The Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Lyons of Limerick County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Limerick PIHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking intermediate clubs in the county of Limerick in Ireland. It is the second tier overall in the entire Limerick hurling championship system.
The Limerick Premier Intermediate Championship was introduced in 2014 following a split in the existing Limerick Intermediate Hurling Championship. It was the fourth adult county championship to come into existence in Limerick.
In its present format, the Limerick Premier Intermediate Championship uses a round-robin format with each team playing 7 matches (playing all 7 other teams once). Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays. The two top-ranking teams proceed to the final match at the LIT Gaelic Grounds. The winner of the Limerick Premier Intermediate Championship, as well as gaining automatic promotion to the Limerick Senior Championship, qualifies for the subsequent Munster Club Championship. In 2020, the intended format was disrupted and slightly amended due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The competition has been won by 10 teams, two have won the tournament more than once.
Garryspillane are the title holders, winning the 2025 final.
History
The Limerick Intermediate Championship was founded in 1910 in an effort to bridge the standard of play between the Limerick Senior Championship and the Limerick Junior Championship. Three separate hurling championships proved difficult to sustain, particularly due to a lack of competitive clubs, and the championship was discontinued and reinstated on a number of occasions before being reinstated permanently in 1988.
At a Special Convention of the Limerick County Board in February 2013 it was decided by 115 votes to 108 to introduce radical new changes for the 2014 championship season. While the structure of the 2013 senior and intermediate hurling championships remained unchanged, the final placings were used to ‘grade’ clubs for the new structures the following season. The changes meant that the 2014 Senior Championship was reduced from 16 to 12 teams, with the four relegated teams forming half of the new eight-team Premier Intermediate Championship for 2014. The remaining four teams for this new tier of championship were the four semi-finalists from the 2013 Intermediate Championship.
The eight teams in the inaugural championship were: Blackrock, Bruff, Bruree, Croom, Dromin-Athlacca, Garryspillane, Hospital-Herbertstown and Knockaderry. The very first match took place on 18 April 2014, with Bruff claiming a 2-19 to 2-13 victory over Bruree in the first round of group games. Bruff went on to win the very first championship after a 2-14 to 0-16 defeat of Croom in the 2014 final.
Teams
2026 teams The 8 teams competing in the 2026 Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship are: Team Location Division Colours Position in 2025 In championship since Championship titles Last championship title Blackrock KilfinaneSouthGreen and whiteSemi-finals202312019 BruffBruffSouthRed and whiteGroup stage201812014 Croagh-KilfinnyCroaghWestBlue and whiteSemi-finals20250— Dromin/AthlaccaAthlaccaSouthBlue and whiteRelegated from SHC202612023 EffinEffinSouthGreen and whiteRunners-up20220— GlenroeBallyhoura MountainsSouthGreen and blackGroup stage20200— Granagh-BallingarryBallingarryWestGreen and blackGroup stage20240— Murroe / BoherMurroeEastBlue and greenIHC champion20260—
Qualification for subsequent competitions The Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship.
List of finals
List of Limerick PIHC finals Year Winners Runners-up Venue# Club Score Club Score 2025 Garryspillane 4-19 (3 penalties) Effin 2-25 (0 penalties) TUS Gaelic Grounds 2024 Newcastle West 2-12 Garryspillane 1-11 TUS Gaelic Grounds 2023 Dromin/Athlacca 2-20 Blackrock 3-16 FitzGerald Park 2022 Monaleen 2-16 Bruff 0-16 2021 Mungret/St. Paul's 4-17 Cappamore 1-12 TUS Gaelic Grounds 2020 Kildimo-Pallaskenry 0-22 Mungret/St. Paul's 1-13 LIT Gaelic Grounds 2019 Blackrock 1-18 Kildimo-Pallaskenry 0-16 LIT Gaelic Grounds 2018 Garryspillane 2-12 Bruff 0-12 FitzGerald Park 2017 Murroe / Boher 1-21 Garryspillane 1-15 Gaelic Grounds 2016 Monaleen 1-17 Cappamore 2-11 FitzGerald Park 2015 Bruree 3-07 Knockainey 0-13 FitzGerald Park 2014 Bruff 2-14 Croom 0-16 FitzGerald Park
Notes 2019: The first match ended in a draw. Blackrock 0-18 - 0-18 Kildimo-Pallaskenry.
Roll of honour
By club # Club Titles Runners-up Championships won Championships runner-up1 Garryspillane222018, 20252017, 2024 Monaleen202016, 2022—3 Bruff1220142018, 2022 Blackrock1120192023 Kildimo-Pallaskenry1120202019 Mungret/St. Paul's1120212020 Bruree102015— Murroe / Boher102017— Dromin/Athlacca102023— Newcastle West102024—11 Cappamore02—2016, 2021 Croom01—2014 Knockainey01—2015 Effin01—2025
See also Limerick Senior Hurling Championship (Tier 1) Limerick Intermediate Hurling Championship (Tier 3) Limerick Premier Junior A Hurling Championship (Tier 4) Limerick Junior A Hurling Championship (Tier 5)
External links 2014 Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship
References