The Clare Intermediate Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association for the second tier hurling teams in the county of Clare in Ireland.
| Clare Intermediate Hurling Championship | |
|---|---|
| Irish | Craobh Idirmhéanach Iománaíochta Co. an Chláir |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Title holders |  Corofin (3rd title) |
| Most titles |  Broadford (8 titles) |
The series of games are played during the summer and autumn months with the county final currently being played at Cusack Park. The championship includes a group stage which is followed by a knock-out phase for the top teams. There is also promotion involving the Clare Senior Hurling Championship and relegation involving the Clare Junior Hurling Championship.
In 2012 it was decided that from 2014 onwards the Clare Senior Hurling Championship would become a single sixteen team championship. This meant that five clubs would lose their senior status and be relegated down to intermediate. However due to the overwhelming success of both the Clare Senior and Under-21 inter-county squads in 2013, the culling of the senior hurling championship was postponed for twelve months. 2014 saw the relegation of Broadford, Doora-Barefield, Ruan, Scariff and Wolfe Tones down to intermediate for the 2015 season.
The 2023 Intermediate Champions were Corofin who defeated Sixmilebridge by 0-18 to 0-14 to win their third title at this grade and return to senior ranks for 2023.
Format
editGroup stage
editThe 16 clubs are divided into four 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 three group 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 quarter-finals.
Knockout stage
editQuarter-finals: The 4 group winners and 4 group runners-up contest this round. A group winner will play a group runner-up of another group. The four winners from these four games advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: The four quarter-final winners 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 and are promoted to the Clare Senior Hurling Championship.
Relegation
editThe bottom team in each group compete in the relegation playoffs and the losers will be relegated to the Clare Junior A Hurling Championship.
Qualification
editAt the end of the championship, the winning club qualify to the subsequent Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.
Teams
edit2024 Teams
editThe 16 teams competing in the 2024 Clare Intermediate Hurling Championship are:
| Club | Location | Colours | Championship titles | Last championship title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bodyke
|
Bodyke | Black and amber | 5 | 1996 |
| Broadford
|
Broadford | Green and Yellow | 8 | 2019 |
 Clarecastle
|
Clarecastle | Black and white | 1 | 1931 |
 Inagh-Kilnamona
|
Inagh / Kilnamona | Yellow and Green | 2 (one each as individual clubs) | 2005 |
 Killanena
|
Killane | Blue and yellow | 1 | 2010 |
 Newmarket-on-Fergus
|
Newmarket-on-Fergus | Blue and Gold | 1 | 1967 |
| Ogonnelloe
|
Ogonnelloe | Black and yellow | 1 | 1995 |
 Parteen-Meelick
|
1 (as Parteen) | 1956 | ||
| Ruan
|
Ruan | Yellow and blue | 5 | 2012 |
| Sixmilebridge
|
Sixmilebridge | Saffron and Blue | 5 | 1990 |
 Smith O'Brien's
|
Killaloe | Scarlet and amber | 2 | 2021 |
 St. Joseph's Doora-Barefield
|
Doora / Barefield | Maroon and White | 4 | 2022 |
| Tubber
|
Tubber | Black and amber | 2 | 1976 |
| Tulla
|
Tulla | Crimson and gold | 1 | 1979 |
 Whitegate
|
Whitegate | Red and black | 7 | 2013 |
 Wolfe Tones
|
Shannon | White and green | 2 | 2015 |
Qualification
editAt the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.
List of finals
editList of Clare IHC finals (incomplete)
editRoll of honour
editBy club
edit| # | Club | Titles | Championships won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broadford
|
8 | 1941, 1947, 1974, 1981, 1997, 2003, 2008, 2019[1] |
| 2 | Whitegate
|
7 | 1939 (as Mountshannon), 1942 (as Mountshannon), 1959, 1984, 1992, 2009, 2013 |
| 3 | Bodyke
|
5 | 1932, 1936, 1946, 1969, 1996 |
 Clonlara
|
5 | 1928, 1975, 1989, 1999, 2007 | |
| O'Callaghan's Mills
|
5 | 1929 (as Kilkishen), 1933, 1935 (as Kilkishen), 1968, 1977 | |
| Ruan
|
5 | 1940, 1948, 1950 (with Dysart), 1978, 2012 | |
| Sixmilebridge
|
5 | 1951, 1957 (as Cappa), 1971, 1988, 1990 | |
| 8 |  Cratloe
|
4 | 1937, 1943, 1970, 1994 |
| Éire Óg, Ennis
|
4 | 1927 (as Ennis Rovers), 1945 (as Ennis Faughs), 1958 (as St. John's, Ennis), 2011 | |
| Feakle
|
4 | 1930, 1973, 2014, 2018 | |
| St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield
|
4 | 1985, 1993, 2016, 2022[2] | |
| 12 |  Clooney-Quin
|
3 | 1934 (as Clooney), 1986 (as Clooney), 2006 |
| Corofin
|
3 | 1991, 2002, 2023[3] | |
| Crusheen
|
3 | 1960, 1987, 2000 | |
| Scariff
|
3 | 1938, 1982, 2020[4] | |
| 16 | Ballyea
|
2 | 1944, 2001 |
| Our Lady's Mental Hospital, Ennis | 2 | 1952 | |
| Inagh-Kilnamona
|
2 | 2005 (as Inagh), 1998 (as Kilnamona) | |
| Kilmaley
|
2 | 1980, 2017 | |
 Smith O'Brien's, Killaloe
|
2 | 2004, 2021[5] | |
| Tubber
|
2 | 1972, 1976 | |
| Wolfe Tones, Shannon
|
2 | 1983, 2015 | |
| 23 | Clarecastle
|
1 | 1931 |
| Killanena
|
1 | 2010 | |
| Newmarket-on-Fergus
|
1 | 1967 | |
| Ogonnelloe
|
1 | 1995 | |
| Parteen-Meelick
|
1 | 1956 (as Parteen) | |
 Tulla
|
1 | 1979 |
Notes
edit- When Ennis Dalcassians won the 1943 Clare Junior Football Championship, they offered an opportunity to players from fellow junior club, Doora-Barefield, to join with them and enter the Clare Senior Football Championship as the Ennis Faughs. They went on to win four senior football titles in 1947, 1948, 1952 and 1954. The Ennis Faughs also won the 1946 Clare Intermediate Football Championship, and the 1945 Clare Intermediate Hurling Championship. The Ennis Faughs disbanded in 1956.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Broadford Bask In Intermediate Glory". Clare Echo.
- ^ "The Parish Prevail In Extra-Time Over Tulla To Seal Senior Return". Clare Echo.
- ^ "Corofin Claim Intermediate Hurling Title For The Third Time". Clare Echo.
- ^ "Scariff's Intermediate Success Magical Says McKenna". Clare Echo.
- ^ "Smith O'Brien's Climb Back To Clare Senior Ranks". Irish Examiner.