The Clare Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition organised by the Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association for the second tier football teams in the county of Clare in Ireland.
| Clare Intermediate Football Championship | |
|---|---|
| Irish | Craobh Idirmhéanach Péil Co. an Chláir |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Title holders |  Kilmihil (5th title) |
| Most titles | Kilfenora & St. Breckan's (6 titles) |
The 2023 Intermediate Champions are Kilmihil who defeated Kilrush Shamrocks by 1-13 to 1-12 to win their third title at this grade.
Format edit
The series of games are played during the summer and autumn months with the county final usually being played at Cusack Park. The championship includes a group stage which is followed by a knock-out phase for the top teams. There is also promotion involving the Clare Senior Football Championship and relegation involving the Clare Junior Football Championship.
In 2016 a Football Review Agreement decided that from 2019 onwards the Clare Senior and Intermediate Football Championships would both involve twelve teams in an effort to make both more competitive. This meant that five clubs would lose their senior status and be relegated down to intermediate. The eleven remaining senior clubs would be joined by the intermediate champions to form the new senior championship, and thereby increasing the intermediate championship from eight to twelve teams. 2018 saw the relegation of Doora-Barefield, Kilfenora, O'Curry's, St. Breckan's and Wolfe Tones down to intermediate. As part of the 2016 Football Review Agreement, a pathway was left open for any amalgamations that wished to enter the senior championship. Two intermediate clubs (Naomh Eoin & O'Curry's) from West Clare took up this opportunity.
Qualification for subsequent competitions edit
Munster Club Football Championship edit
The winning club represents Clare in the Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship. 2013 champions St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay progressed to the Munster final but lost to Clyda Rovers of Cork.[1]
Roll of honour edit
| # | Club | Wins | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kilfenora
|
6 | 1934, 1935, 1951, 1976, 1992, 2016[2] |
 St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna
|
1936 (as Doolin), 1947 (as Doolin), 1982, 1989, 2010, 2019[3] | ||
| 3. |  Cooraclare
|
5 | 1941, 1927, 1943, 1954, 1957 (as Cree) |
| Kilmihil
|
1928, 1958 (as Cahermurphy), 2008, 2017,[4] 2023[5] | ||
 Wolfe Tones, Shannon
|
1973, 1975, 1990, 1996, 2014[6] | ||
| 5. |  Corofin
|
4 | 1987, 2006, 2015,[7] 2021 |
 Kilmurry-Ibrickane
|
1939 (as Quilty), 1945 (with Clohanes), 1953 (as Mullagh), 1977 | ||
| Kilrush Shamrocks
|
1937, 1952, 1955, 2018[8] | ||
| 9. |  Clarecastle
|
3 | 1984, 1993, 1998 |
| Éire Óg, Ennis
|
1946 (as Ennis Faughs), 1985, 1995 | ||
| Kildysart
|
1986, 2003, 2022 | ||
 O'Curry's, Doonaha
|
1942 (as Doonaha), 2001, 2012 | ||
 St. Senan's, Kilkee
|
1938, 1940 (as Blackweir), 1974 | ||
| 15. |  Clondegad
|
2 | 1944, 2011 |
 Coolmeen
|
1959, 1966 | ||
| Cratloe
|
2004, 2009 | ||
| Doonbeg
|
1945 (with Kilmurry-Ibrickane), 1949 (as Bealaha) | ||
 Ennistymon
|
1991, 2005 | ||
| Liscannor
|
1988, 2000 | ||
| Shannon Gaels, Labasheeda
|
1999, 2002 | ||
| St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield
|
1997, 2020[9] | ||
| 22. |  Ballyvaughan-Fanore
|
1 | 2007 |
| Lissycasey
|
1994 | ||
 Michael Cusack's, Carron
|
1983 | ||
| Naomh Eoin, Cross
|
1950 (as Carrigaholt) | ||
 St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay
|
2013 |
- When Ennis Dalcassians won the 1943 Clare Junior Football Championship, they offered an opportunity to players from fellow junior club, Doora-Barefield, to join with them and enter the 1944 Clare Senior Football Championship as the Ennis Faughs. They went on to win four senior football titles in 1947, 1948, 1952 and 1954. When Ennis Dalcassians were relegated back down to junior level in 1945, a second Ennis Faughs team also entered and immediately won the 1946 Clare Intermediate Football Championship. The Ennis Faughs also won the 1945 Clare Intermediate Hurling Championship. The Ennis Faughs disbanded in 1956.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Murphy Gets It Right And Clyda Celebrate". Irish Examiner.
- ^ "Kilfenora Crowned 2016 Clare IFC Champions". Clare FM.
- ^ "St. Breckans Are Back In The Big Time As They Overcome Kildysart". Clare Echo.
- ^ "Kilmihil Secure Place In 2018 Clare SFC After Intermediate Title Win". Clare FM.
- ^ "Glory For Kilmihil Over Kilrush Shamrocks In Intermediate Decider". Clare Echo.
- ^ "Leahy Leads Tones Back To Senior Ranks". Clare Herald.
- ^ "Corofin Crowned Intermediate Champions". The Clare Champion.
- ^ "Kilrush Claim Clare IFC Title". Clare FM.
- ^ "Doora-Barefield Return To Senior Ranks With Powerful Second Half Display". Clare Echo.