Ulster Senior Cup (rugby union)

The Ulster Senior Cup is a knock-out competition for senior rugby union teams in the province of Ulster. It is administered by Ulster Rugby.

The most successful club is Queen's University with 23 wins. The current holders are City of Armagh RFC.

The winners compete with the other three provincial cup winners for the All-Ireland Cup.

Entry requirements

Entry is currently restricted to rugby clubs from Ulster that play in the All-Ireland League.

Performance by club

Performance Table

Club	Winners	Runners-Up	Total Finals	Last Title
Queen's University	24	17	41	2021-22
Instonians	19	9	28	1998-99
North of Ireland	18	18	36	1972-73
Ballymena	14	11	23	2012-13
Dungannon	10	7	17	2010-11
Collegians	8	12	20	1982-83
Malone	7	16	23	1991-92
C.I.Y.M.S.	6	6	12	1977-78
Ballynahinch	4	4	8	2019-20
Bangor	3	5	8	1985-86
Belfast Harlequins	3	2	5	2007-08
Ards	2	0	2	1986-87
City of Armagh	3	1	4	2019-20
Albion	1	5	6	1888-89
City of Derry	1	2	3	1999-2000
Knock	1	2	3	1910-11
Lisburn	1	1	2	1887-88
Banbridge	0	1	1	n/a
Carrickfergus	0	1	1	n/a
Civil Service	0	1	1	n/a
Fortwilliam	0	1	1	n/a
Holywood	0	1	1	n/a
Rainey Old Boys	0	1	1	n/a

Finals

1880s

• 1884-85 NIFC (North of Ireland) 19-4 Lisburn
• 1885-86 Queen's College 6-0 Albion
• 1886-87 Queen's College 5-0 NIFC
• 1887-88 Lisburn 5-0 Albion
• 1888-89 Albion 4-3 Queen's College

1890s

• 1889-90 Queen's College 13-0 Albion
• 1890-91 Queen's College 8-0 Albion
• 1891-92 Queen's College 6-0 Albion
• 1892-93 NIFC 3-0 Queen's College (After extra time in Replay)
• 1893-94 NIFC 11-8 Collegians
• 1894-95 NIFC 3-0 Collegians
• 1895-96 NIFC 11-3 Collegians
• 1896-97 NIFC 9-3 Queen's College^[1]
• 1897-98 NIFC 13-0 Queen's College^[2]
• 1898-99 NIFC 16-3 Collegians^[3]

1900s

• 1899-1900 Queen's College 16-0 Holywood^[4]
• 1900-01 NIFC 14-0 Dungannon^[5]
• 1901-02 NIFC 6-0 Malone^[6]
• 1902-03 Queen's College 6-0 NIFC^[7]
• 1903-04 Malone 10-3 Queen's College
• 1904-05 Malone 8-5 Fortwilliam
• 1905-06 Collegians 8-0 NIFC
• 1906-07 Malone 13-3 Collegians
• 1907-08 NIFC 10-0 Knock
• 1908-09 Queen's University 16-6 NIFC

1910s

• 1909-10 Collegians 10-6 Queen's University
• 1910-11 Knock 6-5 NIFC
• 1911-12 Queen's University 13-0 Malone
• 1912-13 Collegians 9-3 Knock^[8]
• 1913-14 All Senior Rugby was suspended in early 1914 due to the Home Rule crisis and the Senior Cup was not played.^[9]
• 1914-1919 Not played due to World War I

1920s

• 1919-20 NIFC 5-0 Queen's University
• 1920-21 Queen's University 19-6 NIFC (at Balmoral)^[10]
• 1921-22 Instonians 8-0 Queen's University (at Balmoral)^[11]
• 1922-23 Instonians 19-5 Queen's University (at Balmoral)^[12]
• 1923-24 Queen's University 16-8 Instonians (at Ravenhill)^[13]
• 1924-25 Queen's University 14-3 Instonians (at Ravenhill)^[14]
• 1925-26 Collegians 11-3 Queen's University (at Ravenhill)^[15]
• 1926-27 Instonians 8-3 NIFC (after extra time)^[16]
• 1927-28 Instonians 3-0 NIFC^[17]
• 1928-29 Instonians 23-13 NIFC^[18]

1930s

• 1929-30 NIFC 6-4 Queen's University^[19]
• 1930-31 Instonians 7-3 Collegians^[20]
• 1931-32 Queen's University 10-3 Collegians^[21]
• 1932-33 Queen's University 18-6 Malone^[22]
• 1933-34 Instonians 11-6 Civil Service
• 1934-35 NIFC 15-0 Queen's University^[23]
• 1935-36 Queen's University 11-0 NIFC (Replay – Game 1: 0-0)^[24]
• 1936-37 Queen's University 5-0 Collegians^[25]
• 1937-38 Instonians 11-6 NIFC^[26]
• 1938-39 NIFC 20-0 Malone

