# Waterford Intermediate Hurling Championship

The Waterford Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Waterford IHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 and contested by the divisional intermediate champions in the county of Waterford in Ireland. It is the third tier overall in the entire Waterford hurling championship system.
In its current format, the championship begins after the conclusion of the respective Eastern and Western divisional championships. Both divisional champions contest the final, usually at Walsh Park, to determine the county champions. The winner gains automatic promotion to the Waterford Premier Intermediate Championship the following season.
The competition has been won by 30 teams. Ballyduff Upper and Clonea are the most successful teams in the tournament's history, having won it four times each. Brickey Rangers are the title holders after defeating Portlaw by 0-23 to 1-14 in the 2023 final.

## History

The Waterford Intermediate Championship was established in 1964 in an effort to bridge the standard of play between the Waterford Senior Championship and the Waterford Junior Championship. For almost 60 years, the Waterford Intermediate Championship was the second tier championship in the Waterford hurling championship system.
On 31 January 2022, Waterford County Board delegates voted on the restructuring of the entire intermediate hurling championship system following a review process. It was decided to establish an all-county eight-team Waterford Premier Intermediate Championship for 2023. These eight teams were made up of the four semi-finalists from the 2022 Eastern and Western intermediate championships.

## Format
### Current format

Final: The two of divisional champions contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

## Teams
### Qualification

| Division | Championship | Qualifying teams |
| Eastern Board | Eastern Intermediate Hurling Championship | Champions |
| Western Board | Western Intermediate Hurling Championship | Champions |

### 2024 Teams

13 clubs will compete in the 2024 Waterford Intermediate Hurling Championship: six teams from the Eastern championship and 7 teams from the Western championship.
| Team | Location | Division | Colours | Divisional titles | Last divisional title |
| An Rinn | Ring | West | Blue and gold | 0 | — |
| Ardmore | Ardmore | West | Blue and white | 0 | — |
| Ballinameela | Cappagh | West | Blue and white | 0 | — |
| Ballyduff Lower | Ballyduff Lower | East | Red and white | 3 | 2020 |
| Ballyduff Upper | Ballyduff | West | Red and white | 1 | 2024 |
| Butlerstown | | East | | 0 | — |
| Colligan–Emmets | Colligan | West | Amber and black hoops | 0 | — |
| Cumannan an tSlánaitheora | | East | | 0 | — |
| Erins Own | Waterford | East | Yellow and blue | 2 | 2003 |
| Modeligo | — | West | Green and white | 0 | — |
| Portlaw | Portlaw | East | Blue and yellow | 5 | 2024 |
| Sliabh gCua–St Mary's | Touraneena | West | Yellow and maroon | 0 | — |
| St Molleran's | Carrick-Beg | East | Maroon and white | 2 | 2008 |

## Qualification for subsequent competitions

From its inception in 2004, the Waterford IHC champions automatically qualified for the Munster Club IHC. Portlaw were the first team to represent Waterford in the provincial series. No team represented Waterford in the provincial championship in 2007 and 2008. Cappoquin (2014) and Lismore (2016) were the only two Waterford clubs to win the Munster club title. Runners-up Ballysaggart represented Waterford in 2022 due to the fact that Ballygunner's second team were not allowed to participate. From 2023, the Waterford PIHC champions represent Waterford in the Munster Club IHC.

