# 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup

The 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup was the 2006 campaign of the Nicky Rackard Cup and began on Saturday June 10, 2006. 2006 was the second time this new element of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was introduced. It was devised by the Hurling Development Committee to encourage some of the weaker hurling counties and to give them the chance of playing more games. The final will be played on Sunday, August 13 in Croke Park, Dublin City.
Donegal, Armagh, Longford and Derry played in the semi-finals. Longford qualified by defeating the other two group runners-up. After winning their semi-finals, Donegal and Derry contested the final in Croke Park on August 12. Derry won easily and were promoted to the 2007 Christy Ring Cup.

## Format

Twelve teams participate in the 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup. The teams were divided into three groups of four roughly based on geographical criteria. The groups are identical to the Nicky Rackard Cup 2005 except that in 3C Derry replace London, who have been promoted.
* Group 3A: Sligo, Tyrone, Donegal and Fermanagh
* Group 3B: Louth, Cavan, Armagh and Leitrim
* Group 3C: Derry, Warwickshire, Longford and Monaghan

## Team changes
### To Championship

Relegated from the Christy Ring Cup
* Derry

### From Championship

Promoted to the Christy Ring Cup
* London

## Teams
### General Information

| County | Last Provincial Title | Last All-Ireland Title | Position in 2005 Championship | Appearance |
| Armagh | — | — | Quarter-finals | 2nd |
| Cavan | — | — | Group Stage | 2nd |
| Derry | 2001 | — | Lost relegation playoff (Christy Ring Cup) | 1st |
| Donegal | 1932 | — | Semi-finals | 2nd |
| Fermanagh | — | — | Group Stage | 2nd |
| Leitrim | — | — | Group Stage | 2nd |
| Longford | — | — | Quarter-finals | 2nd |
| Louth | — | — | Runners-up | 2nd |
| Monaghan | 1915 | — | Group Stage | 2nd |
| Sligo | — | — | Group Stage | 2nd |
| Tyrone | — | — | Semi-finals | 2nd |
| Warwickshire | — | — | Group Stage | 2nd |

## Group stage
### Group 3A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | SF | SA | Diff | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Donegal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8-43 | 2-33 | +28 | 5 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 2 | Sligo | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7-43 | 7-20 | +23 | 5 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 3 | Fermanagh | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7-31 | 6-48 | -14 | 2 | |
| 4 | Tyrone | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3-33 | 10-49 | -37 | 0 | |

#### Matches

| Date | Venue | Winner | Score | Loser | Score |
| June 10 | Irvinestown | Fermanagh | 4-15 | Tyrone | 1-16 |
| June 10 | Ballyshannon | Donegal | 3-7 | Sligo | 1-13 |
| June 24 | Omagh | Tyrone | 1-10 | Donegal | 4-19 |
| June 24 | Markievicz Park | Sligo | 4-15 | Fermanagh | 3-8 |
| July 8 | Enniskillen | Donegal | 1-17 | Fermanagh | 0-08 |
| July 8 | | Sligo | 2-15 | Tyrone | 1-06 |

### Group 3B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | SF | SA | Diff | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Armagh | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11-65 | 2-18 | +74 | 5 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 2 | Louth | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12-44 | 3-28 | +43 | 5 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 3 | Leitrim | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6-32 | 10-37 | -17 | 2 | |
| 4 | Cavan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5-10 | 19-58 | -90 | 0 | |

#### Matches

| Date | Venue | Winner | Score | Loser | Score |
| June 10 | Ballinamore | Leitrim | 0-10 | Louth | 3-12 |
| June 10 | | Armagh | 6-20 | Cavan | 0-2 |
| June 24 | Knockbridge | Louth | 8-25 | Cavan | 2-3 |
| June 24 | Keady | Armagh | 4-20 | Leitrim | 1-9 |
| July 8 | Ballyconnell | Cavan | 3-05 | Leitrim | 5-13 |
| July 8 | Drogheda | Louth | 1-07 | Armagh | 1-15 |

### Group 3C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | SF | SA | Diff | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Derry | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8-54 | 3-35 | +34 | 6 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 2 | Longford | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3-44 | 3-31 | +13 | 4 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 3 | Warwickshire | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4-29 | 4-44 | -15 | 2 | |
| 4 | Monaghan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1-31 | 6-48 | -32 | 0 | |

#### Matches

| Date | Venue | Winner | Score | Loser | Score |
| June 10 | Ballinascreen | Derry | 2-14 | Longford | 0-12 |
| June 10 | | Warwickshire | 1-11 | Monaghan | 0-9 |
| June 24 | Clontibret | Derry | 4-24 | Monaghan | 0-11 |
| June 24 | Pearse Park | Longford | 2-18 | Warwickshire | 0-6 |
| July 8 | Páirc na hÉireann | Derry | 2-17 | Warwickshire | 3-12 |
| July 8 | Clones | Longford | 1-14 | Monaghan | 1-11 |

## Knockout stage
### Bracket

| Quarter-final playoffs | Quarter-final playoffs | Quarter-final playoffs | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | | | | Derry | Derry | 3-10 | | | |
| | | | | | | Armagh | Armagh | 0-10 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Derry | Derry | 5-15 |
| | | | | | | | | | Donegal | Donegal | 1-11 |
| | | | | | | Donegal | Donegal | 1-19 | | | |
| | | | | | | Longford | Longford | 0-10 | | | |
| | | | Longford | Longford | 1-19 | | | | | | |
| Louth | Louth | 1-18 | Louth | Louth | 2-07 | | | | | | |
| Sligo | Sligo | 1-13 | | | | | | | | | |

### Final

Derry are promoted to the 2007 Christy Ring Cup.

## Stadia and locations

| County | Location | Province | Stadium(s) | Capacity |
| Armagh | Armagh | Ulster | Athletic Grounds | 18,500 |
| Cavan | Cavan | Ulster | Breffni Park | 32,000 |
| Derry | Derry | Ulster | Celtic Park | 22,000 |
| Donegal | Ballybofey | Ulster | MacCumhaill Park | 18,000 |
| Fermanagh | Enniskillen | Ulster | Brewster Park | 18,000 |
| Leitrim | Carrick-on-Shannon | Connacht | Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada | 9,331 |
| Longford | Longford | Leinster | Pearse Park | 10,000 |
| Louth | Drogheda | Leinster | Drogheda Park | 3,500 |
| Monaghan | Clones | Ulster | St Tiernach's Park | 36,000 |
| Sligo | Sligo | Connacht | Markievicz Park | 18,558 |
| Tyrone | Omagh | Ulster | Healy Park | 17,636 |
| Warwickshire | Solihull | Britain | Páirc na hÉireann | 4,500 |

## Statistics
### Scoring events

* Widest winning margin: 40 points
** Louth 8-25 - 2-03 Cavan (Round 2)
* Most goals in a match: 10
** Louth 8-25 - 2-03 Cavan (Round 2)
* Most points in a match: 35
** Derry 4-24 - 0-11 Monaghan (Round 2)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 8
** Louth 8-25 - 2-03 Cavan (Round 2)
* Most points by one team in a match: 25
** Louth 8-25 - 2-03 Cavan (Round 2)
* Highest aggregate score: 58 points
** Louth 8-25 - 2-03 Cavan (Round 2)
* Lowest aggregate score: 23 points
** Warwickshire 1-11 - 0-09 Monaghan (Round 1)

## Miscellaneous

* Derry won their 1st championship in 5 years, last winning the 2001 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship.