The Ulster GAA Football Under-20 Championship, known simply as the Ulster Under-20 Championship, is an annual inter-county Gaelic football competition organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county football competition for male players between the ages of 17 and 20 in the province of Ulster. The championship was contested as the Ulster Under-21 Championship between 1963 and 2016 before changing to an under-20 age category from 2018. It is sponsored by EirGrid.
| Ulster Under-20 Football Championship | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition: 2022 Ulster Under-20 Football Championship | |
| Irish | Craobh Peile Uladh Fé-20 |
| Code | Gaelic football |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Region | Ulster (GAA) |
| Trophy | Irish News Cup |
| No. of teams | 9 |
| Title holders |  Tyrone (16th title) |
| Most titles | Tyrone (16 titles) |
| Sponsors | EirGrid |
| TV partner(s) | TG4 |
| Official website | Ulster GAA website |
The final, currently held in March, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during a three-week period, and the results determine which team receives the J. J. Fahy Cup. The championship has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the championship.
The Ulster Championship is an integral part of the wider GAA Football Under-20 All-Ireland Championship. The winners of the Ulster final, like their counterparts in the other three provinces, advance to the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland series of games.
Nine teams currently participate in the Ulster Championship. Tyrone are the most successful team with 16 titles. The title has been won at least once by all nine teams, with all of them winning the title more than once. Down, the second most successful team with 11 titles, are the title holders, defeating Derry by 2-11 to 0-09 in the 2023 final.
Roll of honour
edit| # | County | Titles | Runners-up | Years won | Years runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyrone | 16 | 8 | 1972, 1973, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024 | 1971, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1985, 2011, 2012, 2016 |
| 2 | Down | 11 | 8 | 1965, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1985, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2021, 2023 | 1966, 1969, 1976, 1980, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993 |
| 3 | Derry | 8 | 12 | 1967, 1968, 1976, 1983, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2018 | 1972, 1982, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024 |
| 4 | Donegal | 8 | 9 | 1963, 1964, 1966, 1982, 1987, 1995, 2010, 2017 | 1981, 1983, 1986, 1999, 2000, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020 |
| 5 | Cavan | 6 | 10 | 1988, 1996, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 | 1963, 1965, 1970, 1977, 1978, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2022 |
| 6 | Antrim | 4 | 2 | 1969, 1974, 1975, 1989 | 1984, 1988 |
| 7 | Monaghan | 3 | 9 | 1981, 1999, 2016 | 1964, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1987, 1992, 2003, 2007, 2021 |
| Fermanagh | 3 | 2 | 1970, 1971, 1994 | 1997, 2001 | |
| Armagh | 3 | 1 | 1998, 2004, 2007 | 2009 |
List of finals
edit| Under 20 Competition | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Score | Opponent | Score |
| 2023 | Down | 2-11 | Derry | 0-09 |
| 2022 | Tyrone | 0-11 | Cavan | 0-10 |
| 2021 | Down | 3-15 | Monaghan | 1-14 |
| 2020 | Tyrone | 1-11 | Donegal | 0-09 |
| 2019 | Tyrone | 4-13 | Derry | 1-10 |
| 2018 | Derry | 2-15 | Armagh | 0-14 |
| Under 21 Competition | ||||
| Year | Winner | Score | Opponent | Score |
| 2017[1] | Donegal | 3-17 | Derry | 0-13 |
| 2016[2][3] | Monaghan | 0-13 | Tyrone | 0-11 |
| 2015[4][5] | Tyrone | 1-11 | Donegal | 0-13 |
| 2014[6] | Cavan | 2-06 | Donegal | 0-08 |
| 2013[7] | Cavan | 0-13 | Donegal | 1-06 |
| 2012[8] | Cavan | 1-10 | Tyrone | 0-10 |
