| Carlow Intermediate Hurling Championship | |
| Irish: | Craobh Idirmheánach Iomáint Cheatharlach |
| Code: | Hurling |
| Region: | Carlow |
| Trophy: | Pat Foley Cup |
| Teams: | 5 |
| Title Holders: | St Mullin's |
| Currentordinal: | 7 |
| Super: | th |
| Most Titles: | Naomh Eoin |
| Mostordinal: | 9 |
| Sponsors: | JJ Kavanagh and Sons |
| Website: | Carlow GAA |
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.[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]
Group stage: Over the course of the group stage, each of the five teams plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least four 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 four top-ranking teams in the group qualify for the knockout stage.
Semi-finals: The four qualifying teams from the group stage 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 and, if they are not an existing senior team's second side, gain automatic promotion to the following year's Carlow Senior Hurling Championship.
| Team | Locations | Colours | Championship titles | Last championship title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bagenalstown Gaels | Bagenalstown | Green and black | 1 | 2019 | |
| Carlow Town | Carlow | White and blue | 2 | 2013 | |
| Mount Leinster Rangers | Borris | Black and red | 7 | 2016 | |
| Naomh Eoin | Myshall | Black and yellow | 9 | 2022 | |
| St Mullin's | St Mullin's | Green and white | 6 | 2023 |
| Club | Wins | Years 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 |
| 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 | ||