1940s

• 1939-1945 Not Played
• 1945-46 Instonians 6-0 NIFC
• 1946-47 Queen's University 16-11 Collegians
• 1947-48 Instonians 12-10 C.I.Y.M.S.^[27]
• 1948-49 Instonians 13-9 Queen's University^[28]

1950s

• 1949-50 Instonians 11-0 Malone^[29]
• 1950-51 Queen's University 15-0 NIFC
• 1951-52 Collegians 8-3 Queen's University
• 1952-53 C.I.Y.M.S. 9-6 Collegians
• 1953-54 Instonians 6-0 Queen's University^[30]
• 1954-55 NIFC 17-3 Queen's University
• 1955-56 Instonians 6-3 C.I.Y.M.S.
• 1956-57 Instonians 6-3 Ballymena
• 1957-58 Instonians 3-0 Ballymena
• 1958-59 Queen's University beat C.I.Y.M.S.

1960s

• 1959-60 Queen's University 14-3 Instonians^[31]
• 1960-61 Collegians 6-3 Ballymena^[32]
• 1961-62 Collegians 8-0 Queen's University^[33]
• 1962-63 Ballymena 8-0 Collegians^[34]
• 1963-64 Dungannon 6-0 C.I.Y.M.S.
• 1964-65 Instonians 9-6 Malone^[35]
• 1965-66 C.I.Y.M.S. 29-6 Queen's University^[36]
• 1966-67 C.I.Y.M.S. 3-0 Dungannon^[37]
• 1967-68 Dungannon 12-6 Instonians
• 1968-69 NIFC 23-11 Dungannon

1970s

• 1969-70 Ballymena beat C.I.Y.M.S.
• 1970-71 Malone 6-3 NIFC^[38]
• 1971-72 C.I.Y.M.S. 22-18 Ballymena
• 1972-73 NIFC 25-12 Malone
• 1973-74 C.I.Y.M.S. 16-6 Bangor
• 1974-75 Ballymena 13-3 C.I.Y.M.S.^[39]
• 1975-76 Dungannon 12-9 Instonians^[40]
• 1976-77 Ballymena 14-4 NIFC^[41]
• 1977-78 C.I.Y.M.S. 14-12 Ballymena
• 1978-79 Instonians 9-6 NIFC^[42]

1980s

• 1979-80 Bangor 10-6 Instonians^[43]
• 1980-81 Queen's University 16-12 Collegians^[44]
• 1981-82 Bangor 26-7 Carrickfergus
• 1982-83 Collegians 11-6 City of Derry
• 1983-84 Malone 19-12 NIFC
• 1984-85 Ards 19-7 Instonians
• 1985-86 Bangor beat Malone
• 1986-87 Ards beat Bangor
• 1987-88 Malone beat Bangor
• 1988-89 Ballymena beat Bangor

1990s

• 1989-90 Ballymena 17-9 Malone
• 1990-91 Ballymena 13-0 Bangor
• 1991-92 Malone 13-3 NIFC
• 1992-93 Dungannon 20-18 Ballymena
• 1993-94 Dungannon 14-10 Instonians^[45]
• 1994-95 Dungannon 21-16 Instonians
• 1995-96 Ballymena beat Malone
• 1996-97 Ballymena 20-13 Malone
• 1997-98 Dungannon beat Malone
• 1998-99 Instonians beat Malone

2000s

• 1999-2000 City of Derry beat Dungannon
• 2000-01 Belfast Harlequins 41-12 Dungannon^[46]
• 2001-02 Dungannon 32-3 Ballynahinch^[47]
• 2002-03 Ballymena 44-3 Dungannon^[48]
• 2003-04 Ballymena 11-3 Ballynahinch^[49]
• 2004-05 Ballymena 22-20 Belfast Harlequins^[50]
• 2005-06 Belfast Harlequins 36-9 Malone^[51]
• 2006-07 Dungannon 27-10 Belfast Harlequins^[52]
• 2007-08 Belfast Harlequins 22-17 Ballymena^[53][54]
• 2008-09 Ballynahinch 19-0 Ballymena^[55]

2010s

• 2009-10 Queen's University 37-0 Malone^[56]
• 2010-11 Dungannon 25-0 City of Derry^[57][58]
• 2011-12 Ballymena 17-11 Banbridge^[59]
• 2012-13 Ballymena 25-6 Rainey Old Boys^[60]
• 2013-14 Queen's University 16-10 Ballynahinch^[61]
• 2014-15 Ballynahinch 17-10 Malone^[62]
• 2015-16 Ballynahinch 19-10 Ballymena^[63]
• 2016-17 Ballynahinch 27-10 Dungannnon^[64]
• 2017-18 Armagh 17-13 Ballymena^[65]
• 2018-19 Armagh 9-7 Ballymena^[66]

