The Dr McKenna Cup will be back on the GAA inter-county calendar next year.

It comes after Ulster CCC delegates last night voted unanimously in favour of restoring the pre-season football competition along with the Conor McGuirk Cup in hurling. Both were suspended this year along with the other pre-season competitions in Leinster, Connacht and Munster.

It’s expected that the O’Byrne and Walsh Cups in Leinster as well as Connacht’s FBD Football League will also return in January, but the return of the McGrath Cup and Hurling League in Munster is less certain.

Next year marks the McKenna Cup’s 100th anniversary and Ulster chiefs were keen to revive it, especially after its absence resulted in an estimated €300,000 loss in revenue this year.

The GAA has yet to decide on when inter-county teams can resume collective training with the GPA set to have a major say on the matter.

At a meeting of Ulster CCC this evening, delegates from Ulster counties unanimously backed a return of the pre-season competitions in the province for 2026, namely the Dr McKenna Cup in football and the Conor McGurk Cup in hurling 🏆🏐🥎 pic.twitter.com/yBDhsBaZVD

— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) September 23, 2025

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