On the back of Antrims victory over Derry yesterday in the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship it got me thinking - has there ever been any other case/cases where a county has won their Provincial title in one code twice within the one year or is this going to be a quiz question in years to come and can we now claim a bit of history up here in the Glens?

Just with the 2013 Ulster title not being decided until the start of this year and then with this years being decided yesterday it meant that Antrim got to lift the trophy twice within 5 months. In fact, it meant Antrim won the 2013 Ulster Championship without actually playing any game in 2013 as we got a bye to the final so maybe thats another first i.e. has any county ever won a Provincial title (having actually played a game/games) without playing a game in the year the title is for.

Or is it like the Ulster Council and Hurling and no-one really cares :-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 13:29:50    1618935

It is interesting anecdotally at least. Well done on your win. Sounds like a close game. What was the appetite for such a game I wonder among the players - especially after the blow they suffered against Offaly?

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 14/07/2014 14:27:20    1618998

Very little bennybunny I would imagine. Was a close game alright and probably could have went either way but given the lack of importance of the fixture or the title and on the back of a long league/championship campaign with the round robin etc then I would say it was a game players could have taken or leaven.

Anyway - its a bit of trivia people can stick in their back pockets.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 15:08:56    1619041

I'd say the win would've meant a lot more to Derry than to Antrim. Pity they couldn't pull it off in the end.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 14/07/2014 16:00:35    1619099

Thing is keeper7, I would say that any Antrim gael would love to see a more competitive Ulster and if this means Antrim not winning it every year then its something I personally would welcome - of course every county wants to win titles/trophies but its kind of hollow in Ulster. Ulster does us no favours whatsoever as there just isn't sustained competition on a yearly basis and then we suffer when it comes to the AI series. If you look at the records, Antrim have won all but 13 of the Ulster Senior Hurling titles played since it began in 1900. Apart from Down and Derry winning a few in the 90s and early 00s, you have to go back to the 1941 for the last time Antrim weren't winners.

So there is nothing I would love to see more than inroads being made in all of the counties within Ulster as at the end of the day it can only benefit us too.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 16:14:25    1619114

In 1910 Louth won the All Ireland without kicking a ball when the Kerry footballers refused to travel.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 14/07/2014 16:59:41    1619148

Its strange for modern times, but back in the old days wouldnt you often see championships take years to complete? In the Meath Kildare match programme there was article that mentioned the 1905 Leinster junior Final being played in September 1907, then the 1906 semi final being played in October 1907.

I'm aware Antrim are far ahead of the pack and would win the Ulster Championship even with their eyes closed, but could they not at least pretend to be running a serious competition by having them play a semi final? It's pointless for Fermanagh/Donegal/Tyrone to play and get the bejaysus hammered into them, but would putting Armagh, Down, Derry and Antrim into the semis not be better?

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1644 - 14/07/2014 17:04:03    1619155

CastleBravo - we haven't always been granted a passage in to the Ulster Final and have had to play earlier rounds but in all but one or two years we have won through by huge margins which doesn't do much either for us or our opponents.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 17:32:08    1619180

In 1910 Louth won the All Ireland without kicking a ball when the Kerry footballers refused to travel.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 14/07/2014 17:32:48    1619182

Slighlty different Ollie though as Antrim did have to play and win a match to win the 2013 title, just not in 2013.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 17:41:07    1619191

Another question. How many titles in-a-row have Antrim won ? Also who if at all was the last county other than Antrim to win the Ulster senior hurling championship.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 14/07/2014 17:42:09    1619193

Another question. How many titles in-a-row have Antrim won ? Also who if at all was the last county other than Antrim to win the Ulster senior hurling championship.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 14/07/2014 17:42:10    1619194

s goldrick - in the current run we have won it 13 years in a row. The other counties to have won the senior title are:

Derry - 1902, 1908, 2000, 2001
Down - 1941, 1992, 1995, 1997
Donegal - 1906, 1923, 1932
Monaghan - 1914, 1915

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 17:49:59    1619201

Also, only 3 of the Ulster finals played have not featured Antrim.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 17:51:40    1619205

Wow. That is some record

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 14/07/2014 17:55:22    1619207

Maybe if it was Munster or Leinster :-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 17:56:55    1619208

Offside Rule rumour had it in the Wee County that the Kerry lads were afraid to play Louth so thats why they did not travel. How times have changed.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 14/07/2014 17:58:42    1619210

Offside Rule rumour had it in the Wee County that the Kerry lads were afraid to play Louth so thats why they did not travel. How times have changed.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 14/07/2014 18:28:26    1619236

Maybe they thought Louth was in Ulster back then Ollie.... ;-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 19:14:11    1619274

Offside Rule Louth was in Ulster up until 2002 with the amount of Armagh flags in Dundalk when Sam went to the Orchard county.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 14/07/2014 19:54:15    1619302