2020s

• 2019-20 Armagh 38-34 Ballynahinch^[67]
• 2020-21 Not played due to COVID-19 pandemic
• 2021-22 Queen's University 40-22 City of Armagh^[68]

See also

• Connacht Senior Cup
• Leinster Senior Cup
• Munster Senior Cup

Sources

1. Belfast Newsletter 29 March 1897 Page 3
2. Belfast Newsletter 28 March 1898 Page 3
3. Belfast Newsletter 13 March 1899 Page 3
4. Belfast Newsletter 2 April 1900 Page 7
5. Belfast Newsletter 25 March 1901 Page 7
6. Belfast Newsletter 7 April 1902 Page 5
7. Belfast Newsletter 30 March 1903 Page 5
8. "Victory for the Rosetta Park Men". Belfast Newsletter. 17 March 1913. p. 5.
9. Belfast Newsletter 6 January 1914
10. Belfast Newsletter 18 April 1921 Page 2
11. Belfast Newsletter 27 March 1922 Page 9
12. Belfast Newsletter 26 March 1923 Page 2
13. Belfast Newsletter 14 April 1924 Page 3
14. Belfast Newsletter 27 April 1925 Page 3
15. Belfast Newsletter 8 March 1926 Page 3
16. Belfast Newsletter 7 March 1927 Page 3
17. Belfast Newsletter 2 April 1928 Page 3
18. Belfast Newsletter 8 April 1929 Page 3
19. Belfast Newsletter 31 March 1930 Page 3
20. Belfast Newsletter 30 March 1931 Page 3
21. Belfast Newsletter 21 March 1932 Page 3
22. Belfast Newsletter 27 March 1933 Page 4
23. Belfast Newsletter 25 March 1935 Page 3
24. Belfast Newsletter 30 March 1936 Page 4 & 6 April 1936 Page 3
25. Belfast Newsletter 12 April 1937 Page 3
26. Northern Whig 21 March 1938 Page 5
27. Northern Whig 19 April 1948 Page 3
28. Northern Whig 11 April 1949 Page 2
29. Northern Whig 17 April 1950 Page 2
30. Northern Whig 26 April 1954 Page 5
31. Belfast Newsletter 25 April 1960 Page 7
32. Belfast Newsletter 24 April 1961 Page 8
33. Belfast Newsletter 9 April 1962 Page 9
34. Belfast Newsletter 22 April 1963 Page 8
35. Belfast Newsletter 3 May 1965 Page 12
36. Belfast Newsletter 9 May 1966 Page 11
37. Ireland's Saturday Night 22 April 1967 Page 2
38. Belfast Newsletter 19 April 1971 Page 10
39. Belfast Newsletter 28 April 1975 Page 12
40. Belfast Newsletter 26 April 1976 Page 12
41. Belfast Newsletter 25 April 1977 Page 12
42. Belfast Newsletter 23 April 1979 Page 10
43. Belfast Newsletter 21 April 1980 Page 12
44. Belfast Newsletter 20 April 1981 Page 9
45. Belfast Newsletter 25 April 1994 Page 20
46. "Belfast Harlequins lift Senior Cup". BBC Northern Ireland Sport. 24 November 2000. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
47. "Dungannon cup glory". BBC Northern Ireland Sport. 4 January 2002. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
48. "Ballymena's cup runneth over". BBC Sport. 13 March 2003. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
49. "Ballymena retain senior cup". BBC Sport. 24 April 2004. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
50. "Ballymena 22-20 Belfast H'quins". BBC Sport. 1 April 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
51. "Belfast Harlequins 36-9 Malone". BBC Sport. 21 April 2006. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
52. "Dungannon 27-10 B'fast Harlequins". BBC Sport. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
53. "Harlequins win Ulster Senior Cup". BBC Sport. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2008.
54. "Harlequins secure senior cup". Belfast Newsletter. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2008.
55. "Ballynahinch 19-0 Ballymena". BBC Sport. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
56. "Queen's and Malone set for First Trust Senior Cup final". BBC Sport. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
57. "Dungannon's early onslaught the spark for big drive to final glory". Belfast Telegraph. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
58. "Dungannon beat City of Derry in Senior Cup final". BBC Sport. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
59. "Braidmen hold firm". Belfast Newsletter. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
60. "Ballymena retain Ulster Senior Cup with win over Rainey". BBC Sport. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
61. "Queen's topple Ballynahinch to collect Senior Cup title". Belfast Newsletter. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
62. Ballynahinch win First Trust Senior Cup
63. IN PICTURES: Ballynahinch win First Trust Ulster Senior Cup
64. Ballynahinch secure treble of First Trust Senior Cup titles
65. "Ulster Senior Cup: City of Armagh beat Ballymena 17-13 for first success". BBC Sport. 19 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
66. "Ulster Senior Cup: City of Armagh beat Ballymena 9-7 to retain title". BBC Sport. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
67. "Armagh complete senior cup hat-trick". BBC Sport.
68. Ulster Rugby