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gaa · Sunday 27 September 2026 · Various 
Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Final 2026
At TBC · Co. Antrim
At TBC · Co. Antrim
The Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Final is the showpiece day of the club hurling year across the county - the afternoon when months of group-stage and knockout hurling are distilled into a single 70-minute contest. It draws a passionate crowd of supporters from the Glens of Antrim and Belfast alike, and for any GAA follower with even a passing interest in Ulster hurling, it is well worth making the journey. The standard is genuinely high: Antrim clubs have historically punched well above their weight at provincial and All-Ireland club level, and the county final regularly throws up tight, skilful encounters.
Eight clubs compete across two groups before knockout stages decide the finalists. In the 2026 draw, Group 1 features Loughgiel, St John’s, Rossa, and Ballycastle, while Group 2 pairs Cushendall, Dunloy, Glenariff Oisin, and St Endas. The rivalry between Cushendall and Dunloy is the spine of recent championship history - Dunloy won four titles in a row before Cushendall broke the run in 2024, and St John’s claimed a historic first title in 52 years in 2025 - so the final could bring any number of storied match-ups. The pace is quick, the skill level is high, and the atmosphere at a county final reflects decades of tight club loyalties. The venue is to be confirmed by Antrim GAA closer to the date; recent finals have been played at Páirc Mac Uílín in Ballycastle, which is a fine stadium in a scenic north Antrim setting.
If the final is held at Páirc Mac Uílín in Ballycastle (as in 2024 and 2025), the town sits on the north Antrim coast about 85km north of Belfast via the A26 and A44. There is no direct rail link to Ballycastle, but Translink runs a bus service from Belfast Europa Bus Centre; journey time is roughly two hours. If you are coming from Dublin, the M1 brings you to Belfast in around 90 minutes, then connect north by road or bus. Parking is available around the town and at the ground, though space fills up quickly on final day - arrive early.
A county final weekend is a good excuse to take in the north Antrim coast. Ballycastle itself has a fine beach and a relaxed town centre, and the Glens of Antrim - the home ground of several competing clubs - are among the most scenic stretches of countryside on the island. There is more to see in Antrim and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to TBC in Antrim? Antrim has plenty more to see. Read the Antrim area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.