1994–95 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Instonians | |
| 1995–96 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Newry | |
| 1996–97 | Lisnagarvey | 3 | 2 | Instonians | |
| 1997–98 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Annadale | |
| 1998–99 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Cookstown | |

### 2000s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 1999–2000 | Annadale | 1 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | after extra time – Annadale won 3–1 on penalty strokes |
| 2000–01 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Annadale | |
| 2001–02 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Instonians | |
| 2002–03 | Cookstown | 2 | 1 | Instonians | |
| 2003–04 | Annadale | 2 | 1 | Banbridge | Annadale won with "Golden Goal" in 7th minute of extra time |
| 2004–05 | Instonians | 2 | 2 | Lisnagarvey | Instonians won 5–4 on penalty strokes |
| 2005–06 | Banbridge | 2 | 1 | Annadale | |
| 2006–07 | Cookstown | 2 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 2007–08 | Annadale | 3 | 2 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 2008–09 | Cookstown | 4 | 3 | Lisnagarvey | after extra time |

### 2010s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 2009–10 | Cookstown | 2 | 0 | Banbridge | |
| 2010–11 | Banbridge | 4 | 2 | Cookstown | |
| 2011–12 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 1 | Cookstown | |
| 2012–13 | Cookstown | 3 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 2013–14 | Annadale | 1 | 1 | Lisnagarvey | after extra time – Annadale win 4–2 on penalty strokes |
| 2014–15 | Banbridge | 3 | 1 | Cookstown | |
| 2015–16 | Instonians | 8 | 2 | Mossley | |
| 2016–17 | Annadale | 8 | 1 | Cookstown | |
| 2017–18 | Kilkeel | 1 | 1 | Mossley | Kilkeel win 3–2 on penalties. |
| 2018–19 | Banbridge | 4 | 1 | Annadale | |

### 2020s

| Year | Winner | | | Runner-up | Notes |
| 2019–20 | Banbridge | 3 | 2 | Lisnagarvey | |
| 2020–21 | Not played due to Covid-19 | | | | |
| 2021–22 | Lisnagarvey | 3 | 2 | Banbridge | |
| 2022–23 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 2 | Banbridge | Garvey won on penalty run-ins |
| 2023–24 | Lisnagarvey | 2 | 0 | Banbridge | |

## Sources

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* ↑ Belfast Telegraph
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* ↑ "Banbridge earn Kirk Cup triumph". BBC Sport. 26 December 2005. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
* ↑ "Cookstown triumph in Kirk final". BBC Sport. 26 December 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
* ↑ "Annadale claim Kirk Cup triumph". BBC Sport. 26 December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
* ↑ "Annadale hold off Garvey's late show". Belfast Telegraph. 27 December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
* ↑ "Red Army provide that little bit extra in hockey final". Belfast Telegraph. 27 December 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
* ↑ "Cookstown beat Banbridge in Kirk Cup final". BBC Sport. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
* ↑ "Harsh words do trick". Belfast Newsletter. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
* ↑ "Lisnagarvey defeat Cookstown in Kirk Cup final". BBC Sport. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
* ↑ "Comfortable win in the end for Cookstown". Belfast Newsletter. 26 December 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
* ↑ "Lisnagarvey pay the penalty against Annadale". 26 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
* ↑ "Cookstown beaten 1-3 by Banbridge in Kirk Cup Final". midulstermail.co.uk. 27 December 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
* ↑ News Letter, 26 December 2015
* ↑ BBC
* ↑ "Cookstown demolished by Anndale in Kirk Cup Final". midulstermail.co.uk. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
* ↑ "Agony and ecstasy for Caruth as Dale land Kirk Cup in style". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
* ↑ "Kilkeel defeat Mossley on penalties to lift Kirk Cup for first time". newsletter.co.uk. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
* ↑ "Kilkeel win Kirk Cup for first time as Queen's land Ulster Shield". BBC. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
* ↑ "In pictures: Banbridge return to win Kirk Cup after three year absence". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
* ↑ Belfast Telegraph
* ↑ Front Row Union
* ↑ Ulster Hockey
* ↑ Ulster Hockey