| 2011 | Cavan | 1-10 | Tyrone | 0-10 |
| 2010 | Donegal | 2-08 | Cavan | 0-07 |
| 2009 | Down | 1-14 | Armagh | 2-10 |
| 2008 | Down | 3-11 | Derry | 1-14 |
| 2007 | Armagh | 1-16 | Monaghan | 1-09 |
| 2006 | Tyrone | 0-12 | Derry | 1-07 |
| 2005 | Down | 2-14 | Cavan | 2-12 |
| 2004 | Armagh | 2-12 | Derry | 0-04 |
| 2003 | Tyrone | 2-08 | Monaghan | 0-11 |
| 2002 | Tyrone | 0-13 | Cavan | 1-07 |
| 2001 | Tyrone | 1-19 | Fermanagh | 0-10 |
| 2000 | Tyrone | 1-18 | Donegal | 1-04 |
| 1999 | Monaghan | 0-12 | Donegal | 1-08 |
| 1998 | Armagh | 1-08 | Derry | 0-10 |
| 1997 | Derry | 1-12 | Fermanagh | 1-06 |
| 1996 | Cavan | 1-11 | Derry | 1-05 |
| 1995 | Donegal | 1-09, 3-11 (R) | Cavan | 1-09, 1-11 (R) |
| 1994 | Fermanagh | 2-08 | Derry | 0-08 |
| 1993 | Derry | 1-09 | Down | 1-08 |
| 1992 | Tyrone | 0-14 | Monaghan | 2-06 |
| 1991 | Tyrone | 3-10 | Down | 0-08 |
| 1990 | Tyrone | 2-08 | Down | 0-11 |
| 1989 | Antrim | 1-06 | Down | 1-05 |
| 1988 | Cavan | 3-10 | Antrim | 0-06 |
| 1987 | Donegal | 0-07, 1-11 (R) | Monaghan | 1-04, 0-08 (R) |
| 1986 | Derry | 4-07 | Donegal | 0-06 |
| 1985 | Down | 3-07 | Tyrone | 0-07 |
| 1984 | Down | 1-10 | Antrim | 1-08 |
| 1983 | Derry | 3-13 | Donegal | 1-03 |
| 1982 | Donegal | 0-10 | Derry | 1-05 |
| 1981 | Monaghan | 0-08 | Donegal | 0-06 |
| 1980 | Tyrone | 4-04 | Down | 2-05 |
| 1979 | Down | 1-09 | Tyrone | 0-05 |
| 1978 | Down | 0-11 | Cavan | 1-06 |
| 1977 | Down | 3-05 | Cavan | 0-10 |
| 1976 | Derry | 1-06 | Down | 1-04 |
| 1975 | Antrim | 2-07 | Tyrone | 0-07 |
| 1974 | Antrim | 2-06 | Tyrone | 1-08 |
| 1973 | Tyrone | 2-14 | Monaghan | 2-05 |
| 1972 | Tyrone | 1-07, 3-13 (R) | Derry | 1-07, 1-06 (R) |
| 1971 | Fermanagh | 2-12 | Tyrone | 1-08 |
| 1970 | Fermanagh | 0-13 | Cavan | 0-08 |
| 1969 | Antrim | 2-08 | Down | 1-09 |
| 1968 | Derry | 4-09 | Monaghan | 2-04 |
| 1967 | Derry | 1-11 | Monaghan | 1-04 |
| 1966 | Donegal | 2-12 | Down | 1-06 |
| 1965 | Down | 0-09 | Cavan | 1-02 |
| 1964 | Donegal | 2-14 | Monaghan | 0-04 |
| 1963 | Donegal | 3-06 | Cavan | 1-03 |
Records and statistics
editFinal
editTeam
edit- Most titles: 15:
- Tyrone (1972, 1973, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2022)
- Most consecutive title wins: 4:
- Most appearances in a final: 23:
- Tyrone (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022)
Teams
editBy decade
editThe most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Ulster Championship titles, is as follows:
- 1960s: 3 for Donegal (1963–64-6)
- 1970s: 3 for Down (1977-78-79)
- 1980s: 2 each for Donegal (1982–87), Derry (1983–86) and Down (1985–86)
- 1990s: 3 for Tyrone (1990-91-92)
- 2000s: 5 for Tyrone (2000-01-02-03-06)
- 2010s: 4 for Cavan (2011-12-13-14)
Gaps
editTop ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:
Sources
edit- Roll of Honour on gaainfo.com
- www.kilkennygaa.ie Roll of Honour (at Downloads/2011 Bible Web.pdf)
References
edit- ^ "Donegal cruise past Derry for first under-21 title since 2010". Irish Times. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ^ Mooney, Francis (6 April 2016). "Monaghan defeat Tyrone in Ulster Under-21 final". rte.ie. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Third quarter key to Monaghan success". Irish Examiner. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- ^ Bannon, Orla. "Tyrone crowned Ulster U21 champions for the first time in 9 years after nail-biting finish". The42. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Daniel McNulty strikes late as Tyrone snatch title". Irish Examiner. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "Late Cavan spurt sees off Donegal and secures fourth consecutive title". Irish Examiner. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ^ "Cavan make it three Ulster under-21 titles in a row". Irish Independent. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- ^ "Tierney points way for Cavan". Irish Examiner. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.