Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship
| Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship | |
|---|---|
| Irish | Craobh Idirmheánach Iomáint Laoise |
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Region |  Laois (GAA) |
| Trophy | Hetherington Cup |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Title holders | Mountmellick (2nd title) |
| Most titles |  Clonaslee (8 titles) |
| Sponsors | Laois Shopping Centre |
| Official website | http://www.laoisgaa.ie |
The Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Laois IHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association for the third tier hurling teams in the county of Laois in Ireland.
In its current format, the Laois Intermediate Championship begins with a group stage in mid-summer. The eight participating teams are divided into two groups of four and play each other in a round-robin system. The three top-ranking teams in each group proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Laois Hire O'Moore Park.
The title has been won by 35 different clubs, 26 of which have won the title more than once.[1] Clonaslee is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it eight times. Mountmellick are the title holders after defeating Abbeyleix by 4-17 to 1-16 in the 2024 final.[2]
Format
[edit]Group stage
[edit]The eight teams are divided into two groups of four. Over the course of the group stage each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least three games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the group stage table by points gained, then scoring difference and then their head-to-head record. The top two teams in each group qualify for the knock-out stage.
Knockout stage
[edit]Following the completion of the group stage, the top three teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. The two top-ranking teams receive byes to separate semi-finals.
- Quarter-finals: The second and third-ranked teams in each group contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.
- Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and the top-ranked teams contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the final.
- Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.
Promotion and relegation
[edit]At the end of the championship, the winning team is automatically promoted to the Laois Premier Intermediate Championship for the following season. The two bottom-placed teams from the group stage take part in a playoff, with the losing team being relegated to the Laois Junior Championship.
Teams
[edit]2024 teams
[edit]| Abbeyleix |
| Clonad |
| Mountmellick |
| Slieve Bloom |
| St Fintan's, Mountrath |
| The Harps |
| Timahoe |
| Trumera |
Qualification for subsequent competitions
[edit]At the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Leinster Junior Club Hurling Championship.
Sponsorship
[edit]Laois Shopping Centre is the title sponsor of the championship.[3]
Roll of honour
[edit]| # | Club | Wins | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clonaslee | 8 | 1936, 1943, 1955, 1962, 1969, 1982, 1987, 1997 |
| 2 | Camross | 6 | 1938, 1958, 1983, 2000, 2010, 2019 |
| 3 | Mountrath | 5 | 1941, 1949, 1990, 1996, 2001 |
| 4 | Abbeyleix | 4 | 1908, 1966, 1978, 2007 |
| Cullohill | 4 | 1909, 1946, 1954, 1973 | |
| Borris-in-Ossory | 4 | 1940, 1953, 1988, 2009 | |
| Colt | 4 | 1965, 1971, 1979, 2008 | |
| Ballyfin | 4 | 1970, 1985, 2006, 2011 | |
| Castletown | 4 | 1975, 1980, 1986, 1993 | |
| Trumera | 4 | 2004, 2015, 2017, 2021 | |
| 11 | Ballacolla | 3 | 1910, 1938, 1972, |
| Durrow | 3 | 1944, 1959, 1976 | |
| Kilcotton | 3 | 1963, 1992, 2002 | |
| Rosenallis | 3 | 1989, 1999, 2016 | |
| Clough–Ballacolla | 3 | 1991, 1998, 2022 | |
| 16 | Portlaoise | 2 | 1935, 1942 |
| Ballypickas | 2 | 1937, 1964 | |
| Rovers | 2 | 1945, 1948 | |
| Shanahoe | 2 | 1951, 2013 | |
| St Canice's | 2 | 1952, 1957 | |
| Ballinakill | 2 | 1974, 1995 | |
| Ratheniska | 2 | 1961, 1977 | |
| Rathdowney | 2 | 1960, 2003 | |
| Rathdowney–Errill | 2 | 2005, 2020 | |
| Mountmellick | 2 | 1967, 2024 | |
| Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton | 2 | 2012, 2014 | |
| 27 | Ballygeehan | 1 | 1913 |
| Kyle | 1 | 1947 | |
| Castlemore | 1 | 1950 | |
| Cuddagh | 1 | 1956 | |
| St Conleth's | 1 | 1968 | |
| Errill | 1 | 1981 | |
| Park–Ratheniska | 1 | 1984 | |
| Slieve Bloom | 1 | 2018 | |
| Colt–Shanahoe | 1 | 2023 |
List of finals
[edit]| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Venue | # | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Score | Club | Score | |||
| 2017 | Trumera | 0-15 | Rathdowney–Errill | 0-14 | MW Hire O'Moore Park | [4] |
| 2018 | Slieve Bloom | 3-11 | Camross | 1-12 | MW Hire O'Moore Park | [5] |
| 2019 | Camross | 3-18 | Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton | 0-13 | MW Hire O'Moore Park | [6] |
| 2020 | Rathdowney–Errill | 2-26 | Trumera | 0-13 | MW Hire O'Moore Park | [7] |
| 2021 | Trumera | 1-19 | Clough–Ballacolla | 1-16 | MW Hire O'Moore Park | [8] |
| 2022 | Clough–Ballacolla | 2-14 | Mountmellick | 2-09 | MW Hire O'Moore Park | [9] |
| 2023 | Colt–Shanahoe | 4-15 | Trumera | 0-14 | Laois Hire O'Moore Park | [10] |
| 2024 | Mountmellick | 4-17 | Abbeyleix | 1-16 | Laois Hire O'Moore Park | [11]Note: both teams promoted due to Championship restructure[12] |
See also
[edit]- Laois Senior Hurling Championship (Tier 1)
- Laois Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship (Tier 2)
- Laois Junior Hurling Championship (Tier 4)
References
[edit]- ^ "Club Titles - Laois". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ McEvoy, Barry (25 October 2024). "Laois IHC: Mountmellick dominate Abbeyleix in replay to take Intermediate Championship glory". Laois Today. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Laois Shopping Centre Adult Hurling and Football Championships 2023 – Official Launch". Laois GAA website. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Egan, Andrew (9 October 2018). "GAA - Trumera strike late to claim dramatic IHC final victory over Rathdowney-Errill". Laois Live. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Lennon, Siún (22 September 2018). "Slieve Bloom are crowned IHC champions as the Conroy brothers do it again". Laois Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Delaney, Pat (14 September 2019). "Storming finish from Camross ensures another crown". Laois Nationalist. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Hartnett, Alan (18 June 2021). "Second half surge sees Rathdowney-Errill down 14-man Trumera and claim 2020 intermediate glory". Laois Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Delaney, Rory (22 October 2021). "Trumera finish strong to claim IHC title over Clough-Ballacolla". Laois Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Hartnett, Alan (1 October 2022). "Rafter leads the way as Clough-Ballacolla see off Mountmellick challenge for Intermediate glory". Laois Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ McEvoy, Barry (21 October 2023). "Laois IHC Final Replay: Colt-Shanahoe produce huge second half to overcome Trumera and claim championship glory". Laois Today. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ McEvoy, Barry (25 October 2024). "Laois IHC: Mountmellick dominate Abbeyleix in replay to take Intermediate Championship glory". Laois Today. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ Cunningham, Liam (21 September 2024). "Laois IHC: Kavanagh again to the rescue as Abbeyleix progess to final". Laois Today. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
