Laois Intermediate Football Championship Explained

Laois Intermediate Football Championship
First:	1907
Firstwin:	Killenard
Sponsors:	Laois Shopping Centre^[1]
Irish:	Craobh Peile Idir Mheain Laoise
Current:	[ballylinnan GAA|ballylinan]]
Currentordinal:	2
Super:	th
Most:	crettyard Gaa
Mostordinal:	6^[2]

The Laois Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition contested by mid-tier Laois GAA clubs. The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association has organised it since 1907.

The Heath are the title holders (2022), having defeated Arles–Kilcruise in the final.

Format

The Intermediate Championship has a 'back door' and operates similarly to the Senior Championship (and Junior Championship C only) by going for a straight knockout but the 'back door' is in place for anyone losing out.^[3]

The draw is first made for round 1 of the championship.^[4] The draw is then made for round 2 of the championship.^[5]

The final is held in O'Moore Park.^[6]

Honours

The winners of the Laois Intermediate Championship qualify to represent their county in the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship. The winners can, in turn, go on to play in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship. They often do well outside the county, with the likes of Ballyroan Abbey (2008)^[7] and Crettyard (2005)^[8] among the clubs from Laois to win at least one Leinster Championship after winning the Laois Intermediate Football Championship. Ballyroan Abbey are the only Laois GAA club to have played in Leinster finals at senior and intermediate, Galway GAA club St Michael's narrowly defeating them in the All-Ireland semi-final.^[9]

History

It was first held in 1907, with Killenard the victors.^[10]

There was no championship in 1911, and none again from 1913 through 1917 and 1919 through 1933.^[11]

In the mid-1990s, Rosenallis won the Intermediate Championship straight after winning the Junior Championship, putting back-to-back titles together.^[12]

It was once the "Campion Sparrow Laois Intermediate Football Championship" for sponsorship reasons (as recently as 2012)^[13] but no more.

The 2017 final went to a replay before Emo got the better of Portlaoise.^[14]

During the pandemic year of 2020, the Laois Intermediate Football Championship achieved the distinction of being the only adult football championship completed in the county that year.^[15]

List of finals

Year	Winner	Opponent
1907	Killenard^[16]
1908	Abbeyleix^[17]
1909	Ballyroan^[18]
1910	Vicarstown^[19]
1911^[20]	No competition
1912	Rathdowney^[21]
1913^[22]	No competition
1914^[23]	No competition
1915^[24]	No competition
1916^[25]	No competition
1917^[26]	No competition
1918	Vicarstown^[27]
1919^[28]	No competition
1920^[29]	No competition
1921^[30]	No competition
1922^[31]	No competition
1923^[32]	No competition
1924^[33]	No competition
1925^[34]	No competition
1926^[35]	No competition
1927^[36]	No competition
1928^[37]	No competition
1929^[38]	No competition
1930^[39]	No competition
1931^[40]	No competition
1932^[41]	No competition
1933^[42]	No competition
1934	Abbeyleix^[43]	The Heath
1935	Ballybrittas^[44]	Clonad
1936	Annanough^[45]	Clonad
1937	Ballybrittas^[46]	Clonad
1938	Ballyadams^[47]
1939	Portlaoise^[48]
1940	Annanough^[49]	Worsted Mills
1941	Jamestown^[50]
1942	Flemings Fireclay^[51]	The Heath
1943	The Heath^[52]	Mountmellick
1944	Ballylinan^[53]	Portarlington
1945	Portarlington^[54]
1946	Annanough^[55]	Timahoe
1947	Park^[56]
1948	Ballyroan^[57]	Timahoe
1949	Annanough^[58]	Barrowhouse
1950	Wolfhill^[59]
1951	St Fintan's Hospital^[60]
1952	O'Dempsey's^[61]	Mountmellick
1953	The Heath^[62]
1954	Clonad^[63]	Jamestown
1955	Portarlington^[64]	Portlaoise
1956	Portlaoise^[65]	Barrowhouse
1957	Ballylinan^[66]	Barrowhouse
1958	Killeshin^[67]	Barrowhouse
1959	Stradbally^[68]	Fairymount
1960	St Fintan's Hospital^[69]	Portarlington
1961	Ballylinan^[70]	Kilcavan
1962	Timahoe^[71]	Kilcavan
1963	Stradbally^[72]	Emo
1964	Emo^[73]	Crettyard
1965	Crettyard^[74]	St Fintan's Hospital
1966	Ballyroan^[75]	Arles
1967	Arles^[76]	Mountmellick
1968	Mountmellick^[77]	St Fintan's Hospital
1969	St Joseph's^[78]	Portlaoise
1970	St Fintan's Hospital^[79]	Ballyroan
1971	Courtwood^[80]	Portarlington
1972	Portlaoise^[81]	Portarlington
1973	St Fintans Hospital^[82]	Mountmellick
1974	Killeshin^[83]	Ballyfin
1975^[84]	Portlaoise 0-12	Barrowhouse 1-8
1976	Crettyard^[85]	The Heath
1977	O'Dempsey's^[86]	Barrowhouse
1978	Annanough^[87]	Park
1979	Ballyroan^[88]	Barrowhouse
1980	Barrowhouse^[89]	Clonaslee–St Manman's
1981	Clonaslee–St Manman's^[90]	Park
1982	Portlaoise^[91]	Killeshin
1983	Stradbally^[92]	Killeshin
1984	Crettyard^[93]	The Rock
1985	Barrowhouse^[94]	The Rock
1986	The Heath^[95]	The Rock
1987	Courtwood^[96]	Portarlington
1988	Park–Ratheniska^[97]	Graiguecullen
1989	Spink^[98]	Portarlington
1990	Portarlington^[99]	The Harps
1991	Portarlington^[100]	The Harps
1992	Barrowhouse^[101]	Mountmellick^[102]
1993	Killeshin^[103] ^[104]	The Rock
1994	The Harps^[105]	Mountmellick^[106]
1995	Rosenallis^[107]	The Rock
1996	The Rock^[108]	St Michael's
1997^[109]	Arles–Killeen^[110] 2-6	Arles–Kilcruise 0-10
1998	Clonaslee–St Manman's^[111]	Arles–Kilcruise
1999	Arles–Kilcruise^[112]	Courtwood
2000	Timahoe^[113]	Annanough
2001	Arles–Killeen^[114]	Annanough
2002	Clonaslee–St Manman's^[115]	Mountmellick^[116]
2003	Arles–Killeen^[117]	Ballyroan
2004	Timahoe^[118]	Mountmellick^[119]
2005	Crettyard^[120]	Courtwood
2006^[121]	Mountmellick 1-12	Annanough 1-6
2007	Graiguecullen^[122]	Courtwood
2008^[123]	Ballyroan Abbey^[124] ^[125]	Park–Ratheniska
2009^[126]	Clonaslee–St Manman's^[127]	Killeshin
2010^[128]	Timahoe^[129] 0-15	Portlaoise^[130] 0-9
2011^[131]	Killeshin^[132]	Ballyroan Abbey^[133]
2012^[134]	Emo 2-12	Ballyroan Abbey^[135] 1-10
2013^[136]	Ballyroan Abbey 1-9	Clonaslee–St Manman's 0-6
2014	Ballyfin^[137]
2015
2016^[138] ^[139] ^[140] ^[141]	O'Dempsey's 1-13	Timahoe 1-12
2017^[142] ^[143]	Emo^[144] 3-6 3-11 (R)	Portlaoise^[145] ^[146] 1-12 3-4 (R)
2018^[147]	Courtwood	Mountmellick Gaels
2019^[148]	Rosenallis	Clonaslee–St Manman's
2020^[149]	Clonaslee–St Manman's^[150] 1-13	Crettyard 1-10
2021^[151] ^[152]	Park–Ratheniska	Mountmellick
2022^[153]	The Heath 1-13	Arles–Kilcruise 0-8
2023	Ballylinan

Wins listed by club

• Clonaslee–St Manman's (6): 1981, 1998, 2002, 2009, 2015, 2020
• Ballylinan (5): 1944 (earliest?)... 1961...
• Annanough (5): 1936, 1940, 1946, 1949, 1978
• Portlaoise (5): 1939, 1956, 1972, 1975, 1982
• Crettyard (4): 1965, 1976, 1984, 2005
• Timahoe (4): 1962, 2000, 2004, 2010
• Killeshin (4): 1958, 1974, 1993, 2011
• The Heath (4): 1943, 1953, 1986, 2022
• St Fintan's Hospital (3): 1951, 1960, 1970
• Barrowhouse (3): 1980, 1985, 1992
• Arles–Killeen (3): 1997, 2001, 2003
• Emo (3): 1964, 2012, 2017
• Courtwood (3): 1971, 1987, 2018
• O'Dempsey's (3): 1952, 1977, 2016
• Arles–Kilcruise (2): 1967, 1999
• Mountmellick (2): 1968, 2006
• Ballyroan Abbey (2): 2008, 2013
• Rosenallis (2): 1995, 2019
• Park–Ratheniska (2): 1988, 2021
• Jamestown (1): 1941
• Stradbally (1): 1959
• St Joseph's (1): 1969
• Spink (1): 1989
• Harps (1): 1994
• The Rock (1): 1996
• Graiguecullen (1): 2007
• Ballyfin (1): 2014
• Rathdowney 1912...

Notes and References

1. Web site: Portlaoise into Laois intermediate football decider. 15 September 2017. 10 November 2022. Steven. Miller.
2. Web site: Clonaslee lead the way on the 2020 intermediate football Team of the Year. 22 November 2020. 10 November 2022. The only adult football championship in Laois to be completed this year was the intermediate grade where Clonaslee claimed a record sixth title..
3. Web site: 2021 Laois Club Football Championship Draw Details. Midlands 103. 9 July 2021. 10 November 2022.
4. Web site: Tasty clashes await in 2021 Laois football championships as draws made. Leinster Express. 8 July 2021. 10 November 2022. Brian. Lowry.
5. Web site: Draw made for Round 2 of the Laois Intermediate Football Championship. Laois Today. 5 September 2022. 10 November 2022.
6. Web site: 34 great pictures as Emo celebrate winning intermediate football county final. 7 October 2017. 10 November 2022. Emo GAA supporters paid hardly the slightest bit of notice to the teeming rain in O'Moore Park on Friday night as they celebrated winning the Laois IFC title after a replay win over Portlaoise..
7. Web site: MEMORY LANE IN PICTURES: Laois GAA club celebrates on the double at dinner dance. Ireland Live. 11 October 2022. 10 November 2022. Conor. Ganly.
8. Web site: Remember the Game: Crettyard claim intermediate football honours in 2005. 17 May 2020. 10 November 2022.
9. Web site: Remember the Game: Ballyroan-Abbey win Leinster club title in 2008. 11 December 2017. 10 November 2022.
10. Web site: Intermediate Football 1907.
11. Web site: Intermediate Football 1911.
12. Web site: Rosenallis have it too easy on their 21st birthday. Laois Nationalist. 4 November 2016. 10 November 2022. Pat. Delaney.
13. Web site: Remember the Game: Emo claim Intermediate football glory in 2012. Laois Today. 30 July 2019. 10 November 2022. Gavin. Cooper.
14. Web site: 34 great pictures as Emo celebrate winning intermediate football county final. 7 October 2017. 10 November 2022. Emo GAA supporters paid hardly the slightest bit of notice to the teeming rain in O'Moore Park on Friday night as they celebrated winning the Laois IFC title after a replay win over Portlaoise. The sides had played out a thrilling draw six days earlier....
15. Web site: Clonaslee lead the way on the 2020 intermediate football Team of the Year. 22 November 2020. 10 November 2022. The only adult football championship in Laois to be completed this year was the intermediate grade where Clonaslee claimed a record sixth title..
16. Web site: Intermediate Football 1907.
17. Web site: Intermediate Football 1908.
18. Web site: Intermediate Football 1909.
19. Web site: Intermediate Football 1910.
20. Web site: Intermediate Football 1911.
21. Web site: Intermediate Football 1912.
22. Web site: Intermediate Football 1913.
23. Web site: Intermediate Football 1914.
24. Web site: Intermediate Football 1915.
25. Web site: Intermediate Football 1916.
26. Web site: Intermediate Football 1917.
27. Web site: Intermediate Football 1918.
28. Web site: Intermediate Football 1919.
29. Web site: Intermediate Football 1920.
30. Web site: Intermediate Football 1921.
31. Web site: Intermediate Football 1922.
32. Web site: Intermediate Football 1923.
33. Web site: Intermediate Football 1924.
34. Web site: Intermediate Football 1925.
35. Web site: Intermediate Football 1926.
36. Web site: Intermediate Football 1927.
37. Web site: Intermediate Football 1928.
38. Web site: Intermediate Football 1929.
39. Web site: Intermediate Football 1930.
40. Web site: Intermediate Football 1931.
41. Web site: Intermediate Football 1932.
42. Web site: Intermediate Football 1933.
43. Web site: Intermediate Football 1934.
44. Web site: Intermediate Football 1935.
45. Web site: Intermediate Football 1936.
46. Web site: Intermediate Football 1937.
47. Web site: Intermediate Football 1938.
48. Web site: Intermediate Football 1939.
49. Web site: Intermediate Football 1940.
50. Web site: Intermediate Football 1941.
51. Web site: Intermediate Football 1942.
52. Web site: Intermediate Football 1943.
53. Web site: Intermediate Football 1944.
54. Web site: Intermediate Football 1945.
55. Web site: Intermediate Football 1946.
56. Web site: Intermediate Football 1947.
57. Web site: Intermediate Football 1948.
58. Web site: Intermediate Football 1949.
59. Web site: Intermediate Football 1950.
60. Web site: Intermediate Football 1951.
61. Web site: Intermediate Football 1952.
62. Web site: Intermediate Football 1953.
63. Web site: Intermediate Football 1954.
64. Web site: Intermediate Football 1955.
65. Web site: Intermediate Football 1956.
66. Web site: Intermediate Football 1957.
67. Web site: Intermediate Football 1958.
68. Web site: Intermediate Football 1959.
69. Web site: Intermediate Football 1960.
70. Web site: Intermediate Football 1961.
71. Web site: Intermediate Football 1962.
72. Web site: Intermediate Football 1963.
73. Web site: Intermediate Football 1964.
74. Web site: Intermediate Football 1965.
75. Web site: Intermediate Football 1966.
76. Web site: Intermediate Football 1967.
77. Web site: County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours. 26 October 2021. 10 November 2022. By the time Mountmellick reached the 2006 intermediate football final, there was a considerable burden on their shoulders. Not only had the club no major silverware since they had won the intermediate title in 1968....
78. Web site: Intermediate Football 1969.
79. Web site: Intermediate Football 1970.
80. Web site: Intermediate Football 1971.
81. Web site: Intermediate Football 1972.
82. Web site: Intermediate Football 1973.
83. Web site: Intermediate Football 1974.
84. Web site: 1975 – Laois Intermediate Football Final. 2 November 2022. 10 November 2022.
85. Web site: Intermediate Football 1976.
86. Web site: Intermediate Football 1977.
87. Web site: Intermediate Football 1978.
88. Web site: Intermediate Football 1979.
89. Web site: Intermediate Football 1980.
90. Web site: Intermediate Football 1981.
91. Web site: Intermediate Football 1982.
92. Web site: Intermediate Football 1983.
93. Web site: Intermediate Football 1984.
94. Web site: Intermediate Football 1985.
95. Web site: Intermediate Football 1986.
96. Web site: Intermediate Football 1987.
97. Web site: Intermediate Football 1988.
98. Web site: Intermediate Football 1989.
99. Web site: Intermediate Football 1990.
100. Web site: Intermediate Football 1991.
101. Web site: Intermediate Football 1992.
102. Web site: County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours. 26 October 2021. 10 November 2022.
103. Web site: Down Memory Lane Podcast: Killeshin's Celebrity Bainisteoir adventure in 2011. Laois Today. 7 March 2021. 10 November 2022. On our latest Down Memory Lane Podcast, we’ve gone back to 2011 to remember the incredible season enjoyed by the Killeshin footballers. They won the intermediate championship for the first time in 18 years....
104. Web site: Intermediate Football 1993.
105. Web site: Intermediate Football 1994.
106. Web site: County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours. 26 October 2021. 10 November 2022.
107. Web site: Rosenallis have it too easy on their 21st birthday. Laois Nationalist. 4 November 2016. 10 November 2022. Pat. Delaney. Twenty-one years ago Rosenallis joined the elite of Laois GAA when they became one of the rare few clubs fielding senior teams in both codes; they had won junior and intermediate football titles back to back..
108. Web site: Intermediate Football 1996.
109. Web site: County Final Memory: When Arles–Killeen got the better of Arles in the 1997 intermediate football final. Laois Today. 23 August 2020. 10 November 2022. Steven. Miller.
110. Web site: Intermediate Football 1997.
111. Web site: Intermediate Football 1998.
112. Web site: Intermediate Football 1999.
113. Web site: Intermediate Football 2000.
114. Web site: Intermediate Football 2001.
115. Web site: Intermediate Football 2002.
116. Web site: County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours. 26 October 2021. 10 November 2022.
117. Web site: Intermediate Football 2003.
118. Web site: Intermediate Football 2004.
119. Web site: County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours. 26 October 2021. 10 November 2022.
120. Web site: Remember the Game: Crettyard claim intermediate football honours in 2005. 17 May 2020. 10 November 2022.
121. Web site: County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours. 26 October 2021. 10 November 2022.
122. Web site: Graiguecullen GFC. The club won the Laois Intermediate Football Championship in 2007 in their first attempt to bounce straight back up to senior football, after being relegated for the first time in the club's history in 2006..
123. 2008 final report: Web site: Ballyroan Abbey bounce straight back. Leinster Express.
124. Web site: Remember the Game: Ballyroan-Abbey win Leinster club title in 2008. 11 December 2017. 10 November 2022.
125. Web site: MEMORY LANE IN PICTURES: Laois GAA club celebrates on the double at dinner dance. Ireland Live. 11 October 2022. 10 November 2022. Conor. Ganly.
126. 2009 final report: Web site: Laois IFC Final: Clonaslee makes quick return to senior ranks. Leinster Express.
127. Web site: Intermediate Football 2009.
128. 2010 final report: Web site: Timahoe are up and running again and will pose at.... Laois Nationalist.
129. Web site: Intermediate Football 2010.
130. Web site: Portlaoise into Laois intermediate football decider. 15 September 2017. 10 November 2022. Steven. Miller. Portlaoise are into the Laois IFC final for the first time since 2010 following a deserved win over Rosenallis in Portarlington this evening..
131. 2011 final report: Web site: Brennans and Moore send Killeshin back to senior.... Laois Nationalist.
132. Web site: Down Memory Lane Podcast: Killeshin's Celebrity Bainisteoir adventure in 2011. Laois Today. 7 March 2021. 10 November 2022. On our latest Down Memory Lane Podcast, we’ve gone back to 2011 to remember the incredible season enjoyed by the Killeshin footballers. They won the intermediate championship for the first time in 18 years....
133. Web site: It is third time lucky for Ballyroan Abbey. Laois Nationalist. 29 October 2013. 10 November 2022.
134. Web site: Remember the Game: Emo claim Intermediate football glory in 2012. Laois Today. 30 July 2019. 10 November 2022. Gavin. Cooper.
135. Web site: It is third time lucky for Ballyroan Abbey. Laois Nationalist. 29 October 2013. 10 November 2022.
136. Web site: It is third time lucky for Ballyroan Abbey. Laois Nationalist. 29 October 2013. 10 November 2022.
137. Web site: Intermediate Football 2014.
138. Web site: Robbie pops up to send O'Dempsey's into ecstasy. Laois Nationalist. 7 October 2016. 10 November 2022. Denis J.. Croke.
139. Web site: O'Dempsey's snatch late, late dramatic victory. Laois Nationalist. 21 September 2016. 10 November 2022. Denis J.. Croke.
140. Web site: O'Dempsey's easily see off St Brigid's to advance to quarter-final. Laois Nationalist. 28 October 2016. 10 November 2022. Denis J.. Croke.
141. Web site: O'Dempsey's rally falls short. Laois Nationalist. 10 November 2016. 10 November 2022. Pat. Delaney.
142. Web site: Brown's late free means Portlaoise and Emo will have to go again. 30 September 2017. 10 November 2022. Alan. Hartnett.
143. Web site: Player manager Lawlor sublime as Emo crowned champions. 6 October 2017. 10 November 2022. Alan. Hartnett.
144. Web site: 34 great pictures as Emo celebrate winning intermediate football county final. 7 October 2017. 10 November 2022.
145. Web site: Portlaoise and Emo dominate our intermediate football team of the year. 30 October 2017. 10 November 2022. Despite losing the final, Portlaoise have more representatives than any other side....
146. Web site: Portlaoise into Laois intermediate football decider. 15 September 2017. 10 November 2022. Steven. Miller.
147. Web site: Here is the 2018 LaoisToday Intermediate football Team of the Year. 3 October 2018. 10 November 2022.
148. Web site: Here is the 2019 LaoisToday Intermediate football Team of the Year. 23 December 2019. 10 November 2022.
149. Web site: Corbet class sees Clonaslee claim another intermediate final. 3 October 2020. 10 November 2022. Alan. Hartnett.
150. Web site: Clonaslee lead the way on the 2020 intermediate football Team of the Year. 22 November 2020. 10 November 2022.
151. Web site: Park–Ratheniska dominate 2021 LaoisToday intermediate club football Team of the Year. 27 December 2021. 10 November 2022.
152. Web site: Tasty clashes await in 2021 Laois football championships as draws made. Leinster Express. 8 July 2021. 10 November 2022. Brian. Lowry.
153. Web site: Seven Talking Points as The Heath make it a short stay at intermediate. Laois Today. 24 September 2022. 10 November 2022. Steven. Miller.