The Kilkenny Premier Junior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Premier Junior Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Kilkenny PJHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking junior clubs in the county of Kilkenny in Ireland. It is the third tier overall in the entire Kilkenny hurling championship system.
Introduced in 1905 as the Kilkenny Junior Hurling Championship for teams deemed not eligible for the senior grade or second-string senior teams, it eventually became a divisional competition with the North and South champions playing each other for the county title. At the time of its creation it was the second tier of Kilkenny hurling. The competition took on its current name in 2022, when the entire junior hurling championship system was reformed.
In its current format, the Kilkenny Premier Junior Championship is played across the autumn months. The participating teams are split into Section A and Section B and engage in a knockout competition that culminates with the final at UPMC Nowlan Park.
Mooncoin is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it seven times. Barrow Rangers are the current champions after beating O'Loughlin Gaels in the 2025 final.
History The Kilkenny Junior Championship was established in 1905 in an effort to provide meaningful competition for the increased number of teams that had been created in Kilkenny. It remained the second tier of Kilkenny hurling until the creation of the Kilkenny Intermediate Championship in 1929. For over a century, the Kilkenny Junior Championship was played on a divisional basis. Individual junior championships were organised by the North Board and the South Board, with the two winners playing off for the county title. This format was replaced by a countywide championship in 2011. The competition was rebranded as the Kilkenny Premier Junior Hurling Championship in 2022.
Format Section A
12 teams participate in Section A. It comprises junior-grade clubs represented by their first-team panels. A teams finishing position in the Kilkenny Premier Junior Hurling League determines at what stage they enter the championship. Three teams from this section qualify for the Combined Section.
Round 1: The eight teams ranked 3–6 in the two league groups contest this round. Four matches are played with two winning teams advancing to Round 2 and the other two winning teams receiving byes to the quarter-finals.
Round 2: The two teams ranked in second place in the two league groups and two round 1-winning teams contest this round. Two matches are played with the two winning teams advancing to the quarter-finals.
Quarter-finals: The league finalists, two winning teams from Round 1 and two winning teams from Round 2 contest this round. Three matches are played with the three winning teams progressing to the Combined Section.
Section B
11 teams participate in Section B. It comprises senior and intermediate-grade clubs represented by their second-team panels. One team from this section qualify for the Combined Section.
Preliminary round: Six teams drawn at random contest this round. Two matches are played with two winning teams advancing to the quarter-finals.
Quarter-finals: The three preliminary round winners and five other teams contest this round. Four matches are played with the four winning teams advancing to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: The four quarter-final winners contest this round. Two matches are played with the two winning teams advancing to the final.
Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared section champions and progress to the Combined Section.
Combined section
Semi-finals: Four teams qualify for this section; the three Section A quarter-final winners and the Section B winners. Two matches are played with the two winning teams advancing to the final.
Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.
2026 Teams The 23 teams competing in the 2026 Kilkenny Premier Junior Hurling Championship are: TeamLocationColoursChampionship sectionChampionship titlesLast championship title ClaraClaraMaroon and whiteB21977 CloneenCloneenGreen and whiteA0— Conahy ShamrocksConahyBlack and yellowA32020 DicksboroPalmerstownMaroon and whiteB31919 EmeraldsUrlingfordGreen and whiteA12001 Erin's OwnCastlecomerBlue and whiteB11958 Fenians JohnstownJohnstownWhite and blueA11968 GalmoyGalmoyBlue and whiteA32004 GraignamanaghGraiguenamanaghGreen and whiteA11972 James StephensKilkennyGreen and redB42000 John Locke'sCallanSaffron and blueA42017 KilmacowKilmacowGreen and whiteA0— LisdowneyLisdowneyBlue and whiteB22013 MooncoinMooncoinGreen and whiteB72021 O'Loughlin GaelsSt John's ParishWhite and greenB32019 PiltownPilltownAmber and blackA32003 Rower–InistiogeInistiogeGreen and redB21963 SlieverueSlieverueBlack and amberA11950 St Patrick'sBallyraggetMaroon and whiteA22011 TullaroanTullaroanGreen and whiteB11983 ThomastownThomastownBlue and whiteB52012 WindgapWindgapRed and whiteA21986 Young IrelandsGowranRed and whiteB11964
Qualification for subsequent competitions The Kilkenny Premier Junior Championship winners quality for the subsequent Leinster Junior Club Hurling Championship. Kilkenny clubs have dominated the competition and have won a total of 17 titles from the competition's inception in 2000. Tullogher–Rosbercon were the most recent Kilkenny representatives to win the provincial title.
