Ulster SHC on life support

TEN years ago the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship appeared to be in a real position of strength as an ambitious plan came to fruition, but in the space of a few seasons it fell completely out of favour and hasn’t been played for the last three seasons.

That scenario appeared almost inconceivable at the start of the 2011 season. The previous year Ulster GAA, then known as the Ulster Council, had run a provincial championship consisting of 10 teams and although there were some notable bumps in the road, it had been viewed as a real festival of hurling.

All nine counties had entered into the tournament, as had London, with Antrim receiving a bye to the final as they were also on a fine run in the All-Ireland series before bowing out to Cork at the quarter-final stage on a 1-25 to 0-19 scoreline.

Indeed the final number actually could have been 11. A few seasons before, Westmeath, frustrated at their inability to gain entry to Leinster, had applied to play in Ulster but were turned down as the draw had already been completed. In 2010 they were again not included in the Leinster draw, but then Westmeath chairperson Tom Farrell said that they would not be reassessing the Ulster option.

By 2011 there were still eight entrants with Cavan and London no longer included, but from 2012 until 2015 the number never reached more than five.

In 2016 a new two-tier competition was launched with Derry notably playing in the second-tier competition in 2017 having conceded a relegation play-off against Down the previous season.

April 17, 2017 was the last day of provincial hurling in Ulster as Antrim hammered Armagh in the Liam Harvey Cup decider at the same time as Derry earned a five-point win over Derry in the Shield final in Carrickmore.

It all seems so far away from that 2010 season when everyone was all in – including Cavan.

Sean Og Brady was one of the Breffni county players involved in the squad at that time, and he said that they were delighted with the invite to the competition.

Things didn’t go to plan for Brendan Nelligan’s side as slight pre-match favouritism counted for little as Tyrone destroyed them in the second half of their meeting in Omagh, but the Mullahoran man still saw it as a good experience.

“It was a good boost, the fact that you were the first Cavan team playing in an Ulster Hurling Championship in modern times was great,” he said.

“It was a lift. You knew if you had got past Tyrone you would have moved up a massive step, it would have been Armagh next and that would have been a great occasion.

“I think we had a pretty good league run prior to the competition and then the wheels completely came off the wagon that day.

“In the second half I was definitely at fault for one of the goals anyway, probably in the first couple of minutes, and they got a few early on and that killed us.”

Even with that defeat, it was still a time when Cavan hurling got something that was nearly alien to them back then – media coverage.

Brady said that while it was not why they played the game, it did bring a sense of importance and he is disappointed with the current situation.

“The fact that we hadn’t done it before, it was new ground and you had that bit of attention that you hadn’t had.

“We went in thinking we had a team good enough to beat Tyrone but unfortunately it didn’t work out.

“What I wouldn’t mind is the return of the two championships, Cavan, Monaghan, Monaghan and Fermanagh, maybe Tyrone although they’re a bit stronger, in one group. Maybe Donegal too.

“You put those into a shield competition or something like that and it would at least mean that little bit more.

“Cavan have made a decent return in recent years but it doesn’t help that there isn’t enough teams in the county.

“There’s no real push amongst clubs apart from my own, although Cootehill have a great underage structure in place but it will just take a little bit of time.

“Hopefully though the likes of Cavan and those other teams get to compete in Ulster again.”

Although the 2010 season was viewed as ground-breaking when it came to Ulster hurling, it did not go entirely to plan.

London started their campaign with a seven-point victory over Monaghan and followed that up with a shock win over Derry to reach a semi-final against Down.

However, the Exiles ended up forfeiting the match as it was scheduled to take place the day after their Nickey Rackard 2A clash with Armagh. Down received a walkover to the final where Antrim defeated them 4-22 to 1-12.

Then Ulster secretary, the late Danny Murphy, said that rather than criticise the provincial body for not changing the date, people should instead look to Croke Park.

“The arrangements are contrary to the agreement of the Association with the Ulster Council when the agreement of the Ulster Council was sought in August 2008 for the complete hurling championship restructure,” he said.

“The existing schedule takes account of the complete championship engagements of all of our counties and the singular interest of London cannot supersede all other arrangements.”

Now such controversies are impossible and for many hurling fans, a solution will need to be found soon or this competition could fall completely out of existence.