# Wicklow Intermediate Hurling Championship

The Wicklow Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Lightning Protection Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Wicklow IHC) is an annual club hurling competition organised by the Wicklow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by intermediate-ranked clubs in the county of Wicklow in Ireland, deciding the competition winners through a group and knockout format. It is the second tier overall in the entire Wicklow hurling championship system.
In its current format, the Wicklow Intermediate Hurling Championship begins with a group stage. The nine participating teams are divided into two groups and play each other in a round-robin system. The top two teams in each group proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Echelon Park. The winner of the Wicklow Intermediate Championship, as well as gaining promotion to the Wicklow SHC, qualifies for the subsequent Leinster Junior Club Championship.
Avondale are the reigning champions, having beaten Aughrim by 2–16 to 2–03 in the 2024 final.

## Format
### Group stage

The 9 teams in the Wicklow Intermediate Championship are divided into two groups. The draw for both groups is arranged in a manner that keeps the "stronger" sides, or those who have played at senior level or won the IHC in recent years, in Group 1. The remaining five teams are placed in Group 2. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least three of four games depending on the number of teams in the group. 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 knockout stage

### Knockout stage

Semi-finals: The top two teams from each group 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.

## Teams
### 2024 teams

| Club | Location | Colours | Position in 2024 | In championship since | Championship titles | Last championship title |
| Arklow Rock Parnells | Arklow | Green and white | Group stage | ? | 0 | — |
| Aughrim | Aughrim | ? | Runners-up | ? | 0 | — |
| Avondale | Rathdrum | Green and white | Champions | ? | 2 | 2024 |
| Barndarrig | Barndarrig | Blue and white | Group stage | 2024 | 2 | 1994 |
| Bray Emmets | Bray | Navy and green | Group stage | ? | 3 | 2022 |
| Carnew Emmets | Carnew | Blue and yellow | Semi-finals | ? | 2 | 2021 |
| Glenealy | Glenealy | Red and white | Group stage | ? | 4 | 2017 |
| Kilcoole | Kilcoole | Green and yellow | Semi-finals | ? | 3 | 2020 |
| Western Gaels | ? | ? | Group stage | ? | 0 | — |

## Qualification for subsequent competitions

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

## List of finals

| Year | Winners | Winners | Runners-up | Runners-up | Venue | # |
| Year | Club | Score | Club | Score | Venue | # |
| 2024 | Avondale | 2-16 | Aughrim | 2-03 | Echelon Park | |
| 2023 | St Patrick's | 3-13 | Bray Emmets | 1-09 | Echelon Park | |
| 2022 | Bray Emmets | 3-15 | Kilcoole | 0-10 | Echelon Park | |
| 2021 | Carnew Emmets | 2-09 | Bray Emmets | 1-10 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2020 | Kilcoole | 2-22 | Glenealy | 1-07 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2019 | Carnew Emmets | 0-10 | Barndarrig | 0-03 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2018 | Avondale | 5-18 | Arklow Rock Parnells | 1-06 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2017 | Glenealy | 2-10 | Carnew Emmets | 1-11 | Pearse Park | |
| 2016 | Kiltegan | 0-12 | Bray Emmets | 1-07 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2015 | Bray Emmets | 3-14 | Arklow Rock Parnells | 3-07 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2014 | Glenealy | 2-11 | Carnew Emmets | 1-07 | Pearse Park | |
| 2013 | Éire Óg Greystones | 0-13 | Carnew Emmets | 0-12 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2012 | Glenealy | 1-13 | Éire Óg Greystones | 1-08 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2011 | St Patrick's | 1-13 | Glenealy | 2-05 | Aughrim County Ground | |
| 2010 | Newcastle | 1-12 | Glenealy | 2-08 | Pearse Park | |

## Roll of honour
### By club

| # | Team | Titles | Runners-up | Championships won | Championships runner-up |
| 1 | Bray Emmets | 2 | 3 | 2015, 2022 | 2016, 2021, 2023 |
| 1 | Carnew Emmets | 2 | 1 | 2019, 2021 | 2017 |
| 1 | Avondale | 2 | 0 | 2018, 2024 | — |
| 4 | Glenealy | 1 | 1 | 2017 | 2020 |
| 4 | Kilcoole | 1 | 1 | 2020 | 2022 |
| 4 | Kiltegan | 1 | 0 | 2016 | — |
| 4 | St Patrick's | 1 | 0 | 2023 | — |
| 8 | Arklow Rock Parnells | 0 | 2 | — | 2015, 2018 |
| 8 | Barndarrig | 0 | 1 | — | 2019 |
| 8 | Aughrim | 0 | 1 | — | 2024 |