The Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Cork PIHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking intermediate clubs in the county of Cork in Ireland. It is the third tier overall in the entire Cork hurling championship system.
The Cork Premier Intermediate Championship was introduced in 2004 following a split in the existing Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship. At the time of its creation it was the second tier of Cork hurling.
In its soon-to-be introduced format, the Cork Premier Intermediate Championship will begin in April. The 12 participating club teams will be drawn into three groups of four teams and play each other in a round-robin system. The three group winners and the three runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Páirc Uí Rinn in October. The winner of the Cork Premier Intermediate Championship, as well as being presented with the Séamus Long Cup, qualifies for the subsequent Munster Club Championship.
The competition has been won by 18 teams. Ballinhassig is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it three times. Ballinhassig are also the title-holders, beating Ballincollig by 2-22 to 1-19 in the 2025 final.
History The Cork Intermediate Championship was founded in 1909 in an effort to bridge the standard of play between the Cork Senior Championship and the Cork Junior Championship. For almost a century, the Cork Intermediate Championship was effectively the second tier championship in the Cork hurling championship system.
In 2003 the Cork County Board Executive established a Hurling Championship Review Committee in an effort to improve the competitiveness of the Cork Senior Championship. The committee also proposed the splitting of the existing Cork Intermediate Championship in two with the creation of a 16-team Cork Premier Intermediate Championship which became the second tier of the Cork hurling championship system.
The championship was first played in 2004 with the winner, St. Catherine's, gaining automatic promotion to the following year's Cork Senior Championship. Their place in the championship was taken by Watergrasshill who won the Cork Intermediate Championship. The idea of relegation was introduced in 2006 with St. Finbarr's becoming the first team to be relegated from the championship after losing a play-off to Ballincollig. Similarly, Delaney Rovers became the first team to be relegated to the championship after losing their senior status following a play-off defeat by Castlelyons. Relegation was suspended in 2013 and again from 2015 to 2019.
Format History 16 clubs entered the inaugural championship in 2004 and a double elimination format was used. Each team was guaranteed at least two games before being eliminated from the championship. In 2006 a relegation section was introduced. The four teams who lost both their games in Round 1 and Round 2 entered the relegation play-offs with the eventual losing team being relegated. An extra round of games was added to the championship in 2010. Each team was now given the opportunity of losing both of their games in Round 1 and Round 2 but remaining in the championship. This format remained in place until 2016 when it was decided to revert to the previous format.
Current Development On 2 April 2019, a majority of 136 club delegates voted to restructure the championship once again. The new format also led to a reduction in the number of participating clubs from 16 to 12.
Overview Group stage: The 12 club teams are divided into three groups of four. Over the course of the group stage, which features one game in April and two games in August, 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 knockout stage, with the two best-placed teams receiving byes to the semi-finals.
Quarter-finals: Two lone quarter-finals feature the four lowest-placed team from the group stage. Two teams qualify for the next round.
Semi-finals: The two semi-finals feature four teams. Two teams qualify for the next round.
Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions and gain automatic promotion to the following year's Cork Senior A Championship.
Teams 2026 Teams The 12 teams competing in the 2026 Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship are: Team Location Division Colours Position in 2025 In Championship since Championship Titles Last Championship Title BallincolligBallincolligMuskerryGreen and whiteRunners-up20190 — BallymartleRiverstickCarrigdhounGreen and gold Group stage202312010 BishopstownBishopstownSeandúnMaroon and whiteRelegated from Cork SAHC202612006 CarrigalineCarrigalineCarrigdhounBlue and yellowQuarter-finals20090 — CastlemartyrCastlemartyrImokillyRed and white Relegation playoff winners20220 — CloyneCloyneImokillyRed and blackSemi-finals20250 — DungourneyDungourneyImokilly Yellow and green Semi-finals20230 — Éire ÓgOvensMuskerryRed and yellowGroup stage20210 — KilworthKilworthAvondhuRed and white Group stage20210 — LisgooldLisgooldImokillyBlue and goldGroup stage20250— Valley RoversInnishannonCarrigdhounGreen and whiteQuarter-finals20100 —2025 Cork IAHC winnersTBDTBDTBDPromoted from Cork IAHC2026TBDTBD
Sponsorship Permanent TSB became the first title sponsor of the championship, serving in that capacity for just one year until 2005 when the Evening Echo signed a sponsorship deal. In 2020, Dairygold Co-Op Superstores were unveiled as the new title sponsor of the Cork Premier Intermediate Championship.
Venues Early rounds
Fixtures in the opening rounds of the championship are usually played at a neutral venue that is deemed halfway between the participating teams. Some of the more common venues include Clonmult Memorial Park, Páirc Shéamuis de Barra, St. Catherine's Park, Church Road and Páirc Liam Mhic Cárthaigh.
