Down Intermediate Hurling Championship

Down Intermediate Hurling Championship
IrishCraobhchomórtas Idirmhéanach Iomána an Dún
CodeHurling
Region Down (GAA)
TrophyCharlie Keown Memorial Cup
No. of teams8
Title holders Newry Shamrocks (5th title)
SponsorsMorgan Fuels
Official websiteDown GAA

The Down Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Down GAA Northern Switchgear Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Down IHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association for the second tier hurling teams in County Down in Northern Ireland.

In its current format, the Down Intermediate Championship begins with a group stage. The eight group stage teams play in two groups against each other in a round-robin system. The two first placed teams face each other in the final. The final is usually played at Páirc Esler in Newry. The winner of the Down Intermediate Hurling Championship qualifies for the subsequent Ulster Intermediate Club Championship.

Newry Shamrocks are the title holders after defeating Clonduff by 2-14 to 1-12 in the 2026 final.

Format

Group stage

The eight teams are divided in two groups. Teams face each other team in the group. 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 first placed teams from both groups face each other in the final.

Knockout stage

Final: The two first placed teams in the final contest the final.

Teams

2026 teams

The following teams were competed in the 2026 Down Intermediate Hurling Championship:

Club Location Colours Championship titles Last championship title
Intermediate clubs
Ballela Ballela Green and Gold 0 —
Ballyvarley Banbridge Red and White 0 —
Castlewellan Castlewellan Green and White 0 —
Clonduff Hilltown Yellow and white 0 —
East Belfast Belfast Black and Gold 0 —
Kilclief Kilclief Green and Red 3 2011
St. Peter's Warrenpoint Blue and white 0
Newry Shamrocks Newry Green and White 5 2026
Senior clubs
Ballycran Rubane Black and amber 7 2007
Ballygalget Ards Peninsula Green and white 9 2005
Bredagh Ballynafeigh Maroon and white 7 2024
Carryduff Carryduff Purple and Gold 2 2020
Liatroim Fontenoys Leitrim Green, white and yellow 12 2025
Portaferry Portaferry Blue and yellow 4 2004

Qualification for subsequent competitions

The Down Intermediate Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Ulster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.

Trophy and medals

The Charlie Keown Memorial Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It was commissioned to honour Liatroim Fontenoys clubman Charlie Keown who served in a number of administrative roles with the Down County Board, including a three-year term as chairman from 1985. Pearse Óg McCrickard was the first recipient of the cup in 2022.

List of finals

Up to 2025 the bottom two teams of the Down SHC qualified for the IHC semi-finals.

Up until the early 2010s the traditional Ards sides in Portaferry, Ballygalget & Ballycran would have entered their seconds team in the championship.

Year Winners Runners-up Venue #
Club Score Club Score
2026 Newry Shamrocks 2-14 Clonduff 1-12 Páirc Esler
2025 Liatroim Fontenoys 0-17 Carryduff 2-09 Páirc Esler
2024 Bredagh 4-17 Carryduff 1-16 Páirc Esler
2023 Bredagh 2-16 Carryduff 0-09 Páirc Esler
2022 Liatroim Fontenoys 0-24 Carryduff 2-15 Páirc Esler
2021 Newry Shamrocks 2-12 Carryduff 1-13 Páirc Esler
2020 Carryduff 2-15 Liatroim Fontenoys 1-12 Páirc Esler
2019 Bredagh 2-13*

1-16

 Carryduff 1-08*

2-13

 *Replay
2018 Liatroim Fontenoys 2-19 Bredagh 2-13
2017 Liatroim Fontenoys
2016 Bredagh 2-17 Ballycran 2-16
2015 Portaferry 1-14 Carryduff 1-09
2014 Bredagh 1-15 Ballycran 1-14
2013 Bredagh
2012 No Championship due to restructure
2011 Kilclief Liatroim Fontenoys
2010 Bredagh
2009 Liatroim Fontenoys
2008 Liatroim Fontenoys
2007 Ballycran
2006 Liatroim Fontenoys Ballycran
2005 Ballygalget
2004 Portaferry
2003 Portaferry
2002 Ballygalget
2001 Liatroim Fontenoys
2000 Kilclief
1999 Ballygalget
1998 Liatroim Fontenoys
1997 Ballygalget
1996 Ballycran
1995 Liatroim Fontenoys
1994 Ballygalget
1993 Liatroim Fontenoys
1992 Darragh Cross
1991 Portaferry
1990 Ballycran
1989 Portaferry
1988 Liatroim Fontenoys
1987 Ballycran
1986 Newry Shamrocks
1985 Ballycran
1984 An Riocht
1983 Ballygalget
1982 Newry Shamrocks
1981 An Riocht
1980 Ballycran
1979 Ballygalget
1978 Newry Shamrocks
1977 Ballygalget
1976 Ballycran
1975 Kilclief
1974 Ballygalget

Roll of honour

# Club Titles Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
1 Liatroim Fontenoys 12 2 1988, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2025 2011, 2020
2 Ballygalget 9 0 1974, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2005 —
3 Ballycran 7 2 1976, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1996, 2007 2014, 2016
Bredagh 7 1 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024 2018
5 Newry Shamrocks 5 0 1978, 1982, 1986, 2021, 2026 —
Portaferry 5 0 1989, 1991, 2003, 2004, 2015 —
7 Kilclief 3 0 1975, 2000, 2011 —
8 An Riocht 2 0 1981, 1984 —
9 Carryduff 1 7 2020 2015, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Darragh Cross 1 0 1992 —
11 Clonduff 0 2 — 2003, 2026

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Shamrocks claim the Intermediate Hurling crown". Newry Reporter. 18 October 2026. Retrieved 19 October 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "2026 Down GAA Northern Switchgear Intermediate Hurling Championship". Down GAA. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Former county chairman Keown sought to improve Down GAA on and off the field". The Irish News. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "Gaelic Games: Bredagh defeat Carryduff to claim the Down IHC title". Belfast Media. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Laitroim Win Intermediate Hurling Championship". Down GAA website. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Newry Shamrocks thrilled to become senior hurlers in 2022: Paul Sheehan". The Irish News. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "Down 2020 Junior and Intermediate Hurling Finals". Down GAA website. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2023.