Trophy The winning team is presented with the Bob Aylward Cup. Born in Mullinavat, County Kilkenny, Bob Aylward (1911–1974) was part of the Kilkenny senior hurling team that won the All-Ireland SHC title in 1939. He later served as chairman of the Kilkenny County Board and was a member of Seanad Éireann until his death.
Sponsorship JJ Kavanagh & Sons have been the long-time sponsors of the Kilkenny Premier Junior Hurling Championship.
Roll of honour
# Club Titles Championships won Lost Championships Lost 1 Mooncoin 7 1908, 1920, 1937, 1942, 1961, 2016, 2021 3 1911, 1914, 2014 2 Tullogher Rosbercon 6 1957, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2008, 2023 5 1969, 1977, 2006, 2007, 20213 Thomastown 5 1927, 1945, 1962, 2005, 2012 5 1924, 1959, 1964, 1973, 2004 Glenmore 5 1923, 1953, 1980, 1991, 2015 1 19685 John Locke's 4 1911, 1987, 2010, 2017 6 1947, 1951, 1982, 1985, 2009, 2016 Mullinavat 4 1915, 1916, 1939, 1984 3 1938, 1974, 1978 Carrickshock 4 1928, 1954, 1979, 1999 3 1975, 1976, 1998 Bennettsbridge 4 1935, 1948, 1951, 2014 3 2005, 2012, 2013 Blacks & Whites 4 1998, 2002, 2009, 2022 2 1992, 1994 James Stephens 4 1924, 1929, 1955, 2000 1 1943 Barrow Rangers 4 1982, 1988, 1990, 2025 1 201012 Galmoy 3 1949, 1966, 2004 9 1931, 1937, 1952, 1954, 1963, 1965, 1987, 1989, 1997 Dicksboro 3 1910, 1914, 1919 4 1916, 1923, 1996, 2020 Piltown 3 1981, 1996, 2003 4 1995, 2000, 2011, 2018 O'Loughlin Gaels 3 1975, 1995, 2019 3 1927, 2017, 2025 St Lachtain's 3 1959, 1993, 2024 2 1991, 2023 Danesfort 3 1925, 1930, 2006 2 1944, 1986 Conahy Shamrocks 3 1976, 2007, 2020 2 1926, 201919 Knocktopher 2 1931, 1965 6 1919, 1949, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1967 Windgap 2 1970, 1986 3 2001, 2022, 2024 Graigue-Ballycallan 2 1946, 1985 2 1970, 1979 Lisdowney 2 1960, 2013 2 1942, 2008 Dunnamaggin 2 1994, 2018 1 1966 North Selection 2 1932, 1934 1 1933 St Patrick's, Ballyraggett 2 1978, 2011 1 2003 Rower-Instioge 2 1944, 1963 0 Clara 2 1969, 1977 028 St Senan's, Kilmacow 1 1956 4 1990, 1993, 2002, 2015 Emeralds 1 2001 4 1972, 1981, 1984, 1999 Slieverue 1 1950 3 1935, 1948, 1988 South Selection 1 1933 2 1932, 1934 Coon 1 1967 2 1961, 1962 Tullaroan 1 1983 2 1905, 1980 Erins Own (City) 1 1906 1 1908 Mong 1 1913 1 1910 Young Irelands 1 1964 1 1957 Graignamanagh 1 1972 1 1971 Ballyhale Shamrocks 1 1973 1 1983 Owen Ruas (Urlingford) 1 1905 0 Clonmore 1 1922 0 Eire Og 1 1936 0 Ballyline 1 1938 0 Threecastles 1 1940 0 Hugginstown 1 1941 0 Stoneyford 1 1943 0 Johnstown-Urlingford 1 1947 0 Erin's Own 1 1958 0 Fenians 1 1968 0 Newpark Shamrocks 1 1971 0 Muckalee/Ballyfoyle Rangers 1 1974 0
List of finals
Legend
– All-Ireland Junior Club Champions – All-Ireland Junior Club Runners-up - Leinster Junior Club Champions
List of Kilkenny PJHC finals