 In 1975 moves were made by non-university colleges to set-up their own knock-out Gaelic Football Championship tournament as a consequence of being shut out of the Sigerson Cup Championship.The initiative came from St. Joseph's Training College, Belfast.The concept of the Trench Cup was proposed by Pat Blake, Comhairle Ard Oideachais Chairman (1978–1983), and Peter McGinnity (later a Fermanagh All-Star) as a knock-out competition for all higher education colleges not in the Sigerson Cup tournament.