2005 Nicky Rackard Cup
| Teams | 12 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Champions | London (1st title) | ||
| Runners-up | Louth | ||
| Tournament statistics | |||
| Matches played | 23 | ||
| |||
The 2005 Nicky Rackard Cup began on Saturday, 18 June 2005. 2005 was the first time the Nicky Rackard Cup was introduced into the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. It was devised by the Hurling Development Committee to encourage some of the so-called "weaker" hurling counties and to give them the chance of playing more games. It is in effect a "Division 3" for hurling teams in Ireland. The final was played on Sunday, 21 August when London beat Louth in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.