Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship Explained

Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship
Currentlyrunning:2024 Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship
Code:Hurling
Region: Cork
Teams:12
Currentordinal:1
Super:st
Mostordinal:1
Sponsors:Co-Op Superstores
Website:Official website

The Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Cork PJHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking junior clubs in the county of Cork in Ireland. It is the fifth tier overall in the entire Cork hurling championship system.

The Cork Premier Junior Championship was introduced in 2022 following a restructuring of the various intermediate and junior championships.

In its current format, the Cork Premier Junior Championship begins in mid-summer. The 12 participating club teams are into three groups of four teams and play each other in a round-robin system. The three group winners and the three runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Páirc Uí Rinn. The winner of the Cork Premier Junior Championship qualifies for the subsequent Munster Club Championship.

Erin's Own are the title holders after defeating St Catherine's by 1-14 to 2-09 in the 2023 final.[1] [2]

History

In March 2019, Cork County Board delegates voted on the restructuring of the entire Cork hurling championship system following an extensive review process.[3] [4] The plan hoped to reduce the number of teams in the top four tiers to 48, a move which required a restructuring of the intermediate and junior grades. The result was the creation of the Cork Lower Intermediate Hurling Championship, a two-year temporary championship which would result in several teams being regraded to Junior and the championship being eventually discontinued.[5] In February 2022, the County Board took a further vote on the future of the club junior and intermediate championships.[6] Delegates voted in favour of Option B which saw the Lower Intermediate Championship being rebranded as the Premier Junior Championship.[7]

Format

Group stage

The 12 teams are divided into three groups of four. 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 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 two teams in each group qualify for the knockout stage.

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals: Two lone quarter-finals featuring the four lowest-placed qualifying teams from the group stage. Two teams qualify for the next round.

Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and the top two highest-placed qualifying teams from the group stage contest this round. The two winners from these games advance to the final.

Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

Promotion and relegation

At the end of the championship, the winning team was automatically promoted to the Cork Intermediate A Championship for the following season. The two worst-ranked teams from the group stage took part in a playoff, with the losing team being relegated to the Cork Junior A Championship.

Teams

2024 Teams

TeamLocationDivisionColoursPosition in 2023In Championship sinceChampionship titles (JAHC)Last championship title (JAHC)
Argideen RangersTimoleagueCarberyMaroon and whiteGroup stage202211996
BallygarvanBallygarvanCarrigdhounRed and whiteGroup stage202212004
BarryroeBarryroeCarberyBlue and navySemi-finals202212007
DouglasDouglasSeandunGreen, black and whiteGroup stage (Cork IAHC)20240
Glen RoversBlackpoolSeandunGreen, yellow and blackSemi-finals202221950
KilbrittainKilbrittainCarberyBlack and yellowQuarter-finals202211985
MeelinMeelinDuhallowGreen and gold Quarter-finals202312010
MilfordMilfordAvondhuBlue and whiteGroup stage202211981
Nemo RangersTrabegSeandunBlack and greenChampions (Cork JAHC)202422023
Russell RoversShanagarryImokillyBlack and yellowGroup stage202212019
St. Catherine'sBallynoeImokillyPurple and yellowRunners-up202222017
St. Finbarr'sTogherSeandunBlue and yellowGroup stage202231956

Sponsorship

Co-Op Superstores were unveiled as the title sponsor for all of Cork GAA's hurling championships in July 2020.[8]

Qualification for subsequent competitions

The Cork Premier Junior Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship.[9]

Trophy and medals

The Jimmy O'Mahony Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It was commissioned to honour Jimmy O'Mahony who served as secretary of the Newcestown club from 1967 until his death in September 2020.[10]

In accordance with GAA rules, the County Board awards a set of gold medals to the championship winners. The medals depict a stylised version of the Cork GAA crest.

Roll of Honour

By club

ClubTitlesRunners-upWinning yearsLosing years
1 Ballygiblin102022
Erin's Own102023
3 Tracton012022
St Catherine's012023

By Division

DivisionTitlesRunners-UpTotal
Imokilly112
Avondhu101
Carrigdhoun011
Carbery000
Duhallow000
Muskerry000
Seandun000

List of Finals

Legend

List of Cork PJHC finals

YearWinnersRunners-upWinning captain(s)Venue
ClubScoreClubScore
2024
2023Erin's Own1-14bgcolor=goldSt Catherine's2-09James McMahon
Tom Foley
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
2022bgcolor=goldBallygiblin2-19Tracton1-12Fionn HerlihyPáirc Uí Chaoimh[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Erin's Own make it two county titles on the bounce as Robbie O'Flynn makes presence felt. Irish Examiner. 14 October 2023. 14 October 2023. John. Coleman.
  2. Web site: Premier JHC: Good finish to first half sets Erin's Own up for victory over St Catherine's. Echo Live. 14 October 2023. 14 October 2023. Denis. Hurley.
  3. Web site: Here's a breakdown of the proposals to restructure the Cork county championships. Irish Examiner. 26 March 2019. 16 September 2019. Eoghan. Cormican.
  4. Web site: Cork clubs vote down radical restructuring proposals. RTÉ Sport. 2 April 2019. 16 September 2019.
  5. Web site: Cork County Championships – Review of Intermediate & Junior Competitions. Cork GAA website. 19 April 2021. 16 September 2021.
  6. Web site: Cork GAA clubs to vote on revamp of intermediate and junior hurling and football grades. Echo Live. 19 January 2022. 23 February 2022.
  7. Web site: Clubs votes for new County Premier Junior grade. The Corkman. 3 February 2022. 23 February 2022. John. Tarrant.
  8. Web site: Cork GAA ink hurling sponsorship deal with Dairygold Co-Op Superstores. Irish Examiner. 27 July 2020. 27 July 2020. Colm. O'Connor.
  9. Web site: Cork clubs vote to create a fifth tier for county championships. Irish Examiner. 1 February 2022. 23 February 2022. Eoghan. Cormican.
  10. Web site: 'There are people everywhere completely dedicated to the club, but Jimmy O'Mahony topped all of them'. Irish Examiner. 16 October 2020. 4 October 2022. Michael. Moynihan.
  11. Web site: Late goals seal brilliant Ballygibblin's second county on the trot. Irish Examiner. 15 October 2022. 15 October 2022. Stephen. Barry.