The Kerry Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition contested by mid-tier Kerry GAA clubs.
An Ghaeltacht are the title holders, having defeated Fossa 0–19 to 1–11 in the 2025 final.
History The competition was revived in 1959, and District Boards had the right to enter teams. "Intermediate Football Championship", The Kerryman, 21 February 1959, p. 25
Kerry senior players play in the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship. 2014 All-Ireland winner Peter Crowley had a season-ending cruciate injury from playing for Laune Rangers in it in 2019 and missed the 2019 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship as a result. 2021 winners Na Gaeil boasted ex-Australian Football League professional Stefan Okunbor, Diarmuid O'Connor and brothers Jack and Andrew Barry in their ranks.
Honours The winners can be promoted to play in the Kerry Club Football Championship in the year after they win this competition.
The winners of the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship progress to the Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship, representing Kerry, later that year, or, as was the case in 2021, the following year. They often do well there and recent winners include Templenoe in 2019 and Na Gaeil winning in 2022 after winning the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship in 2021. Kilcummin made it 12 wins for Kerry out of 13 in 2018. The winners can then go on and win the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship title like Milltown/Castlemaine did in 2012.
Teams beaten in the first round take part in the Intermediate Football Shield. The winners collect the Fenian Cup. Format
Group stage The 16 clubs are divided into four 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 three group 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 quarter-finals and the bottom team in each group advance to the relegation playoffs.
Knockout stage Quarter-finals: The 4 group winners and 4 group runners-up contest this round. A group winner will play a group runner-up of another group. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: The four quarter-final winners 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 and are promoted to the Kerry Senior Football Championship.
Relegation playoffs Relegation semi-finals: The 4 group losers contest this round. The two losers from these two games advance to the relegation finals.
Relegation finals: The two semi-final losers contest the relegation final. The losing team are relegated to the Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship.
Qualification At the end of the championship, the winning club qualify to the subsequent Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship.
Teams
2026 Teams TeamLocationColoursDivisionIn championship sinceChampionship titlesLast championship title Ballydonoghue Lisselton Green and White Shannon Rangers 2021 0— Ballymacelligott Ballymacelligott Blue and yellow St Kieran's 2026 0 — Beaufort Beaufort Blue and yellow Mid Kerry 2019 2 2000 Castleisland Desmonds Castleisland White and blue St Kieran's 2004 3 1981 Firies Firies Blue and navy East Kerry 2025 0— Fossa Fossa Red and black East Kerry 2023 0— Glenbeigh-Glencar Glenbeigh Red and black Mid Kerry 2017 0— Glenfesk Glenflesk Blue and yellow East Kerry 2004 0— Gneeveguilla Gneeveguilla Yellow and green East Kerry 2022 1 2010 John Mitchels Tralee Green and yellow Tralee 2009 0— Kerins O'Rahilly'sTraleeBlue and whiteTralee20240— Kilcummin Kilcummin Red and green East Kerry 2021 2 2018 Killarney Legion Killarney Green and white East Kerry 2022 1 2005 Laune Rangers Killorglin Blue and white Mid Kerry 2016 0— Listowel EmmetsListowelBlack and amber Feale Rangers202412002 St. Mary’s Cahersiveen White and blue South Kerry— 2 2015
