2005 Nicky Rackard Cup final

2005 Nicky Rackard Cup final

Event	2005 Nicky Rackard Cup
London Louth 5-8 1-5
Date	21 August 2005
Venue	Croke Park, Dublin
Referee	Tiernan Mahon (Fermanagh)
Attendance	39,975
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The 2005 Nicky Rackard Cup final was a hurling match played at Croke Park on 21 August 2005 to determine the winners of the 2005 Nicky Rackard Cup, the inaugural season of the Nicky Rackard Cup, a tournament organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association for the third tier hurling teams. The final was contested by London of Britain and Louth of Leinster, with London winning by 5-8 to 1-5.^[1]

The Nicky Rackard Cup final between London and Louth was the very first championship meeting between the two teams.

The final was played as a curtain-raiser to the All-Ireland semi-final between Galway and Kilkenny.

While Louth scored the first two points of the game, the first of which came after 13 seconds, London soon recovered and had scored a point from a 65.^[1] In the 14th minute, London scored two goals within one minute, to take a 2-2 to 0-2 lead. At half time, London went in at the break leading by 2-4 to 0-5.

In the second half, London scored several goals, with Louth only obtaining one score (a goal) in the half. The final score was London 5-8 to Louth's 1-5.^[1]

By winning the Nicky Rackard Cup final, London became the first team to have won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and Rackard Cup titles. They remain the only winners of both championships.