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gaa · Saturday 8 August 2026 · Various 
Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship 2026 - Group Stage
At Various venues, Co. Antrim · Co. Antrim
At Various venues, Co. Antrim · Co. Antrim
The Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship is one of Ulster’s most fiercely contested club competitions, and the 2026 group stage is shaping up to be no different. Eight clubs split across two groups of four will battle it out from August through to the semi-finals, with the best of Antrim hurling on show at grounds across the county. If you follow club GAA or want to see top-level hurling in a genuine local setting - without the crowds or costs of intercounty fixtures - this is a good place to start.
The group stage opens on Friday 8 August with Loughgiel taking on Carey Faughs at 7:15pm. Group 1 - the more eye-catching of the two pools - also contains defending champions Cushendall and Belfast side Rossa. Cushendall, who retained the Volunteer Cup in 2025 by a single point over Dunloy in a final played at Páirc Mac Uílín in Ballycastle, are the team to beat. Neil McManus, one of Antrim hurling’s best-known names, continues to anchor their attack. Group 2 brings together Dunloy, Ballycastle, St Enda’s and St John’s - Dunloy pushing hard for their first title since 2022, with Keelan Molloy among the players to watch.
The format is straightforward: the group winner goes directly to the semi-finals, while second and third place meet in a play-off. Fixtures run across multiple weekends through August into September.
Matches are played at club grounds across Co. Antrim - venues include Dunloy, Corrigan Park in Belfast, Páirc Mac Uílín in Ballycastle and other club pitches depending on the round. Check antrim.gaa.ie for each fixture’s venue before you travel.
Most of the grounds are accessible by car and have on-site or roadside parking. Ballycastle and the Glens clubs are roughly an hour’s drive north of Belfast on the A2 coastal road. Dunloy and Loughgiel are inland, accessible off the A26 from Ballymena. If travelling by public transport, Translink services connect Belfast to Ballymena and Ballycastle, though match venues can require a short taxi or lift from town.
A GAA fixture in the Glens or North Antrim is a fine excuse to spend a few hours in the area before or after the match - there is coast road scenery, the Glens of Antrim walking trails, and a scattering of good local pubs near most of the clubs. There is more to see in Antrim and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Various venues, Co. Antrim 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.