All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship

The GAA Hurling Intermediate All-Ireland Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Effectively contested by the second string teams of the top inter-county hurling sides in Ireland, the tournament has taken place every year since 1997—having originally been run between 1961 and 1973.

All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
Current season or competition:
2018 All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
IrishCraobh Idimhéanach Iomána na hÉireann
CodeHurling
Founded1961 (1961)
Region Ireland (GAA)
TrophyMichael Cusack Cup
No. of teams2
Title holders Cork (9th title)
Most titles Cork (9 titles)
Official websiteOfficial website

The final, currently held in July, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during the early summer, and the results determine which team receives the Michael Cusack Cup. The All-Ireland Championship has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the championship, however, the qualification procedures for the championship have changed several times throughout its history. Currently, qualification is limited to teams competing in the Leinster Championship and the Munster Championship.

Only two teams currently participate in the All-Ireland Championship, with the most successful teams coming from the province of Munster. Teams representing this province have won a total of 17 All-Ireland titles.

The title has been won by 11 different teams, 6 of whom have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Cork, who have each won the championship on 9 occasions.[1] Cork are the current champions.[2]

The future of the All-Ireland Championship is currently uncertain, as Cork and Kilkenny are the only two counties to have shown an interest in fielding teams in the 2018 championship.[3]

History

Creation

The Commission for the Improvement and Spread of Hurling had suggested the introduction of a new grade to improve the standard of hurling. It was also hoped that a new grade would prove successful in bridging the gap between the junior and senior grades. At the GAA's annual Congress in April 1960, the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship won the approval of the delegates. It was the fourth All-Ireland championship to be created after the corresponding championships in senior (1887), junior (1912) and minor (1928).

Beginnings

The inaugural All-Ireland Championship in 1961 used a provincial format, with teams contesting the respective championships in Leinster and Munster. Galway continued with their policy of competing in the Munster Championship in all grades, while Antrim, a team who faced little competition in Ulster, competed in the Leinster Championship.

Dublin and Antrim contested the very first championship match on Sunday 2 April 1961 at Croke Park, Dublin. The inaugural All-Ireland final took place on 17 September 1961, with Wexford defeating London to take the title.[4]

Format

The first five All-Ireland Championships featured the Leinster and Munster champions contesting the All-Ireland home final, with the winners of that game facing London in the All-Ireland final proper. Semi-finals were introduced in 1966 as the respective champions from Connacht and Ulster entered the All-Ireland series for the first time. After winning the All-Ireland title for the second year in succession, London left the intermediate grade in 1969. Because of this, the All-Ireland series was reduced to two semi-finals and a final.

In 1970, Galway became the sole representatives of Connacht and gained automatic entry to the All-Ireland semi-finals. The format of facing a British team in the All-Ireland final returned with the entry of Warwickshire to the All-Ireland series.

Following the conclusion of the 1973 championship, the All-Ireland Championship was disbanded and replaced with the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship.

At the GAA Congress in 1996, the All-Ireland Championship was reintroduced.

Format

Qualification
Province Championship Teams progressing
Leinster Leinster Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Munster Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions

Championship
The trophy was named after Michael Cusack

Due to the fact that only two teams compete in the championship, the respective provincial champions contest the final. The final is played as a single leg.

Trophy and medals

At the end of the All-Ireland final, the winning team is presented with a trophy. The cup is held by the winning team until the following year's final. Traditionally, the presentation is made at a special rostrum in stand where GAA and political dignitaries and special guests view the match.

The cup is decorated with ribbons in the colours of the winning team. During the game the cup actually has both teams' sets of ribbons attached and the runners-up ribbons are removed before the presentation. The winning captain accepts the cup on behalf of his team before giving a short speech. Individual members of the winning team then have an opportunity to come to the rostrum to lift the cup. The cup is named in honour of Michael Cusack.

In accordance with GAA rules, the Central Council awards up to twenty-four gold medals to the winners of the All-Ireland final.