List of finals
Legend
– All-Ireland intermediate club champions – All-Ireland intermediate club runners-up
List of Kerry IFC finals YearWinnersRunners-up#ClubScoreClubScore 2026 Fossa 0-26 Kilcummin 0-22 2025 An Ghaeltacht 0-19 Fossa 1-11 2024 Austin Stacks (0-12) 1-14 R Laune Rangers (2-06) 0-05 R 2023 Milltown/Castlemaine 2-13 Fossa 0-18 2022 Rathmore 1-13 An Ghaeltacht 0-14 2021 Na Gaeil 0-13 Beaufort 1-07 2020 Spa 4-18 Beaufort 1-19 2019 Templenoe 2-14 An Ghaeltacht 0-12 2018 Kilcummin 3-05 Glenflesk 1-08 2017 An Ghaeltacht 1-12 Templenoe 0-14 2016 Kenmare Shamrocks 2-11 Templenoe 1-06 2015 St Mary's 1-13 Spa 0-13 2014 Ardfert 1-12 Spa 0-10 2013 Currow 2-11 St Mary's 0-14 2012 Finuge 1-12 Spa 0-12 2011 Milltown/Castlemaine 3-09 Waterville 1-06 2010 Gneeveguilla 1-06 Finuge 1-05 2009 Spa 1-12 Currow 0-07 2008 St Michael's/Foilmore 1-09 Gneeveguilla 0-10 2007 Annascaul 0-10 Listowel Emmets 0-06 2006 Ardfert 3-07 Annascaul 0-10 2005 Legion 0-08 Finuge 0-06 2004 Dingle 1-11 Annascaul 0-10 2003 Milltown/Castlemaine 1-07 Waterville 0-05 2002 Listowel Emmets 1-12 Dingle 0-09 2001 St Mary's 1-17 Ballymacelligott 1-09 2000 Beaufort 2-07 Ballymacelligott 1-02 1999 Rathmore 0-15 Glenflesk 0-09 1998 An Ghaeltacht 2-14 Dingle 0-04 1997 Kilcummin Currow 1996 Dingle 2-12 Milltown/Castlemaine 2-10 "Dingle just edge out", The Kerryman, 13 December 1996, p. 25 1995 Valentia 3-10 Spa 0-08 1994 Milltown/Castlemaine An Ghaeltacht 1993 Waterville Milltown/Castlemaine 1992 Annascaul St Mary's 1991 Milltown/Castlemaine Kenmare Shamrocks 1990 Kenmare Shamrocks 1989 Dingle 2-09 Kenmare Shamrocks 1-10 "Champs Dingle", The Kerryman, 17 November 1989, p. 19 1988 Dingle 1-09 Templenoe 0-10 "Resurgent Dingle gain well-deserved victory", The Kerryman, 7 October 1988, p. 16 1987 Annascaul 1-10 Spa 1-07 1986 Valentia 1-10 Annascaul 1-07 1985 Dr Crokes 0-13 Moyvane 0-06 "Dr. Crokes win Intermediate title", The Kerryman, 6 December 1985, p. 25 1984 Beale 2-05 Moyvane 1-06 "Beale capture Inter title", The Kerryman, 30 November 1984, p. 30 1983No championship 1982 Annascaul 2-03 Beale 1-05 "Sweet victory as Aunascaul take Intermediate title", The Kerryman, 24 December 1982, p. 58 1981 Castleisland Desmonds 1980 Beaufort 5-04 Dingle 0-08 "Beaufort deteremination was too much for Dingle", The Kerryman, 17 October 1980, p. 40 1979 Castleisland Desmonds 1978 Castleisland Desmonds 1977 Tarbert 2-07 Keel 2-03 "Tarbert's great title victory", The Kerryman, 9 December 1977, p. 10 1976 Ballylongford 1-09 Tarbert 0-04 "A disgrace to the name of Kerry football", The Kerryman, 29 October 1976, p. 12 1975 Castlegregory Tarbert 1974 Spa 0-11 Waterville 1-06 "Late rally gives Spa 1974 title", The Kerryman, 20 December 1974, p. 13 1973No championship 1972 Ballylongford 5-09 Kenmare Shamrocks 0-06 "Ballylongford win '72 final", The Kerryman, 26 October 1973, p. 13 1971 Ballylongford Dr Crokes 1970 Kenmare Shamrocks 2-15 Ballylongford 2-05 "Easy for Kenmare in a disappointing Intermediate final", The Kerryman, 21 August 1971, p. 19 1969 Keel 0-07 Tarbert 0-04 "Keel take Intermediate title in thrilling final", The Kerryman, 11 October 1969, p. 22 1968 Kenmare Shamrocks 1-07 Finuge 0-06 "Kenmare are now Inter champions!", The Kerryman, 19 April 1969, p. 14 1960–1967No championship 1959 Castleisland District 1-10 East Kerry 0-02 "Intermediate title win for Castleisland", The Kerryman, 12 September 1959, p. 12 1949 North Kerry Kenmare District "North Kerry's win", Kerry Champion, 22 October 1949, p. 4 1944–1948No championship 1943 Army Ballymullen Barracks 1-07 Currow 1-01 "Hurling and Football Finals", Kerry Champion, 23 October 1943, p.72 1942 Castlegregory 3-08 Kenmare District 2-02 1941No championship 1940 Kenmare Shamrocks 3-06 Listry 1-08 "Intermediate football title goes to Kenmare", Kerry Champion, 14 September 1940, p. 2 1934–1939No championship 1933 An Ghaeltacht 0-05 South Kerry 0-01 "Gaeltacht defeat South Kerry in Intermediate Final", The Kerryman, 11 November 1933, p. 17 1932 North Kerry 3-02 South Kerry 2-04 1931 North Kerry 0-08 South Kerry 1-03 "North Kerry win Intermediate Football Final", Kerry Reporter, 30 July 1932, p. 13
Roll of honour
By club # Team Titles Runners-Up Championships won Championships runner-up 1 Kenmare Shamrocks 5 3 1940, 1968, 1970, 1990, 2016 1972, 1989, 1991 Milltown/Castlemaine 5 2 1991, 1994, 2003, 2011, 2023 1993, 1996 3 Dingle 4 3 1988, 1989, 1996, 2004 1980, 1998, 2002 Annascaul 4 3 1982, 1987, 1992, 2007 1986, 2004, 2006 An Ghaeltacht 4 3 1933, 1998, 2017, 2025 1994, 2019, 2022 6 Spa 3 5 1974, 2009, 2020 1987, 1995, 2012, 2014, 2015 Ballylongford 3 1 1971, 1972, 1976 1970 North Kerry 3 0 1931, 1932, 1949 — Castleisland Desmonds 3 0 1978, 1979, 1981 — 10 Beaufort 2 2 1980, 2000 2020, 2021 St Mary's 2 2 2001, 2015 1992, 2013 Kilcummin 2 1 1997, 2018 2026 Castlegregory 2 0 1942, 1975 — Valentia Young Islanders 2 0 1986, 1995 — Ardfert 2 0 2006, 2014 — Rathmore 2 0 1999, 2022 — 17 Tarbert 1 3 1977 1969, 1975, 1976 Waterville 1 3 1993 1974, 2003, 2011 Finuge 1 3 2012 1968, 2005, 2010 Currow 1 3 2013 1943, 1997, 2009 Templenoe 1 3 2019 1988, 2016, 2017 Fossa 1 2 2026 2023, 2025 Keel 1 1 1969 1977 Beale 1 1 1984 1982 Dr Crokes 1 1 1985 1971 Listowel Emmets 1 1 2002 2007 Gneeveguilla 1 1 2010 2008 Army Ballymullen Barracks 1 0 1943 — Castleisland District 1 0 1959 — Killarney Legion 1 0 2005 — St Michael's/Foilmore 1 0 2008 — Na Gaeil 1 0 2021 — Austin Stacks 1 0 2024 — 33 South Kerry 0 3 — 1931, 1932, 1933 Kenmare District 0 2 — 1942, 1949 Moyvane 0 2 — 1984, 1985 Ballymacelligott 0 2 — 2000, 2001 Glenflesk 0 2 — 1999, 2018 Listry 0 1 — 1940 East Kerry 0 1 — 1959 Laune Rangers 0 1 — 2024
By division DivisionTitlesRunners-UpTotal West Kerry14923 East Kerry111425 Mid Kerry8715 Kenmare District6814 South Kerry6814 Shannon Rangers5510 St Kieran's5510 St Brendan's Board505 North Kerry303 Feale Rangers268 Tralee District101
Records and statistics
By decade The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Kerry Intermediate Football Championship titles, is as follows:
1930s: 2 for North Kerry (1931, 1932) 1940s: 1 each for Kenmare Shamrocks (1940), Castlegregory (1942), Army Ballymullen Barracks (1943) and North Kerry (1949) 1950s: 1 for Castleisland District (1959) 1960s: 1 each for Kenmare Shamrocks (1968) and Keel (1969) 1970s: 3 for Ballylongford (1971, 1972, 1976) 1980s: 2 each for Annascaul (1982, 1987) and Dingle (1988, 1989) 1990s: 2 for Milltown/Castlemaine (1991, 1994) 2000s: 1 each for ten clubs (2000–2009) 2010s: 1 each for ten clubs (2010–2019) 2020s: 1 each for five clubs (2020–2024)
See also Kerry Senior Football Championship (Tier 1) Kerry Club Football Championship (Tier 1) Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship (Tier 3) Kerry Junior Football Championship (Tier 4) Kerry Novice Football Championship (Tier 5) Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship
References