# Tommy Murphy Cup

The Tommy Murphy Cup was a Gaelic football competition, featuring senior county teams eliminated from the early stages of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and also Kilkenny when not fielding a team in the main All-Ireland. The series of games, organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association, were played during the summer months, with the final being played in August at Croke Park. The Cup was named after Tommy Murphy, a footballer from County Laois who was, appropriately for the competition, the only member of the Team of the Millennium from a county which had not won an All-Ireland.
Later changes to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship meant that the 2008 Tommy Murphy Cup featured the eight lowest-ranking teams in National Football League, unless the teams reached the final of their respective provincial championships. Antrim defeated the holder Wicklow in the final. The cup was cancelled after the 2008 tournament.

## Format

The Tommy Murphy Cup was a single elimination tournament. Each team was afforded only one defeat before being eliminated from the championship. Pairings for matches were drawn at random and there was no seeding. Each match was played as a single leg. If a match was drawn there was a period of extra time; however, if both sides were still level at the end of extra time, a replay took place, and so on until a winner was found.

## Teams
### Debut of counties

| Year | Debutants | Total |
| 2004 | Antrim, Clare, London, Louth, Sligo | 5 |
| 2005 | Carlow, Fermanagh, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow | 10 |
| 2006 | Cavan, Monaghan | 2 |
| 2007 | Offaly | 1 |
| 2008 | None | 0 |
| Total | | 18 |

### List of Tommy Murphy Cup counties

| County | Total years | First year in Championship | Most recent year in Championship | Championship titles | Last championship title | Best Tommy Murphy Cup finish |
| Antrim | 5 | 2004 | 2008 | 1 | 2008 | 1st |
| Carlow | 4 | 2005 | 2008 | 0 | — | Semi-finals |
| Cavan | 1 | 2006 | 2006 | 0 | — | Quarter-finals |
| Clare | 4 | 2004 | 2008 | 1 | 2004 | 1st |
| Fermanagh | 1 | 2005 | 2005 | 0 | — | Quarter-finals |
| Kilkenny | 4 | 2005 | 2008 | 0 | — | Preliminary round |
| Leitrim | 3 | 2005 | 2008 | 0 | — | 2nd |
| London | 5 | 2004 | 2008 | 0 | — | Semi-finals |
| Longford | 1 | 2005 | 2005 | 0 | — | Semi-finals |
| Louth | 2 | 2004 | 2006 | 1 | 2006 | 1st |
| Monaghan | 1 | 2006 | 2006 | 0 | — | Quarter-finals |
| Offaly | 1 | 2007 | 2007 | 0 | — | Quarter-finals |
| Roscommon | 2 | 2005 | 2006 | 0 | — | Semi-finals |
| Sligo | 2 | 2004 | 2008 | 0 | — | 2nd |
| Tipperary | 3 | 2005 | 2007 | 1 | 2005 | 1st |
| Waterford | 4 | 2005 | 2008 | 0 | — | Semi-finals |
| Wexford | 1 | 2005 | 2005 | 0 | — | 2nd |
| Wicklow | 4 | 2005 | 2008 | 1 | 2007 | 1st |

### Seasons in Tommy Murphy Cup

The number of years that each county team played in the Tommy Murphy Cup between 2004 and 2008. A total of 18 counties have competed in at least one season of the Tommy Murphy Cup. Antrim and London have participated in the most championships. The counties in bold participated in the 2008 Tommy Murphy Cup.
| Years | Counties |
| 5 | Antrim, London |
| 4 | Carlow, Clare, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wicklow |
| 3 | Leitrim, Tipperary |
| 2 | Louth, Roscommon, Sligo |
| 1 | Cavan, Fermanagh, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Wexford |