Final The final has always been played at one of Cork GAA's two main stadiums. On several occasions the final has been played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as the curtain raiser to the senior final. The rebuilding and subsequent improvement works to Páirc Uí Chaoimh resulted in several finals being held at Páirc Uí Rinn.
Managers Managers in the Cork Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches.
+ Recent winning managersManager(s)TeamWinsWinning yearsDermot O'RiordanCarrigtwohill12007Tadhg HurleyBlarney12008Finbar BerminghamDouglas12009Anthony McCarthyBallymartle12010Diarmuid CorcoranCourcey Rovers12011Johnny CrowleyBallinhassig12012Christy CooneyYoughal12013Jimmy QuiltyBallyhea12014Eugene DesmondNewcestown12015Niall O'HalloranBandon12016Donagh DuaneKanturk12017John MoloneyCharleville12018Dave ColbertJames O'ConnorFr. O'Neill's12019Paul O'LearyBlarney12020Seán GuiheenCourcey Rovers12021Paul McCarthyInniscarra12022Noel FurlongCastlelyons12023Eddie EnrightWatergrasshill12024John Paul GriffinBallinhassig12025
Trophy The winning team is presented with the Séamus Long Cup. A national school teacher by profession, Séamus Long (1884-1953) was elected secretary of the Ballincollig club in 1914, before serving as the first secretary of the Muskerry Board in 1924. A founder-member of the Ballinora club the same year, he was the club's first chairman. Long also served as vice-chairman of the Cork County Board and was a Munster Council delegate from 1949 until his death in 1953.
List of Finals
Legend
– Munster intermediate club champions – Munster intermediate club runners-up
List of Cork PIHC finals YearWinnersRunners-upVenue#ClubScoreClubScore2025Ballinhassig2-22Ballincollig1-19SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2024Watergrasshill2-16Carrigaline0-19SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2023Castlelyons0-19Kilworth0-17Páirc Uí Chaoimh2022Inniscarra3-12Castlemartyr1-17Páirc Uí Chaoimh2021Courcey Rovers1-19Castlelyons1-18Páirc Uí Chaoimh2020Blarney1-20Castlelyons0-15Páirc Uí Chaoimh2019Fr O'Neills3-23Kilworth1-20Páirc Uí Rinn2018Charleville 1-09, 0-15Courcey Rovers 0-12, 0-14Páirc Uí Rinn 2017Kanturk 0-17Mallow 1-12Páirc Uí Rinn 2016 Bandon 1-20Fermoy1-14Páirc Uí Rinn 2015 Newcestown 1-23 Valley Rovers 0-08Páirc Uí Rinn 2014 Ballyhea 1-17 Newcestown 0-16 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2013 Youghal 0-11 Castlelyons 0-10Páirc Uí Rinn 2012 Ballinhassig 1-19 Bandon 1-12 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2011 Courcey Rovers 0-15 Youghal 1-09Páirc Uí Rinn 2010 Ballymartle 2-14 Tracton 0-13 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2009 Douglas 0-20 Ballymartle 0-16 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2008 Blarney 0-13 Courcey Rovers 1-09 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2007 Carrigtwohill 3-14 Watergrasshill 3-12 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2006 Bishopstown 0-20 Carrigtwohill 1-11 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2005 Ballinhassig 1-16 Aghada 1-11Páirc Uí Rinn 2004 St. Catherine's 1-11 Courcey Rovers 1-08 Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Roll of honour
By club # Club Titles Runners-up Championships won Championships runner-up 1 Ballinhassig302005, 2012, 2025 —2 Courcey Rovers232011, 20212004, 2008, 2018 Blarney202008, 2020 —4 Castlelyons13 20232013, 2020, 2021 Carrigtwohill112007 2006 Ballymartle1120102009 Youghal1120132011 Newcestown1120152014 Bandon1120162012 Watergrasshill112024 2007 St. Catherine's102004— Bishopstown102006 — Douglas102009 — Ballyhea102014 — Kanturk102017 — Charleville102018 — Fr O'Neills102019 — Inniscarra102022 —19 Kilworth02 —2019, 2023 Aghada01 —2005 Tracton01 —2010 Valley Rovers01 —2015 Fermoy01 —2016 Mallow01 —2017 Castlemartyr01 —2022 Carrigaline01 —2024 Ballincollig01 —2025
By Division Division Titles Runners-Up Total Most recent win Imokilly68142024 Carrigdhoun67132025 Muskerry3142022 Avondhu2462018 Carbery2242016 Seandún2022009 Duhallow1012017
Records and statistics Teams The following is a list of teams who have played in the Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship since its formation in 2004 to the current championships season. As of the 2020 season, 31 teams have played in the Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship.
All statistics here refer to time in the Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship only, with the exception of 'Most Recent Finish' (which refers to all levels of play). Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship teams playing in the 2020 championship season are indicated in bold. A 'spell' refers to a number of consecutive seasons within the championship, uninterrupted by relegation. If the longest spell is the current spell, this is shown in bold.