• Source: Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship

The Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Laois IHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association for the third tier hurling teams in the county of Laois in Ireland.
In its current format, the Laois Intermediate Championship begins with a group stage in mid-summer. The eight participating teams are divided into two groups of four and play each other in a round-robin system. The three top-ranking teams in each group proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Laois Hire O'Moore Park.
The title has been won by 35 different clubs, 26 of which have won the title more than once. Clonaslee is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it eight times. Mountmellick are the title holders after defeating Abbeyleix by 4-17 to 1-16 in the 2024 final.




Format






= Group stage

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The eight 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 knock-out stage.




= Knockout stage

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Following the completion of the group stage, the top three teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. The two top-ranking teams receive byes to separate semi-finals.

Quarter-finals: The second and third-ranked teams in each group contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and the top-ranked teams contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the final.
Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.




= Promotion and relegation

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At the end of the championship, the winning team is automatically promoted to the Laois Premier Intermediate Championship for the following season. The two bottom-placed teams from the group stage take part in a playoff, with the losing team being relegated to the Laois Junior Championship.




Qualification for subsequent competitions


At the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Leinster Junior Club Hurling Championship.




Sponsorship


Laois Shopping Centre is the title sponsor of the championship.




Roll of honour






List of finals






See also


Laois Senior Hurling Championship (Tier 1)
Laois Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship (Tier 2)
Laois Junior Hurling Championship (Tier 4)




References






External links


Official Laois Website

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship
• Laois Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship
• Laois Senior Hurling Championship
• 2024–25 All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship
• Mountmellick GAA
• Laois GAA
• 2024 Laois Senior Hurling Championship
• 2024–25 All-Ireland Junior Club Hurling Championship
• 2022 Laois Senior Hurling Championship
• Clonaslee–St Manman's GAA