## List of finals
### List of Waterford IHC finals

| Year | Winners | Winners | Runners-up | Runners-up | # |
| Year | Club | Score | Club | Score | # |
| 2024 | Portlaw | 5-17 | Ballyduff Upper | 2-13 | |
| 2023 | Brickey Rangers | 0-23 | Portlaw | 1-14 | |
| 2022 | Ballygunner | 2-29 | Ballysaggart | 3-20 | |
| 2021 | Dunhill | 0-22 | An Rinn | 2-11 | |
| 2020 | Ballyduff Upper | 1-32 | Ballyduff Lower | 2-23 | |
| 2019 | Ballysaggart | 1-19 | Ballygunner | 1-16 | |
| 2018 | Clonea | 2-13 | Clashmore-Kinsalebeg | 1-12 | |
| 2017 | An Rinn | 0-18 | Clonea | 0-13 | |
| 2016 | Lismore | 5-19 | Dunhill | 1-07 | |
| 2015 | Portlaw | 1-11 | Modeligo | 0-12 | |
| 2014 | Cappoquin | 2-19 | St. Saviour's | 2-11 | |
| 2013 | Ardmore | 0-23 | Dunhill | 2-13 | |
| 2012 | An Rinn | 1-14 | Portlaw | 0-04 | |
| 2011 | Dunhill | 0-10 | Tourin | 1-06 | |
| 2010 | Roanmore | 0-16 | Ardmore | 1-10 | |
| 2009 | Dungarvan | 1-20 | Clonea | 2-16 |
| 2008 | An Rinn | 3-05 | St. Molleran's | 2-05 |
| 2007 | Passage | 2-16 | Dungarvan | 1-13 |
| 2006 | Clonea | 2-09 | Dungarvan | 2-04 |
| 2005 | Ballyduff Upper | (1-13) 1-15 (R) | Passage | (1-13) 0-08 (R) |
| 2004 | Portlaw | 0-18 | Shamrocks | 1-02 |
| 2003 | Abbeyside | 3-12 | Erin's Own | 4-08 |
| 2002 | Ardmore | 2-05 | Clonea | 0-10 |
| 2001 | Fourmilewater | 1-14 | Dunhill | 2-07 |
| 2000 | Ballyduff Lower | 2-07 | Abbeyside | 0-09 |
| 1999 | Shamrocks | 1-12 | Dunhill | 0-07 |
| 1998 | Stradbally | 0-11 | Ballyduff Lower | 1-06 |
| 1997 | Erin's Own | 1-09 | Shamrocks | 0-07 |
| 1996 | Abbeyside | 0-18 | Ferrybank | 0-14 |
| 1995 | St. Molleran's | 1-14 | Cappoquin | 2-09 |
| 1994 | Erin's Own | 0-09 | Abbeyside | 0-04 |
| 1993 | Stradbally | 3-07 | Clonea | 1-09 |
| 1992 | Colligan Rockies | 0-09 | Clonea | 0-05 |
| 1991 | St. Saviours | 2-05 | Erin's Own | 2-04 |
| 1990 | De La Salle | 2-13 | Shamrocks | 0-06 |
| 1989 | Fourmilewater | 1-11 | Erin's Own | 1-08 |
| 1988 | Passage | 4-08 | Fourmilewater | 1-08 |
| 1987 | Tallow | 2-09 | Erin's Own | 2-03 |
| 1986 | Dungarvan | 0-16 | Passage | 3-05 |
| 1985 | Colligan Rockies | 3-10 | Passage | 1-11 |
| 1984 | Ballygunner | 1-12 | Dungarvan | 2-04 |
| 1983 | St. Mary's | 2-07 | Ballygunner | 1-09 |
| 1982 | Shamrocks | 0-14 | Ballygunner | 1-08 |
| 1981 | Clonea | 2-13 | Ferrybank | 1-10 |
| 1980 | St. Mary's | 2-16 | Dungarvan | 3-10 |
| 1979 | Fourmilewater | 3-09 | St. Mary's | 1-08 |
| 1978 | Dungarvan | 1-14 | Stradbally | 0-08 |
| 1977 | Clonea | 3-07 | Fourmilewater | 0-04 |
| 1976 | Cappoquin | 0-13 | Passage | 1-01 |
| 1975 | Ballyduff Upper | 4-11 | Clonea | 4-09 |
| 1974 | Tallow | 4-11 | Clonea | 1-02 |
| 1973 | Ballydurn | 2-12 - | Fourmilewater | 1-05 |
| 1972 | Shamrocks | 4-09 | Ballydurn | 1-02 |
| 1971 | Butlerstown | 4-07 | Tallow | 2-03 |
| 1970 | St. Molleran's | 4-09 | Cappoquin | 4-03 |
| 1969 | Lismore | 5-07 | Tramore | 0-03 |
| 1968 | Eire Og (Dungarvan) | 4-06 | Griffiths Place (Waterford) | 1-04 |
| 1967 | Geraldines | 2-07 | St. Molleran's | 1-03 |
| 1966 | Dunhill | 4-06 | Ardmore | 2-04 |
| 1965 | De La Salle | 4-14 | Geraldines | 2-04 |
| 1964 | Ballyduff Upper | 3-05 | Ballyduff Lower | 1-09 |

## Roll of honour
### By club

| # | Club | Titles | Championships won |
| 1 | Clonea | 4 | 1977, 1981, 2006, 2018 |
| 1 | Ballyduff Upper | 4 | 1964, 1975, 2005, 2020 |
| 3 | Shamrocks | 3 | 1972, 1982, 1999 |
| 3 | Fourmilewater | 3 | 1979, 1989, 2001 |
| 3 | Dungarvan | 3 | 1978, 1986, 2009 |
| 3 | An Rinn | 3 | 2008, 2012, 2017 |
| 3 | Dunhill | 3 | 1966, 2011, 2021 |
| 3 | Portlaw | 3 | 2004, 2015, 2024 |
| 9 | St Mary's | 2 | 1980, 1983 |
| 9 | Tallow | 2 | 1974, 1987 |
| 9 | De La Salle | 2 | 1965, 1990 |
| 9 | Colligan Rockies | 2 | 1985, 1992 |
| 9 | St Molleran's | 2 | 1970, 1995 |
| 9 | Erin's Own | 2 | 1994, 1997 |
| 9 | Stradbally | 2 | 1993, 1998 |
| 9 | Abbeyside | 2 | 1996, 2003 |
| 9 | Passage | 2 | 1988, 2007 |
| 9 | Ardmore | 2 | 2002, 2013 |
| 9 | Cappoquin | 2 | 1976, 2014 |
| 9 | Lismore | 2 | 1969, 2016 |
| 9 | Ballygunner | 2 | 1984, 2022 |
| 22 | Geraldines | 1 | 1967 |
| 22 | Éire Óg | 1 | 1968 |
| 22 | Butlerstown | 1 | 1971 |
| 22 | Ballydurn | 1 | 1973 |
| 22 | St Saviour's | 1 | 1991 |
| 22 | Ballyduff Lower | 1 | 2000 |
| 22 | Roanmore | 1 | 2010 |
| 22 | Ballysaggart | 1 | 2019 |
| 22 | Brickey Rangers | 1 | 2023 |

## Records and statistics
### Final
#### Team

* Most wins: 4:
** Clonea (1977, 1981, 2006, 2018)
** Ballyduff Upper (1964, 1975, 2005, 2020)
* Most appearances in a final: 11:
** Clonea (1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2017, 2018)
* Most appearances in a final without ever winning: 2:
** Ferrybank (1981, 1996)
* Most defeats: 7:
** Clonea (1974, 1975, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2009, 2017)

### Teams
#### Gaps

Longest gaps between successive championship titles:
* 47 years: Lismore (1969-2016)
* 45 years: Dunhill (1966-2011)
* 38 years: Cappoquin (1976-2014)
* 38 years: Ballygunner (1984-2002)
* 30 years: Ballyduff Upper (1975-2005)
* 25 years: Clonea (1981-2006)
* 25 years: De La Salle (1965-1990)
* 25 years: St Molleran's (1970-1995)
* 23 years: Dungarvan (1986-2009)
* 19 years: Passage (1988-2007)