The pairings for the Christy Ring, Nickey Rackard and Lory Meagher Cup Finals have all been confirmed after the group stages wrapped up on Saturday.

Christy Ring Cup

Meath topped the Christy Ring Cup table after a six-point win away to Sligo.

Jack Regan led eight scorers for Meath, who led by 0-14 to 0-10 at the end of a keenly-contested first half. Andrew Kilcullen’s accuracy kept Sligo in touch, with his 0-14 tally taking his total in five games to 2-54, but a first Christy Ring Final appearance proved beyond their reach. Éamon Ó Donnchadha landed four points from play for the second week in a row as Meath kept the hosts at bay.

Sligo did rally to close to within a point during the final quarter, but Meath responded with six of the next seven scores to close out their fourth win in five games. They will be targeting a third Christy Ring title in early June.

Derry will be looking to make it third-time lucky when they return to the Christy Ring Final after a great performance in Owenbeg saw them prove too strong for Mayo.

Derry managed a remarkable 26 points from open play as they raised 30 white flags for the second game in a row. Cormac O’Doherty, Paul Cleary, Corey O’Reilly and John Mullan were all on song as they built up a commanding half-time lead. Fergal Boland (1-2) and Joseph McManus (0-5) couldn’t inspire an unlikely comeback from Mayo, who will drop to the Nickey Rackard Cup next year.

A third win of the campaign, this time away to Tyrone, wasn’t enough for London to qualify.

London recovered from conceding four first-half goals to sign off with a win. A Seán Óg Grogan brace and one each by Seán Duffin and Ciaran Lagan saw Tyrone lead by six points on the half-hour mark, but London wiped that out in the closing stages of the half, with Conor O’Carroll netting to level it up at 4-7 to 1-16.

Tyrone hit three of the first four points of the second half, but they were gradually reeled in again, with Ronan Crowley once again leading the way for London, rattling in the game’s sixth goal and adding a handful of points to win it. Tyrone manager Michael McShane stepped down after the game, having led them to retaining Christy Ring status in their debut at that level.

Nickey Rackard Cup

Wicklow and Donegal both rang the changes for their dress-rehearsal for the upcoming Nickey Rackard Cup Final.

Seán Ward’s goal helped Donegal into a double-digits lead at one stage (1-12 to 0-4), but 1-2 in quick succession from Mikey Lee helped bring Wicklow into the contest. Wicklow went on to concede just a single point during the last 20 minutes, while Daniel Staunton’s sideline cut somehow found its way to the net to edge them ahead. Christy Moorehouse came off the bench to hit a hat-trick of points and guide Wicklow to a fifth straight win, but this game should have little bearing on the sides’ rematch in less than two weeks.

Louth retained their Nicky Rackard Cup status with a valuable win away to Armagh.

Darren Geoghegan was the hero of the hour for Louth, hitting 17 points as they recovered from leaking three goals to get their first win of the campaign. Tomás Galvin and Fionntán Donnelly continued their prolific form for Armagh, but Louth’s greater need for victory spurred the 2022 Lory Meagher winners on. Geoghegan’s tour de force – ably supported by four points from Ryan Walsh – made the difference as Louth overtook Fermanagh to secure safety.

Fermanagh’s second relegation of 2023 was confirmed by yet another narrow defeat, this time away to Roscommon.

An early goal by Ryan Conlon helped Roscommon change ends ahead by 1-9 to 0-6, but Fermanagh hit six of the next seven points to cut their deficit to the minimum, with Seán Corrigan, Daniel Teague and John Paul McGarry leading the charge. Brendan Mulry’s goal swung the momentum back in Roscommon’s favour, but they had to withstand another late charge by Fermanagh, amid a flurry of cards in the closing minutes. Teague netted a free deep into added time, but it arrived too late for Fermanagh, who once again finished just on the wrong side of a close game as 2022 runners-up Roscommon steered clear of the drop.

Lory Meagher Cup

Monaghan booked their place in a first Lory Meagher Cup Final via a hard-earned win at home to fellow contenders Longford.

Thomas Hughes and Ethan Flynn hit the net as Monaghan raced into an eight-point lead, but Longford had cut the gap in half by the interval (2-8 to 0-10). Cathal Mullane, Paddy Lynam and David Buckley hit a combined 14 points for Longford, who moved within one of the leaders as they searched for a place in a second consecutive decider, but with Niall Arthur maintaining his free-scoring form, Monaghan finished strongly to make it three wins on the trot.

Lancashire are through to their third final after they came from behind to win an eight-goal Páirc na hÉireann derby against Warwickshire.

Luke Hands, Jack Grealish and Pádraic Crehan were on song as Warwickshire built up a commanding lead, only for a Ray McCormack hat-trick to play a huge part in turning the game in Lancashire’s favour. Conor Kennedy and Robin Spencer also hit the net as Lancashire took their goals tally over the course of the campaign to 20 to return to winning ways and sneak into second place.

Cavan had gone into the final round in pole position to make a second final in three years, but a dramatic loss at home to Leitrim put paid to their chances.

Canice Maher led the scoring for Cavan and despite having Nicky Kenny sent off and conceding goals to Martin Feeney and Gavin O’Brien, they were 2-9 to 2-8 up at the break. Leitrim also finished the game with 14 men, but Joe Murray and Gavin O’Hagan weighed in with crucial scores as they held off a late resurgence from Cavan to reverse their Allianz Hurling League Division IIIB Final loss, also by the narrowest of margins. Leitrim’s win saw them join both Cavan and Longford on five points, but Lancashire’s victory saw them into a first decider since 2019.

RESULTS:

Saturday May 20

Christy Ring Cup Round 5

Derry 0-31 Mayo 1-11

Sligo 0-18 Meath 0-24

Tyrone 4-17 London 2-28

Nickey Rackard Cup Round 5

Armagh 3-14 Louth 0-27

Donegal 1-18 Wicklow 2-17

Roscommon 2-17 Fermanagh 1-18

Lory Meagher Cup Round 5

Cavan 2-18 Leitrim 2-19

Monaghan 2-16 Longford 0-17

Warwickshire 3-17 Lancashire 5-13