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 The Ryan Cup is the tier 2 hurling championship for third level colleges, the Fitzgibbon Cup The Fitzgibbon Cup ( ga, Corn Mhic Giobúin) is the trophy for the premier hurling championship among higher education institutions (universities, coll ...

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 Electric Ireland () is an Irish utility company that supplies electricity and gas to business and residential customers in Ireland. It is the supply division of the Electricity Supply Board, the former monopoly electricity company in Ireland. Th ...

following on from the Irish Daily Mail, Ulster Bank, Datapac,

Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidia ...

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, Co. Meath on 22 March 1998.Dónal McAnallen, 2012, ''The Cups That Cheered: A History of the Sigerson, Fitzgibbon and Higher Education Gaelic Games'', The Collins Press, Cork 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. The Cup was first presented for the Third Division Championship in 2002, the inaugural winner being

Athlone Institute of Technology The Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Luain) was an institute of technology, located in Athlone, Ireland. Established in 1970, the institute's campus was located on University Road. A conso ...

. In 2002/03 IT Tallaght achieved its maiden hurling title in this competition.

King's Inns The Honorable Society of King's Inns ( ir, Cumann Onórach Óstaí an Rí) is the "Inn of Court" for the Bar of Ireland. Established in 1541, King's Inns is Ireland's oldest school of law and one of Ireland's significant historical environment ...

hurling club was launched in 2005 and in its first season won the trophy. 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. In 2007/08

Edinburgh Napier University , mottoeng = Without knowledge, everything is in vain , established = 1992 – granted University status 1964 – Napier Technical College , type = Public , academic_staff = 802 , administrative_staff = 562 , chancellor = Will Whitehorn , ...

, winners of the

British University Hurling Championship The British University Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling competition held for universities in Great Britain. It is organised by the BUGAA which is a branch of the Higher Education GAA committee which oversees Gaelic Games in Universities. ...

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

*†Match never played *Qualifiers: St Mary's University College Belfast, Ulster University Coleraine

2018-19 Group B Qualifying

*Qualifier: Marino Institute of Education

2018-19 Group C Qualifying

*Cadets were drawn in this Group, but did not compete *Qualifier: Mary Immaculate College Thurles

2018-19 Finals

Roll of honour

Colleges by wins

Fergal Maher Cup Champion Colleges

* 1987/88 N.I.H.E. Dublin * 1988/89 Tralee RTC * 1989/90 Dundalk RTC * 1990/91 Cadets * 1991/92 * 1992/93 Sligo RTC * 1993/94 Coláiste Phádraig Droim Conrach * 1994/95 Mary Immaculate College, Limerick * 1995/96 Coláiste Phádraig Droim Conrach * 1996/97 Dundalk RTC * 1997/98 UU Coleraine * 1998/99 Not held * 1999/00 Not held * 2000/01 Not held * 2001/02 Athlone IT * 2002/03 NUI Maynooth * 2003/04 GMIT Castlebar * 2004/05 IT Tallaght * 2005/06 King's Inns * 2006/07 IT Tallaght * 2007/08 Napier University, Edinburgh * 2008/09 St Mary's Univ.Coll./BMC * 2009/10 Napier University, Edinburgh * 2010/11 St Patrick' College, Thurles * 2011/12 LIT Tipperary * 2012/13 St Patrick's College, Thurles * 2013/14 IT Tallaght * 2014/15 Galway/Roscommon ETB * 2015/16 IT Sligo * 2016/17 G.M.I.T. Letterfrack * 2017/18 St Mary's University College, Belfast * 2018/19 St Mary's university College, Belfast * 2019/20 Cadets *

Captains of winning teams

Man of The Match awardees

Finals listed by year

References

{{Gaelic games at universities and third-level colleges 2002 establishments in Ireland Hurling competitions at Irish universities Hurling cup competitions