All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship

GAA Hurling All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship
Current season or competition: 2015–16 All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship
Irish	Craobh Idirmhéanach Iomáint Chlub na hÉireann
Founded	2004-05
Region	Ireland (GAA)
No. of teams	5
Title holders	Bennettsbridge (1st title)
First winner	Kildangan (1 title)
Sponsors	Allied Irish Banks (AIB)

The All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship is an annual inter-county club hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) since 2004-05 for eligible hurling clubs. Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in their county club championships.

The final, usually held in early February, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during the winter months, and the results determine which county's team receives the cup. The championship has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the series. In the present format, it begins in October with provincial championships held in Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster, with the four respective champions contesting the subsequent All-Ireland series with the London champions.

No team has ever won the championship on more than one occasion. Kilkenny clubs have accumulated the highest number of victories (5 wins), followed by Cork (2 wins). The championship has been won by 11 different clubs. The reigning champions are Bennettsbridge, who secured the title after defeating Abbeyknockmoy by 1-17 to 1-14 in the 2016 final.

History

While the senior championship had been running since the 1970-71 season, the creation of an All-Ireland series at intermediate level was a natural progression. The Munster Council were the first to organize a provincial championship in the intermediate grade in 2003. They were followed by the other three provincial councils in 2004, with the four champions contesting an All-Ireland series. Kildangan of Tipperary were the first All-Ireland champions after defeating Carrickshock of Kilkenny.

The championship has been dominated by Kilkenny clubs, with Dicksboro, St. Lachtain's, Clara, Rower-Inistioge and Bennettsbridge claiming All-Ireland titles. Dicksboro are the only team to have qualified for two All-Ireland finals. In 2007 Robert Emmet's became the first club from Britain to claim an All-Ireland title.

Qualification

The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship features five teams in the final tournament. 23 teams contest the four provincial intermediate club championships with the four respective champions, and the London champions, automatically qualifying for the All-Ireland series.

Province	Championship
Connacht GAA	Connacht Intermediate Club Hurling Championship
Leinster GAA	Leinster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship
London GAA	London Senior Club Hurling Championship
Munster GAA	Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship
Ulster GAA	Ulster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship

Results

List of finals

Year	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Score	Venue	Winning Captain
2005	Kildangan	2-13	Carrickshock	1-13	Semple Stadium	Gerry Slattery	[1]
2006	Dicksboro	2-13	Ballinhassig	1-13	Croke Park	David Carroll	[2]
2007	Robert Emmet's	1-14	Killimordaly	0-8	Croke Park	Fergus McMahon	[3]
2008	Clonkill	4-15	Tommy Larkin's	3-14	Croke Park	Paddy Dowdall	[4]
2009	Blarney	2-14	Cappataggle	1-12	Croke Park	James Hughes	[5]
2010	St. Lachtain's	3-17	St. Gall's	0-10	Croke Park	Eoin Guinan	[6]
2011	Ballymartle	3-15	Dicksboro	1-20	Croke Park	Patrick Dwyer	[7]
2012	Mount Leinster Rangers	1-13	Middletown Na Fianna	1-11	Croke Park	Karol Lawlor	[8]
2013	Clara	1-16	St. Gabriel's	0-11	Croke Park	David Langton	[9]
2014	Rower-Inistioge	1-16	Kilnadeema-Leitrim	1-9	Croke Park	Michael Grace	[10]
2015	O'Donovan Rossa	1-9	Kilburn Gaels	2-3	Croke Park	Christopher McGuinness	[11]
2016	Bennettsbridge	1-17	Abbeyknockmoy	1-14	Croke Park	Enda Morrissey	[12]

Performances by county

No.	Team	Wins	Years won	Losses	Years lost
1	Kilkenny	5	2006, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016	2	2005, 2011
2	Cork	2	2009, 2011	1	2006
3	Antrim	1	2015	1	2010
	Carlow	1	2012
	Westmeath	1	2008
	London	1	2007	2	2013, 2015
	Tipperary	1	2005
8	Galway			5	2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016
9	Armagh			1	2012

Performances by province

No.	Team	Wins	Years won	Losses	Years lost
1	Leinster	7	2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016	2	2005, 2011
1	Munster	3	2005, 2009, 2011	1	2006
1	Ulster	1	2015	2	2010, 2012
1	Britain	1	2007	2	2013, 2015
1	Connacht			5	2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016

References

1. "Cats' clean sweep bid ends in drama". Irish Independent. 29 March 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
2. "'Boro's Croker coronation". Kilkenny People. 15 February 2006. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
3. "All-Ireland title goes to London club". Hogan Stand. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
4. "Clonkill boss hoping for more after historic win". Irish Independent. 11 February 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
5. "Cappataggle come up short on biggest day". Connacht Tribune. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
6. "St Gall’s are blown away in decider". Belfast Telegraph. 15 February 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
7. "Ballymartle’s finest hour". Irish Examiner. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
8. "14-man Rangers make history". Irish Examiner. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
9. "Clara have too much for St Gabriels". Hogan Stand. 10 February 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
10. "Rower Inistioge extra special". Irish Examiner. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
11. "Walsh’s last-gasp point secures glory for O’Donovan Rossa". Irish Examiner. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
12. "Bennettsbridge have wind in their sails". Irish Examiner. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.