## List of finals

| Year | Date | Winners | Winners | Runners-up | Runners-up | Venue | Winning captain | Winning margin | Referee | No. of Teams |
| Year | Date | County | Score | County | Score | Venue | Winning captain | Winning margin | Referee | No. of Teams |
| 2008 | 2 August | Antrim | 3–12 (21) | Wicklow | 1–15 (18) | Croke Park | | 3 | | 9 |
| 2007 | 4 August | Wicklow | 3–13 (22) | Antrim | 1–17 (20) | Croke Park | | 2 | | 9 |
| 2006 | 27 August | Louth | 3–14 (23) | Leitrim | 1–11 (14) | Croke Park | Martin Farrelly | 9 | Jimmy McKee | 13 |
| 2005 | 4 September | Tipperary | 3–10 (19) | Wexford | 0–15 (15) | Croke Park | | 4 | J White (Donegal) | 9 |
| 2004 | 22 August | Clare | 1–11 (14) | Sligo | 0–11 (11) | Croke Park | | 3 | | 4 |

## Roll of honour

Performances in the Tommy Murphy Cup by county :
| County | Title(s) | Runners-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
| Wicklow | 1 | 1 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Antrim | 1 | 1 | 2008 | 2007 |
| Clare | 1 | 0 | 2004 | — |
| Tipperary | 1 | 0 | 2005 | — |
| Louth | 1 | 0 | 2006 | — |
| Sligo | 0 | 1 | — | 2004 |
| Wexford | 0 | 1 | — | 2005 |
| Leitrim | 0 | 1 | — | 2006 |
Performances in the Tommy Murphy Cup final by province :
| Province | Winners | Runners-up | Total |
| Leinster | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Munster | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ulster | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Connacht | 0 | 2 | 2 |

## Team records and statistics
### Team results
#### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Semi-Final
* QF/PR – Quarter-finals/Preliminary Round
* AI – All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
For each year, the number of teams in each championship (in brackets) are shown.
| Team | 2004 (5) | 2005 (12) | 2006 (13) | 2007 (9) | 2008 (9) | Years |
| Antrim | SF | QF | SF | 2nd | 1st | 5 |
| Carlow | AI | PR | SF | QF | QF | 4 |
| Cavan | AI | AI | QF | AI | AI | 1 |
| Clare | 1st | AI | PR | SF | QF | 4 |
| Fermanagh | AI | QF | AI | AI | AI | 1 |
| Kilkenny | — | PR | PR | PR | PR | 4 |
| Leitrim | AI | PR | 2nd | AI | SF | 3 |
| London | QF | QF | QF | QF | SF | 5 |
| Longford | AI | SF | AI | AI | AI | 1 |
| Louth | SF | AI | 1st | AI | AI | 2 |
| Monaghan | AI | AI | QF | AI | AI | 1 |
| Offaly | AI | AI | AI | QF | AI | 1 |
| Roscommon | AI | SF | PR | AI | AI | 2 |
| Sligo | 2nd | AI | AI | AI | QF | 2 |
| Tipperary | AI | 1st | QF | QF | AI | 3 |
| Waterford | AI | QF | PR | SF | QF | 4 |
| Wexford | AI | 2nd | AI | AI | AI | 1 |
| Wicklow | AI | PR | PR | 1st | 2nd | 4 |

### Semi-final appearances

| # | County | No. | Semi-final appearance years |
| 1 | Antrim | 4 | 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 |
| 2 | Wicklow | 2 | 2007, 2008 |
| 2 | Louth | 2 | 2004, 2006 |
| 2 | Clare | 2 | 2004, 2007 |
| 2 | Leitrim | 2 | 2006, 2008 |
| 6 | Sligo | 1 | 2004 |
| 6 | Tipperary | 1 | 2005 |
| 6 | Wexford | 1 | 2005 |
| 6 | Roscommon | 1 | 2005 |
| 6 | Longford | 1 | 2005 |
| 6 | Carlow | 1 | 2006 |
| 6 | Waterford | 1 | 2007 |
| 6 | London | 1 | 2008 |

### All time table

Legend
* Colours
* Currently competing in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
* Currently competing in the Tailteann Cup
* Currently competing in the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship
| # | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Points |
| 1 | Antrim | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 16 |
| 2 | Tipperary | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| = | Wicklow | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | Louth | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| = | Clare | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 | Leitrim | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| = | London | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | Longford | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| = | Wexford | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| = | Carlow | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 11 | Cavan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| = | Fermanagh | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| = | Roscommon | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| = | Sligo | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| = | Waterford | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 16 | Monaghan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| = | Offaly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| = | Kilkenny | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |

### Other records
#### Finishing positions

* Most championships
** 1, Clare (2004)
** 1, Tipperary (2005)
** 1, Louth (2006)
** 1, Wicklow (2007)
** 1, Antrim (2008)
* Most second-place finishes
** 1, Sligo (2004)
** 1, Wexford (2005)
** 1, Leitrim (2006)
** 1, Antrim (2007)
** 1, Wicklow (2008)
* Most semi-final finishes
** 2, Antrim (2004, 2006)
* Most quarter-final finishes
** 4, London (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
* Most preliminary round finishes
** 4, Kilkenny (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)

#### Unbeaten sides

* All 5 teams have won the Tommy Murphy Cup unbeaten:
** Clare had 3 wins in 2004.
** Tipperary had 4 wins in 2005.
** Louth had 4 wins in 2006.
** Wicklow had 3 wins in 2007.
** Antrim had 3 wins in 2008.

#### Beaten sides

The knockout format of the cup has resulted in 0 'back-door' Tommy Murphy Cup champions.

#### Final success rate

Only 3 counties have appeared in the final, being victorious on all occasions:
* Clare (2004)
* Tipperary (2005)
* Louth (2006)
On the opposite end of the scale, only 3 counties has appeared in the final, losing on each occasion:
* Sligo (2004)
* Wexford (2005)
* Leitrim (2006)

#### Consecutive participations

* 5, Antrim (2004–2008)
* 5, London (2004–2008)
Antrim and London have the record number of consecutive participations in the Tommy Murphy Cup, taking part in all 5 seasons.

#### Winning other trophies

Although not an officially recognised achievement, one team has achieved the distinction of winning the Tommy Murphy Cup and their respective Division in the National Football League:
* Louth in 2006 (Division 2).

#### Biggest wins

* The most one sided finals:
** 9 points – 2006: Louth 3-14 - 1-11 Leitrim
* The most one sided matches:
** 38 points – 2007: Kilkenny 1-00 - 3-32 Antrim

#### Scoring Events

* Most goals in a match:
** 00 – 0000: 000 vs 000
* Most points in a match:
** 00 – 0000: 000 vs 000
* Most goals by one team in a match:
** 00 – 0000: 000 vs 000
* Most points by one team in a match:
** 00 – 0000: 000 vs 000
* Highest aggregate score:
** 00 points – 0000: 000 vs 000
* Lowest aggregate score:
** 00 points – 0000: 000 vs 000

#### Successful defending

Some defending champions have a chance to retain their title. None have achieved this. These are:
* Tipperary on 0 attempts out of 1 (2006)
* Wicklow on 0 attempts out of 1 (2008)

#### Gaps

* Longest gaps between successive Tommy Murphy Cup final appearances:
** 1 year: Antrim (2007–2008)
** 1 year: Wicklow (2007–2008)
* Longest gap between successive championship appearances
** 4 years: Sligo (2004–2008)

#### Provinces

* The Tommy Murphy Cup final has never involved two teams from the same province.
* The province providing the highest number of different winning teams is Leinster and Munster, with 2:
** Leinster: Louth and Wicklow
** Munster: Clare and Tipperary

#### Longest undefeated run

The record for the longest unbeaten run stands at 00 games held by 000 (0000–0000).

#### Miscellaneous

* Best finish by a debuting team
** Champions, Clare (2004)
* Best finish by a debuting team (after 2004)
** Champions, Tipperary (2005)
* Highest winning record
** 80%, Louth (4 wins in 5 matches)
* Lowest winning record
** 0%, Kilkenny (0 wins in 4 matches)
** 0%, Monaghan (0 wins in 1 match)
** 0%, Offaly (0 wins in 1 match)
* Most played match
** 00, 000 vs 000 (0000)