East Cork Junior A Hurling Championship Explained

East Cork Junior A Hurling Championship
Currentlyrunning:2023 East Cork Junior A Hurling Championship
Code:Hurling
Region: Imokilly
Trophy:Jamesy Kelleher Cup
Teams:8
Title Holders: Carrignavar
Currentordinal:3
Super:st
Most Titles: Castlemartyr
Mostordinal:11
Sponsors:Michael O'Connor Motor Factors
Website:East Cork GAA

The East Cork Junior A Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Michael O'Connor Motor Factors East Cork Junior Hurling Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Imokilly Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1926 for junior hurling teams in East Cork.

The series of games begin in June, with the championship culminating with the final in September. The championship includes a knock-out stage and a "back door" for teams defeated in the first round.

The East Cork Junior Championship is an integral part of the wider Cork Junior A Hurling Championship. The winners and runners-up of the East Cork championship join their counterparts from the other six divisions to contest the county championship.

11 clubs currently participate in the East Cork Championship. The title has been won at least once by 20 different teams. The all-time record-holders are Castlemartyr who have won 11 titles.

Carrignavar are the 2023 title-holders, having defeated St Ita's by 0-18 to 1-14 in the 2023 final.[1]

Format

Group stage

The 8 teams are divided into two 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

Semi-finals: The two group winners and the two runners-up 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.

Relegation

The two bottom-placed teams from the group stage take part in a playoff, with the losing team being relegated to the East Cork Junior B Hurling Championship.

Qualification and promotion

At the end of the championship, the winning team enters the Cork Junior A Hurling Championship and by winning this, they will be promoted to the Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship for the following season.

Teams

As of 2024, the teams included:[2]

TeamLocationColoursPosition in 2023In championship sinceChampionship TitlesLast Championship Title
Bride RoversRathcormacGreen, white and yellow Quarter-finals51998
CarrignavarCarrignavarRed and greenChampions32023
CarrigtwohillCarrigtwohillBlue and goldQuarter-finals91994
CobhCobhYellow and greenSemi-finals31985
KilleaghKilleaghGreen and whiteSemi-finals51995
MidletonMidletonBlack and white Group stage91990
SarsfieldsGlanmireBlue, white and blackGroup stage42016
St. Ita'sGortroeWhite and greenRunners-up12021

Roll of honour

-- Not red; see -->" TeamWinsRunners-upYears wonYears Runners-up
1 Castlemartyr1141935, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1963, 1964, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014[3] 1962, 1967, 1975, 2011
2 Midleton1041925, 1929, 1934, 1936, 1943, 1945, 1982, 1984, 1989, 19901942, 1983, 1988, 1999
3 Carrigtwohill951941, 1947, 1948, 1956, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1978, 19941928, 1929, 1943, 1964, 1969
Cloyne941938, 1939, 1944, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1976, 1986, 19871945, 1959, 1974, 1978
5 Aghada671931, 1933, 1940, 1980, 1991, 19921927, 1935, 1939, 1949, 1979, 1989, 1990
Erin's Own651973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 2007, 20222001, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2021
7 Fr. O'Neill's571996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 20051961, 1963, 1987, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2004
Killeagh561967, 1970, 1971, 1988, 19951951, 1957, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2008
Bride Rovers551930, 1932, 1968, 1969, 19981931, 1938, 1972, 1973, 1997
10 Dungourney481972, 2006, 2011, 20151941, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1998, 2003, 2010
Sarsfields461937, 1953, 2004, 20161926, 1936, 1968, 2007, 2009, 2013
St. Catherine’s461957, 1981, 1983, 20171955, 1956, 1960, 1977, 1980, 2016
13 Cobh341926, 1959, 19851952, 1958, 2014, 2022
Watergrasshill331974, 2000, 20031982, 1985, 1995
Carrignavar332008, 2012, 20231966, 2019, 2020
Castlelyons321955, 1993, 19971954, 1996
Ballinacurra301927, 1928, 1942
18 Russell Rovers222018, 20192006, 2017
19Leeside1319491930, 1932, 1933
Youghal1319521953, 1965, 1984
St. Ita's1320212015, 2018, 2023
Lisgoold102020

List of finals

YearWinnersRunners-up
ClubScoreClubScore
2023Carrignavar0-18St. Ita's1-14
2022Erin's Own4-12Cobh2-09
2021St Ita's1-14Erin's Own1-05[4]
2020Lisgoold0-17Carrignavar0-11[5]
2019Russell Rovers1-16Carrignavar0-16[6]
2018Russell Rovers2-16St. Ita's1-12[7]
2017St. Catherine’sRussell Rovers
2016SarsfieldsSt. Catherine’s
2015DungourneySt. Ita's
2014CastlemartyrCobh
2013CastlemartyrSarsfields
2012CarrignavarErin's Own
2011DungourneyCastlemartyr
2010CastlemartyrDungourney

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carraig na bhFear win East Cork Junior A final for third time . irishexaminer.com . 22 October 2023 . 5 November 2023 .
  2. Web site: 2024 teams . 7 March 2024 .
  3. Web site: Roll Of Honour - Junior A Hurling Winners . eastcorkgaa.com . 5 November 2023 .
  4. Web site: Junior hurling glory at last for St Ita's and Seamus Harnedy. 31 October 2021. Echo Live. 31 October 2021. John. Cashman.
  5. Web site: Lisgoold hurlers set sights on county glory after East Cork breakthrough. 17 September 2020. Echo Live. 31 October 2021. John. Horgan.
  6. Web site: 2019 - J A Hurling Championship - Jamesy Kelleher Cup. 8 September 2019. East Cork GAA website. 31 October 2021.
  7. Web site: