Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Explained

Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship
Code:Hurling
Region: Tipperary
Trophy:Séamus Ó Riain Cup
Teams:16
Firstwin: Toomevara
Title Holders: Roscrea
Currentordinal:1
Super:st
Sponsors:FBD Insurance
Website:Official website

The Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship, formerly Séamus Ó Riain Cup, (known for sponsorship reasons as the FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2017 for the second tier hurling teams in the county of Tipperary in Ireland.

The series of games are played during the spring, summer and autumn months with the cup final currently being played at Semple Stadium in October. It is sometimes played as the curtain-raiser to the senior final. The prize for the winning team is the Séamus Ó Riain Cup. The cup begins with a group stage and is followed by a knock-out stage.

Roscrea are the title-holders after defeating Gortnahoe-Glengoole by 1-17 to 0-16 in the 2022 cup final.[1]

History

The Séamus Ó Riain Cup was created in 2017 in an effort to reduce the number of teams in the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship. The cup was created for Roinn II teams. The Séamus Ó Riain Cup has been described as a senior hurling 'B' grade, though without the off-putting 'B' letter being used. From the 2022 Championship, the competition was renamed the Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship following a vote at the Tipperary County Board. The winners will then go on to represent Tipperary in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.[2]

Format

Group stage

For the group stage there are four groups of four teams. The teams are ranked based on their performance the previous year.

Teams will play the other three teams in the group once and match points will be awarded depending on the result of each game, with teams receiving two points for a win, and one for a draw.

Following the completion of the group stage, the four group winners, and the four group runners-up qualify for the knock-out stage.

Knock-out stage

The four group winners are seeded and play a runner-up not from their group. Teams in the same group are kept apart until the final, if they make it that far.

Sponsorship

Since 2017 the Séamus Ó Riain Cup has been sponsored by Tipperary Water.

Trophy

The winning team is presented with the Séamus Ó Riain Cup. A national school teacher by profession, Séamus Ó Riain (1916-2007) began his career in the administrative affairs of the Gaelic Athletic Association when he was elected secretary of the Moneygall club before later representing the club on the North Tipperary Board. In 1955 he was elected vice-chairman of the board before serving as chairman between 1957 and 1966. Ó Riain's growing expertise as an administrator was further rewarded in 1958 when he was elected as one of top Tipperary delegates on the Munster Council. In 1962 he was elected vice-chairman of the provincial council before taking over as chairman in 1965. Ó Riain served as the 22nd President of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1967 until 1970.[3]

List of finals

Year!scope="col"
WinnersScoreRunners-upScoreVenue
2017 Toomevara2-18 (1-12) Roscrea0-12 (1-12)St. Flannan's Park[4] [5]
2018 Burgess1-11 Moycarkey-Borris0-13Semple Stadium[6]
2019 J. K. Bracken's1-15 Holycross-Ballycahill0-17Semple Stadium[7]
2020 Mullinahone4-18 Lorrha-Dorrha2-19Semple Stadium[8]
2021 Templederry Kenyons1-25 Killenaule1-15Semple Stadium[9]
2022 Roscrea1-17 Gortnahoe-Glengoole0-16FBD Semple Stadium[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Roscrea Premier Intermediate Hurling Champs. Tipp FM. 23 October 2022.
  2. Web site: O Riain Cup rebranded as Premier Intermediate for 2022. Nenagh Guardian. 12 November 2021.
  3. Web site: Séamus Ó Riain. Hogan Stand. 3 February 2007. 28 July 2015.
  4. Web site: Disappointing Séamus Ó Riain Cup final between Toomevara and Roscrea ends in a draw. Tipperary Live. 8 October 2017. 11 August 2019. Brian. McDonnell.
  5. Web site: Tipperary GAA Round-Up: Toomevara streak to twelve-point Séamus Ó Riain Cup final win. Tipperary Live. 5 November 2017. 11 August 2019. Brian. McDonnell.
  6. Web site: Burgess will their way to first senior success. Nenagh Guardian. 24 October 2018. 11 August 2019. Liam. Hogan.
  7. Web site: Fairbrother's dramatic injury-time winner for JK Brackens. Irish Examiner. 3 November 2019. 24 October 2020. Michael. Dundon.
  8. Web site: Eoin Kelly scores 2-5 as his club Mullinahone claim victory in Tipperary hurling final. The 42. 19 September 2020. 24 October 2020. Fintan. O'Toole.
  9. Web site: Terrific Templederry claim O Riain Cup glory. Nenagh Guardian. 19 November 2021.
  10. Web site: Roscrea Premier Intermediate Hurling Champs. Tipp FM. 23 October 2022.