# 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.
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. 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.

## 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 |
| 2 | St Mullin's | 7 | 1998, 1999, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2023, 2024 |
| 4 | Kildavin | 3 | 1989, 1991, 2003 (with Clonegal) |
| 5 | Parnells | 2 | 1984, 1987 |
| 5 | Ballinkillen | 2 | 1990, 1994 |
| 5 | Erin's Own | 2 | 1993, 2005 |
| 5 | Carlow Town | 2 | 2011, 2013 |
| 5 | Naomh Bríd | 2 | 2017, 2021 |
| 10 | Palatine | 1 | 1985 |
| 10 | Ballymurphy | 1 | 1986 |
| 10 | St Fintan's | 1 | 1992 |
| 10 | St Vincent's | 1 | 1997 |
| 10 | 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 | Winners | Runners-up | Runners-up | Venue | # |
| Year | Club | Score | Club | Score | Venue | # |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 2019 | Bagenalstown Gaels | 0-12 | Mount Leinster Rangers | 0-06 | Netwatch Cullen Park | |
| 2018 | Naomh Eoin | 1-11 | Mount Leinster Rangers | 1-08 | Netwatch Cullen Park | |
| 2017 | Naomh Bríd | 3-07 | Mount Leinster Rangers | 0-15 | Netwatch Cullen Park | |
| 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 | | | | | |