Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship

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.

Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship
IrishCraobh Idirmheánach Iomáint Laoise
CodeHurling
Founded1908 (1908)
Region Laois (GAA)
TrophyHetherington Cup
No. of teams8
Title holders Clough–Ballacolla (3rd title)
Most titles Clonaslee (8 titles)
SponsorsLaois Shopping Centre
Official websiteCarlow GAA

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 33 different clubs, 23 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. Clough–Ballacolla are the title holders after defeating Mountmellick by 2–13 to 2–09 in the 2022 final.[2][3]

Format

Group stage

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

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

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.

Sponsorship

Laois Shopping Centre is the title sponsor of the championship.[4]

Roll of honour
# 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
Trumera 4 2004, 2015, 2017, 2021
10 Ballacolla 3 1910, 1938, 1972,
Castletown 4 1975, 1980, 1986, 1993
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 1 1937, 1964
Rovers 2 1945, 1948
St Canice's 2 1952, 1957
Ballinakill 2 1974, 1995
Ratheniska 2 1961, 1977
Rathdowney 2 1960, 2003
Rathdowney–Errill 2 2005, 2020
24 Ballygeehan 1 1913
Kyle 1 1947
Castlemore 1 1950
Shanahoe 2 1951, 2013
Cuddagh 1 1956
Mountmellick 1 1967
St Conleth's 1 1968
Errill 1 1981
Park–Ratheniska 1 1984
Slieve Bloom 1 2018

Borris-In- Ossory/Kilcotton

2 2012 2014

List of finals
Year Winners Runners-up Venue #
Club Score Club Score
2017 Trumera 0-15 Rathdowney–Errill 0-14 MW Hire O'Moore Park [5]
2018 Slieve Bloom 3-11 Camross 1-12 MW Hire O'Moore Park [6]
2019 Camross 3-18 Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton 0-13 MW Hire O'Moore Park [7]
2020 Rathdowney–Errill 2-26 Trumera 0-13 MW Hire O'Moore Park [8]
2021 Trumera 1-19 Clough–Ballacolla 1-16 MW Hire O'Moore Park [9]
2022 Clough–Ballacolla 2-14 Mountmellick 2-09 MW Hire O'Moore Park
2023 Laois Hire O'Moore Park

References
  1. "Club Titles - Laois". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  2. Egan, Andrew (1 October 2022). "Rafter fires Clough-Ballacolla's second string to Laois Intermediate hurling glory". Laois Live. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  3. 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.
  4. "Laois Shopping Centre Adult Hurling and Football Championships 2023 – Official Launch". Laois GAA website. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  5. Egan, Andrew (9 October 2018). "GAA - Trumera strike late to claim dramatic IHC final victory over Rathdowney-Errill". Laois Live. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  6. Lennon, Siún (22 September 2018). "Slieve Bloom are crowned IHC champions as the Conroy brothers do it again". Laois Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  7. Delaney, Pat (14 September 2019). "Storming finish from Camross ensures another crown". Laois Nationalist. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  8. 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.
  9. Delaney, Rory (22 October 2021). "Trumera finish strong to claim IHC title over Clough-Ballacolla". Laois Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
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