Carlow Intermediate Hurling Championship

The Carlow Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the JJ Kavanagh Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Carlow IHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Carlow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1984 for the second tier hurling teams in the county of Carlow in Ireland.

Carlow Intermediate Hurling Championship
Irish	Craobh Idirmheánach Iomáint Cheatharlach
Code	Hurling
Founded	1984; 41 years ago (1984)
Region	Carlow (GAA)
Trophy	Pat Foley Cup
No. of teams	5
Title holders	St Mullin's (7th title)
Most titles	Naomh Eoin (9 titles)
Sponsors	JJ Kavanagh and Sons
Official website	Carlow GAA

In its current format, the Carlow Intermediate Championship begins with a group stage in mid-summer. The five participating club teams play each other in a round-robin system. The four top-ranking teams proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Netwatch Cullen Park. The winner of the Carlow Intermediate Championship qualifies for the subsequent Leinster Club Championship.

The title has been won by 14 different clubs, nine of which have won the title more than once.^[1] Naomh Eoin is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it nine times. St Mullin's are the title holders after defeating Mount Leinster Rangers by 2-15 to 0-10 in the 2024 final.^[2]

Format

Group stage

Six clubs start in the group stage. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed five 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 four teams qualify for the knockout stage

Knockout stage

Following the completion of the group stage, the teams from the group are ranked (1-4) in terms of points accumulated and scoring difference. The two top-ranking teams receive byes to separate semi-finals.

Semi-finals: The tip four teams from the group stage contest this round. First place plays fourth place and second place plays third place 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

At the end of the championship, the winning team is automatically promoted to the Carlow Senior Hurling Championship for the following season.

Relegation

The bottom-placed team from the group stage is relegated to the Carlow Junior Hurling Championship.

Qualification

At the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Leinster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.

Teams

2024 Teams

The 6 teams competing in the 2024 Carlow Intermediate Hurling Championship are:

Team	Location	Colours	Position in 2024	In championship since	Championship titles	Last championship title
Bagenalstown Gaels	Bagenalstown	Green and black	Group stage	?	1	2019
Carlow Town	Carlow	White and blue	Semi-finals	?	2	2013
Kildavin/Clonegal	Kildavin	Red and black	Group stage	2024	3	2003
Mount Leinster Rangers	Borris	Black and red	Runners-up	?	7	2016
Naomh Eoin	Myshall	Black and yellow	Semi-finals	?	9	2022
St Mullin's	St Mullin's	Green and white	Champions	?	7	2024

Qualification for subsequent competitions

At the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Leinster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.

Roll of honour

By club

#	Club	Titles	Championships won
1	Naomh Eoin	9	1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2018, 2020, 2022
2	Mount Leinster Rangers	7	1988, 1996, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016
	St Mullin's	7	1998, 1999, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2023, 2024
4	Kildavin	3	1989, 1991, 2003 (with Clonegal)
5	Parnells	2	1984, 1987
	Ballinkillen	2	1990, 1994
	Erin's Own	2	1993, 2005
	Carlow Town	2	2011, 2013
	Naomh Bríd	2	2017, 2021
10	Palatine	1	1985
	Ballymurphy	1	1986
	St Fintan's	1	1992
	St Vincent's	1	1997
	Bagenalstown Gaels	1	2019

List of finals

Legend

• Gold – Leinster junior club champions
• Silver – Leinster junior club runners-up

List of Carlow IHC finals

Year	Winners		Runners-up		Venue	#
	Club	Score	Club	Score
2024	St Mullin's	2-15	Mount Leinster Rangers	0-10	Netwatch Cullen Park
2023	St Mullin's	0-15	Mount Leinster Rangers	1-10	Netwatch Cullen Park	[3]
2022	Naomh Eoin	0-12	Mount Leinster Rangers	0-06	Netwatch Cullen Park
2021	Naomh Bríd	0-17	Naomh Eoin	1-12	Netwatch Cullen Park
2020	Naomh Eoin	3-17	Mount Leinster Rangers	1-19	Netwatch Cullen Park	[4]
2019	Bagenalstown Gaels	0-12	Mount Leinster Rangers	0-06	Netwatch Cullen Park	[5]
2018	Naomh Eoin	1-11	Mount Leinster Rangers	1-08	Netwatch Cullen Park	[6]
2017	Naomh Bríd	3-07	Mount Leinster Rangers	0-15	Netwatch Cullen Park	[7]
2016	Mount Leinster Rangers	3-19	Carlow Town	0-18	Netwatch Cullen Park
2015	Mount Leinster Rangers
2014	Mount Leinster Rangers
2013	Carlow Town
2012	St Mullin's
2011	Carlow Town
2010	St Mullin's
2009	Mount Leinster Rangers
2008	Naomh Eoin
2007	Mount Leinster Rangers
2006	St Mullin's
2005	Erin's Own
2004	Naomh Eoin
2003	Kildavin
2002	Naomh Eoin
2001	Naomh Eoin
2000	Naomh Eoin
1999	St Mullin's
1998	St Mullin's
1997	St Vincent's
1996	Mount Leinster Rangers
1995	Naomh Eoin
1994	Ballinkillen
1993	Erin's Own
1992	St Fintan's
1991	Kildavin
1990	Ballinkillen
1989	Kildavin
1988	Mount Leinster Rangers
1987	Parnells
1986	Ballymurphy
1985	Palatine
1984	Parnells

Notes

• 2018: The first match ended in a draw: Naomh Eoin 1–09 — 1–09 Mount Leinster Rangers.

See also

• Carlow Senior Hurling Championship (Tier 1)
• Carlow Junior Hurling Championship (Tier 3)
• Carlow Junior Hurling Shield (Tier 4)
• Leinster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship
• Carlow Intermediate Football Championship