Laois Intermediate Football Championship

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.

Laois Intermediate Football Championship
IrishCraobh Peile Idir Mheain Laoise
Founded1907
Title holdersCrettyard (5th title)
First winnerKillenard
Most titlesClonaslee–St Manman's (6[1] titles)
SponsorsLaois Shopping Centre[2]

Crettyard are the title holders (2024), having defeated Mountmellick in the final.

Format

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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

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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

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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

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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 Ballylinan[57][contradictory] 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][contradictory] 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 Crettyard
2024 Crettyard Mountmellick

Wins listed by club

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  • Timahoe (4): 1962, 2000, 2004, 2010
  • Emo (3): 1964, 2012, 2017
  • Wolfhill (1): 1950

References

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  1. ^ "Clonaslee lead the way on the 2020 intermediate football Team of the Year". 22 November 2020. Retrieved 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.
  2. ^ Miller, Steven (15 September 2017). "Portlaoise into Laois intermediate football decider". Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  3. ^ "2021 Laois Club Football Championship Draw Details". Midlands 103. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  4. ^ Lowry, Brian (8 July 2021). "Tasty clashes await in 2021 Laois football championships as draws made". Leinster Express. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Draw made for Round 2 of the Laois Intermediate Football Championship". Laois Today. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  6. ^ "34 great pictures as Emo celebrate winning intermediate football county final". 7 October 2017. Retrieved 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. ^ Ganly, Conor (11 October 2022). "MEMORY LANE IN PICTURES: Laois GAA club celebrates on the double at dinner dance". Ireland Live. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Remember the Game: Crettyard claim intermediate football honours in 2005". 17 May 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Remember the Game: Ballyroan-Abbey win Leinster club title in 2008". 11 December 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Intermediate Football 1907".
  11. ^ "Intermediate Football 1911".
  12. ^ Delaney, Pat (4 November 2016). "Rosenallis have it too easy on their 21st birthday". Laois Nationalist. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  13. ^ Cooper, Gavin (30 July 2019). "Remember the Game: Emo claim Intermediate football glory in 2012". Laois Today. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  14. ^ "34 great pictures as Emo celebrate winning intermediate football county final". 7 October 2017. Retrieved 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. ^ "Clonaslee lead the way on the 2020 intermediate football Team of the Year". 22 November 2020. Retrieved 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. ^ "Intermediate Football 1907".
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  42. ^ "Intermediate Football 1933".
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  75. ^ "Intermediate Football 1966".
  76. ^ "Intermediate Football 1967".
  77. ^ "County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours". 26 October 2021. Retrieved 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...
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  82. ^ "Intermediate Football 1973".
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  85. ^ "Intermediate Football 1976".
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  89. ^ "Intermediate Football 1980".
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  92. ^ "Intermediate Football 1983".
  93. ^ "Intermediate Football 1984".
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  95. ^ "Intermediate Football 1986".
  96. ^ "Intermediate Football 1987".
  97. ^ "Intermediate Football 1988".
  98. ^ "Intermediate Football 1989".
  99. ^ "Intermediate Football 1990".
  100. ^ "Intermediate Football 1991".
  101. ^ "Intermediate Football 1992".
  102. ^ "County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours". 26 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  103. ^ "Down Memory Lane Podcast: Killeshin's Celebrity Bainisteoir adventure in 2011". Laois Today. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 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. ^ "Intermediate Football 1993".
  105. ^ "Intermediate Football 1994".
  106. ^ "County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours". 26 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  107. ^ Delaney, Pat (4 November 2016). "Rosenallis have it too easy on their 21st birthday". Laois Nationalist. Retrieved 10 November 2022. 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. ^ "Intermediate Football 1996".
  109. ^ Miller, Steven (23 August 2020). "County Final Memory: When Arles–Killeen got the better of Arles in the 1997 intermediate football final". Laois Today. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  110. ^ "Intermediate Football 1997".
  111. ^ "Intermediate Football 1998".
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  114. ^ "Intermediate Football 2001".
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  117. ^ "Intermediate Football 2003".
  118. ^ "Intermediate Football 2004".
  119. ^ "County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours". 26 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  120. ^ "Remember the Game: Crettyard claim intermediate football honours in 2005". 17 May 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  121. ^ "County Final Memory: Mountmellick come of age in 2006 to claim intermediate football honours". 26 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  122. ^ "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: "Ballyroan Abbey bounce straight back". Leinster Express.
  124. ^ "Remember the Game: Ballyroan-Abbey win Leinster club title in 2008". 11 December 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  125. ^ Ganly, Conor (11 October 2022). "MEMORY LANE IN PICTURES: Laois GAA club celebrates on the double at dinner dance". Ireland Live. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  126. ^ 2009 final report: "Laois IFC Final: Clonaslee makes quick return to senior ranks". Leinster Express.
  127. ^ "Intermediate Football 2009".
  128. ^ 2010 final report: "Timahoe are up and running again and will pose at..." Laois Nationalist.
  129. ^ "Intermediate Football 2010".
  130. ^ Miller, Steven (15 September 2017). "Portlaoise into Laois intermediate football decider". Retrieved 10 November 2022. 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: "Brennans and Moore send Killeshin back to senior..." Laois Nationalist.
  132. ^ "Down Memory Lane Podcast: Killeshin's Celebrity Bainisteoir adventure in 2011". Laois Today. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 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. ^ "It is third time lucky for Ballyroan Abbey". Laois Nationalist. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  134. ^ Cooper, Gavin (30 July 2019). "Remember the Game: Emo claim Intermediate football glory in 2012". Laois Today. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  135. ^ "It is third time lucky for Ballyroan Abbey". Laois Nationalist. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  136. ^ "It is third time lucky for Ballyroan Abbey". Laois Nationalist. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
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  139. ^ Croke, Denis J. (21 September 2016). "O'Dempsey's snatch late, late dramatic victory". Laois Nationalist. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  140. ^ Croke, Denis J. (28 October 2016). "O'Dempsey's easily see off St Brigid's to advance to quarter-final". Laois Nationalist. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  141. ^ Delaney, Pat (10 November 2016). "O'Dempsey's rally falls short". Laois Nationalist. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  142. ^ Hartnett, Alan (30 September 2017). "Brown's late free means Portlaoise and Emo will have to go again". Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  143. ^ Hartnett, Alan (6 October 2017). "Player manager Lawlor sublime as Emo crowned champions". Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  144. ^ "34 great pictures as Emo celebrate winning intermediate football county final". 7 October 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  145. ^ "Portlaoise and Emo dominate our intermediate football team of the year". 30 October 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2022. Despite losing the final, Portlaoise have more representatives than any other side...
  146. ^ Miller, Steven (15 September 2017). "Portlaoise into Laois intermediate football decider". Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  147. ^ "Here is the 2018 LaoisToday Intermediate football Team of the Year". 3 October 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  148. ^ "Here is the 2019 LaoisToday Intermediate football Team of the Year". 23 December 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  149. ^ Hartnett, Alan (3 October 2020). "Corbet class sees Clonaslee claim another intermediate final". Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  150. ^ "Clonaslee lead the way on the 2020 intermediate football Team of the Year". 22 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  151. ^ "Park–Ratheniska dominate 2021 LaoisToday intermediate club football Team of the Year". 27 December 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  152. ^ Lowry, Brian (8 July 2021). "Tasty clashes await in 2021 Laois football championships as draws made". Leinster Express. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  153. ^ Miller, Steven (24 September 2022). "Seven Talking Points as The Heath make it a short stay at intermediate". Laois Today. Retrieved 10 November 2022.