Results

Summaries
Year Winners Score Runners-up Score Venue Winning Captain
1961 Wexford 3–15 London 4–04 Wexford Park Larry Byrne
1962 Carlow 6–15 London 3–03 Croke Park
1963 Tipperary 1–10 London 1–07 Thurles Sportsfield Jackie Lanigan
1964 Wexford 4–07 London 1–11 O'Kennedy Park
1965 Cork 2–20 London 5–05 Cork Athletic Grounds Dave Murphy
1966 Tipperary 4–11 Dublin 2–12 O'Kennedy Park Bill O'Grady
1967 London 1–09 Cork 1–05 Gaelic Grounds
1968 London 4–15 Dublin 0–03 Croke Park
1969 Kildare 2–08 Cork 3–04 Thurles Sportsfield Bobby Burke
1970 Antrim 3–16 Warwickshire 3–13 Croke Park Seán Burns
1971 Tipperary 3–16 Wicklow 3–13 Nowlan Park Éamonn Butler
1972 Tipperary 2–13 Galway 1–09 St. Brendan's Park Paddy Kelly
1973 Kilkenny 5–15 London 2–09 Walsh Park Paddy Grace
1974–1996 Championship suspended
1997 Cork 2–11 Galway 1–12 Gaelic Grounds Pat Mulcahy
1998 Limerick 4–16 Kilkenny 2–17 Semple Stadium John Cormican
1999 Galway 3–13 Kilkenny 2–10 St. Brendan's Park Noel Larkin
2000 Tipperary 2–17 Galway 1–10 St. Brendan's Park Declan Corcoran
2001 Cork 2–17 Wexford 2–08 Fraher Field Paddy Barry
2002 Galway 2–15 (1–20) Tipperary 1–10 (2–17) St. Brendan's Park
2003 Cork 1–21 Kilkenny 0–23 Semple Stadium Brendan Lombard
2004 Cork 1–16 (2–11) Kilkenny 1–10 (2–11) Semple Stadium Brendan Walsh
2005 Wexford 1–15 Galway 0–16 O'Moore Park
2006 Cork 3–15 Kilkenny 1–18 Fraher Field Darren Dineen
2007 Wexford 1–11 Waterford 1–09 Nowlan Park
2008 Kilkenny 1–16 Limerick 0–13 Semple Stadium David Prendergast
2009 Cork 2–23 Kilkenny 0–16 Semple Stadium Dara McSweeney
2010 Kilkenny 2–17 Cork 1–13 Semple Stadium Bill Beckett
2011 Clare 2–13 Kilkenny 1–11 Semple Stadium Tony Carmody
2012 Tipperary 3–13 Kilkenny 1–17 Semple Stadium Michael Ryan
2013 Tipperary 2–14 Kilkenny 2–11 Nowlan Park David Young
2014 Cork 2–18 Wexford 2–12 Nowlan Park John O'Callaghan
2015 Galway 0–23 Cork 0–14 Gaelic Grounds James Skehill
2016 Kilkenny 5–16 Clare 1–16 Semple Stadium Nicky Cleere
2017[5] Kilkenny 2–23 Cork 2–18 Páirc Uí Chaoimh Darragh Brennan
2018 Cork 2–19 Kilkenny 0–18 Nowlan Park ?

Performances by counties
No. Team Wins Years won Losses Years lost
1 Cork 9 1965, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2018 5 1967, 1969, 2010, 2015, 2017
2 Tipperary 7 1963, 1966, 1971, 1972, 2000, 2012, 2013 1 2002
3 Kilkenny 5 1973, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2017 10 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018
4 Wexford 4 1961, 1964, 2005, 2007 2 2001, 2014
5 Galway 3 1999, 2002, 2015 5 1972, 1973, 1997, 2000, 2005
6 London 2 1967, 1968 5 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
7 Clare 1 2011 1 2016
Limerick 1 1998 1 2008
Antrim 1 1970
Kildare 1 1969
Carlow 1 1962
8 Dublin 2 1966, 1988
Warwickshire 1 1970
Wicklow 1 1971
Waterford 1 2007

References
  1. Ó Conchuir, Darragh (9 August 2014). "Cork's hurlers win eighth All-Ireland intermediate title". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  2. Cormican, Eoghan (23 July 2017). "Kilkenny defeat Cork to claim first title at Páirc Uí Chaoimh". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  3. "All-Ireland IHC future in doubt". Hogan Stand. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  4. "1961 champions to be honoured". New Ross Standard. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  5. "McCormack hails team effort as Cats retain title". Irish independent. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
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