The Ulster GAA Hurling Senior Championship, known simply as the Ulster Championship, was an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It was the highest inter-county hurling competition in the province of Ulster, and was contested every year between the 1901 championship and the 2017 Championship. As of 2023 there had been no attempt to revive the competition. The final, usually held in July, served as the culmination of a series of games played during June, and the results determined which team received the Liam Harvey Cup. The championship was played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the championship. In 2016, a two-tier format began with four teams competing in the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, and four in the Ulster Senior Hurling Shield. The title has been won by five Ulster counties, all of which have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Antrim who have won the competition 57 times. Antrim are also the title holders, defeating Armagh by 5–22 to 1–12 in the 2017 final.

History

Standing of the Ulster Championship

While the Munster Hurling Championship and the Leinster Hurling Championship are generally held in very high regard, and have produced the vast majority of recent All-Ireland Hurling Champions, the Ulster Championship has not been regarded historically as of a similar standard, and the Ulster champions have entered the All-Ireland Hurling Championship at an earlier round than the Munster and Leinster champions. This is due to a number of factors, one of which is the dominance of Gaelic football in eight of the nine counties of Ulster. An Ulster team has never won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, although Antrim were finalists in 1943 and 1989. Antrim have dominated the Ulster Championship throughout its existence, winning the title 57 times to date. While below the standard of Leinster and Munster hurling, the Ulster championship has been generally more competitive than the now discontinued Connacht Senior Hurling Championship. However, Galway, by far the strongest team in Connacht, have historically performed much better than any Ulster team, with several All-Ireland titles, and generally recognised as one of the major powers in the sport.

Ulster Championship moments

The following are a list of upsets and moments in the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship:

Format

Ulster Senior Hurling Championship

In the first tier, the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, four teams compete in a knock-out format. The winners receive the Liam Harvey cup. The two teams beaten in the semi-finals of the Championship face each other in the relegation play-off with the losing team relegated to the following seasons Shield.

Ulster Senior Hurling Shield

In the second tier, the Ulster Senior Hurling Shield, four teams compete in a knock-out format, with the winner gaining promotion to the championship. Cavan do not participate.

Promotion/Relegation

The Shield winners are promoted to the championship and the loser of the championship relegation play-off are relegated.

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

There is no longer a direct path for the Ulster Champions in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. The Ulster counties now compete in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, Joe McDonagh Cup, Christy Ring Cup, Nicky Rackard Cup and Lory Meagher Cup.

Teams

2017 Championship

The championship was suspended after the completion of the 2017 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship. Four counties were scheduled to compete in 2018:

2017 Shield

Seasons in Ulster SHC

The number of years that each county has played in the Ulster SHC between 1900 and 2023. A total of 11 counties have competed in at least one season of the Ulster SHC. Antrim have participated in the most championships. The counties in bold participate in the 2023 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

Debut of counties

List of Ulster Senior Hurling Championship counties

The following teams have competed in the Ulster Championship for at least one season.

List of Finals

Legend

List of finals

Roll of Honour

Performance by county

Antrim's historic domination (only 2 finals have not featured the county, 1908 and 2001) has led over time to periods of uncompetitive competitions, and the championship was not played at all between 1950 and 1988. However, there have been periods when this domination has made way for periods of intense rivalry, notably between Antrim and Monaghan in the 1910s, between Antrim and Down in the 1990s, and between Antrim and Derry in the early 2000s. The 2001 Championship was unique in terms of being the only final since the reactivation of the Championship in 1988 which did not feature Antrim, as Derry defeated Down at Casement Park. Equally of note, Antrim have won every final since (albeit one on replay), their longest period of continuous success since 1988.

Performance by province

Ulster Senior Hurling Shield

Team records and statistics

Team results

Legend For each year, the number of teams (in brackets) are shown.

By Semi-Final Appearances (Since 2000)

Bold indicates years reached to final.

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Ulster Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:

Finishing positions

Biggest wins

The most one sided Ulster finals:

Successful defending

3 teams of the 4 who have won the Ulster championship have ever successfully defended the title. These are:

Gaps

Active gaps

Longest undefeated run

Player records

Winning Captains

Captains with 2 titles or more.

Winning Teams