North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship

The North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Hibernian Hotel Junior A Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the North Cork JAHC) is an annual club hurling competition organised by the North Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking junior clubs in North Cork, Ireland, deciding the competition winners through a group stage and knockout format. It is the most prestigious competition in North Cork hurling.

North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship
Current season or competition:
2024 North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship
IrishCraobh Iomána Sóisear A Corcaigh Thuaidh
CodeHurling
Founded1925; 99 years ago (1925)
Region Avondhu (GAA)
TrophySeán O'Brien Memorial Cup
No. of teams12
Title holders Harbour Rovers (4th title)
Most titles Ballyhea, Kilworth (10 titles)
SponsorsHibernian Hotel
Official websiteOfficial website

Introduced in 1925 as the North Cork Junior Championship, it was initially a straight knockout tournament. The competition went through a number of format changes since then, including the introduction of a back-door or second chance for beaten teams.

In its current format, the North Cork Junior Championship begins with a group stage in late summer. The 12 participating teams are divided into three groups of four and play each other in a round-robin system. The two top-ranking teams in each group proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final. The winner of the North Cork Junior Championship, as well as receiving the Seán O'Brien Memorial Cup, also qualifies for the subsequent Cork Junior A Hurling Championship.

The competition has been won by 21 teams, 16 of which have won it more than once. Ballyhea and Kilworth are the most successful teams in the tournament's history, having won it 10 times each. Harbour Rovers are the title-holders, after defeating Kilshannig by 1-16 to 0-16 in the 2023 final.[1]

History

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Development

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The Cork Junior Hurling Championship had been contested on a countywide basis since 1895, however, an increase in the number of participating clubs resulted in a restructuring of the entire championship. The North Cork Board was established in 1925 with other divisions in other parts of the county created in the years that followed. Since then the individual junior championships were organised on a divisional basis with the division winners progressing to contest the county series of games. The first North Cork Junior Championship was played in 1925.

In 2007 the championship was split in two with the top teams competing in the newly named North Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship. Following this change the North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship was contested by the second tier teams. This system lasted until 2014 when the premier championship reverted to being called the North Cork JAHC.

Team dominance

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Milford were the first team to have multiple successes in the championship.[citation needed] They won four titles between 1925 and 1936, while also becoming the first club to retain the championship.[citation needed]

Near neighbours and local rivals Ballyhea and Newtownshandrum had a dominant period from 1939 until 1968.[citation needed] The two clubs shared 14 championship titles during this period. Castletownroche also had their greatest period during this time, winning four titles between 1954 and 1960.[citation needed]

Since the 1960s, the championship was dominated by Kildorrery and Kilworth, who regularly won titles in each of the following decades.[citation needed] Kilworth claimed all of their 11 championships in a 45-year period between 1961 and 2006[relevant?] to leave them in the top position on the all-time roll of honour.[citation needed] Their hegemony[clarification needed] was closely challenged by Kildorrery who won eight of their nine championship titles between 1962 and 1988.[citation needed] At this time Fermoy emerged as a force, winning five championships between 1987 and 1999.[citation needed] Their county final defeat in 2000 brought the curtain down on their greatest era in the competition.[tone]

The first decade of the 21st century was dominated by Charleville. After a 15-year hiatus they claimed their fifth ever title in 2001. Four more championships followed between 2002 and 2011.[citation needed]

Format history

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For the first seventy years the championship was played as a single elimination tournament whereby once a team lost they were eliminated from the championship. Since the late 1990s the championship has seen the introduction of a "back door" system which provides each team with a minimum of two games before exiting the championship.

Format

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Group stage

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The 12 teams are divided into three 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 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.

Knockout stage

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Quarter-finals: Two lone quarter-finals featuring the four lowest-placed qualifying teams from the group stage. Two teams qualify for the next round.

Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and the top two highest-placed qualifying teams from the group stage contest this round. The two winners from these games advance to the final.

Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

Teams

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2024 Teams

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Team Location Colours Position in 2023 In Championship since Championship Titles Last Championship Title
  Araglen Araglen Green and white Group stage 2021 0
  Ballyhea Ballyhea Black and white Group stage 2023 10 1976
  Ballyhooly Ballyhooly Blue and yellow Semi-finals 1996 0
  Charleville Charleville Red and white Group stage 2019 9 2011
  Clyda Rovers Mourneabbey Black and yellow Quarter-finals 1992 3 2019
  Dromina Dromina Blue and yellow Group stage 2014 5 2017
  Fermoy Fermoy Black and amber 2024 8 2009
  Harbour Rovers Glanworth Green and white Champions 2002 4 2023
  Killavullen Killavullen Blue and white Quarter-finals 2018 0
  Kilshannig Glantane Blue and yellow Runners-up 2014 1 2022
  Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels Churchtown Green, white and yellow Semi-finals 2017 0
  Shanballymore Shanballymore Red and black Group stage 2016 5 1997

Qualification for subsequent competitions

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The North Cork Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Cork Junior A Hurling Championship.

Roll of honour

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By club

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# Club Titles Runners-up Championship wins Championship runner-up
1   Ballyhea 10 9 1930, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1965, 1975, 1976 1928, 1937, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1954, 1964, 1969, 1974
  Kilworth 10 9 1961, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1980, 1983, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2006 1962, 1963, 1965, 1972, 1976, 1985, 1994, 1997, 2004
3   Charleville 9 8 1945, 1970, 1974, 1986, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2011 1926, 1973, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1995, 1998, 2006
  Kildorrery 9 5 1962, 1963, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1984, 1988, 2012 1961, 1968, 1975, 1978, 2011
  Newtownshandrum 9 3 1939, 1940, 1944, 1946, 1951, 1952, 1968, 1992, 2013 1941, 1942, 2014
6   Castletownroche 8 8 1928, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1978, 1979, 1982 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1980, 1991, 2007
  Fermoy 8 2 1941, 1964, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2009 2000, 2008
8   Dromina 5 10 1998, 2000, 2003, 2014, 2017 1927, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002
  Shanballymore 5 5 1931, 1937, 1942, 1996, 1997 1930, 1939, 1940, 1989, 2018
  Milford 5 2 1925, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1981 1979, 1990
11   Harbour Rovers 4 2 2015, 2016, 2020, 2023 2012, 2019
12   Clyda Rovers 3 6 1985, 1989, 2019 1957, 1986, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2021
  Ballygiblin 3 1 2004, 2018, 2021 2003
14   Doneraile 2 3 1947, 1948 1949, 1951, 1958
  Oldcastletown 2 2 1938, 1943 1932, 1935
  Mallow 2 1 1926, 1927 1938
17   Liscarroll 1 5 1932 1931, 1934, 1970, 1971, 1982
  Mitchelstown 1 3 1934 1933, 1936, 1944
  Kilshannig 1 2 2022 2020, 2023
  Churchtown 1 1 1929 2010
  Buttevant 1 0 2010
22   Ballyhooly 0 4 1945, 1946, 2016, 2017
Allow Rovers 0 2 1956, 1960
  Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels 0 2 2013, 2022
Ballymagoogley 0 1 1925
  Killavullen 0 1 1929
  Araglen 0 1 1966
  Freemount 0 1 1967

List of finals

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Year Winners Runners-up #
Club Score Club Score
2024
2023 Harbour Rovers 1-16 Kilshannig 0-16 [2]
2022 Kilshannig 1-14 Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels 1-10
2021 Ballygiblin 2-12 Clyda Rovers 0-10
2020 Harbour Rovers 2-15 Kilshannig 0-14 [3]
2019 Clyda Rovers 2-14 Harbour Rovers 0-19 [4]
2018 Ballygiblin 1-15 Shanballymore 0-12 [5]
2017 Dromina 3-07 Ballyhooly 1-12 [6]
2016 Harbour Rovers 1-19 Ballyhooly 2-12 [7]
2015 Harbour Rovers 1-13 Clyda Rovers 0-10 [8]
2014 Dromina 1-18 Newtownshandrum 0-09 [9]
2013 Newtownshandrum 2-16 Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels 1-08
2012 Kildorrery 3-17 Harbour Rovers 1-10 [10]
2011 Charleville 2-12 Kildorrery 0-10 [11]
2010 Buttevant 0-13 Churchtown 1-05
2009 Fermoy 1-10 Clyda Rovers 0-12
2008 Charleville 1-17 Fermoy 1-12
2007 Charleville 1-19 Castletownroche 0-12
2006 Kilworth 1-17 Charleville 0-12
2005 Kilworth 4-17 Clyda Rovers 1-12
2004 Ballygiblin 0-14 Kilworth 2-06
2003 Dromina 1-15 Ballygiblin 0-14
2002 Charleville 2-11 Dromina 0-10
2001 Charleville 0-17 Dromina 2-08
2000 Dromina 2-12 Fermoy 1-11
1999 Fermoy 1-13 Dromina 0-12
1998 Dromina 4-09 Charleville 1-15
1997 Shanballymore 2-11 Kilworth 0-12
1996 Shanballymore 4-06 Dromina 1-11
1995 Kilworth 3-14 Charleville 1-09
1994 Fermoy 2-08 Kilworth 0-06
1993 Kilworth 2-11 Dromina 2-10
1992 Newtownshandrum 2-08 Dromina 2-07
1991 Fermoy 1-16 Castletownroche 1-07
1990 Fermoy 3-08 Milford 1-09
1989 Clyda Rovers 0-11 Shanballymore 0-10
1988 Kildorrery 1-13 Dromina 1-05
1987 Fermoy 2-08 Dromina 1-06
1986 Charleville 0-12 Clyda Rovers 0-10
1985 Clyda Rovers 1-09 Kilworth 1-06
1984 Kildorrery 3-05 Charleville 1-10
1983 Kilworth 4-09 Charleville 2-06
1982 Castletownroche 4-15 Liscarroll 0-09
1981 Milford 1-12 Dromina 1-06
1980 Kilworth 4-08 Castletownroche 1-12
1979 Castletownroche 2-17 Milford 3-04
1978 Castletownroche 4-14 Kildorrery 3-08
1977 Kildorrery 5-17 Charleville 2-09
1976 Ballyhea 1-10 Kilworth 1-05
1975 Ballyhea 1-13 Kildorrery 1-12
1974 Charleville 2-04 Ballyhea 1-06
1973 Kildorrery 4-18 Charleville 7-07
1972 Kildorrery 3-11 Kilworth 2-09
1971 Kilworth 4-10 Liscarroll 2-09
1970 Charleville 4-11 Liscarroll 2-08
1969 Kildorrery 3-10 Ballyhea 0-05
1968 Newtownshandrum 2-11 Kildorrery 3-05
1967 Kilworth 4-07 Freemount 3-03
1966 Kilworth 4-09 Araglin 2-04
1965 Ballyhea 2-11 Kilworth 3-03
1964 Fermoy 6-02 Ballyhea 4-06
1963 Kildorrery 4-05 Kilworth 3-07
1962 Kildorrery 6-07 Kilworth 7-01
1961 Kilworth 4-09 Kildorrery 2-07
1960 Castletownroche 7-05 Allow Rovers 4-03
1959 Ballyhea 4-06 Castletownroche 3-04
1958 Ballyhea 3-07 Doneraile 4-03
1957 Castletownroche 4-05 Clyda Rovers 2-04
1956 Castletownroche 5-06 Allow Rovers 1-05
1955 Ballyhea 6-05 Castletownroche 2-03
1954 Castletownroche 1-11 Ballyhea 2-03
1953 Ballyhea 6-05 Castletownroche 3-06
1952 Newtownshandrum 4-08 Castletownroche 2-04
1951 Newtownshandrum 5-09 Doneraile 4-03
1950 Ballyhea 7-05 Castletownroche 0-01
1949 Ballyhea 4-04 Doneraile 2-05
1948 Doneraile 2-05 Ballyhea 0-03
1947 Doneraile 5-10 Ballyhea 3-04
1946 Newtownshandrum 6-03 Ballyhooly 2-02
1945 Charleville 4-06 Ballyhooly 3-01
1944 Newtownshandrum 4-07 Mitchelstown 4-01
1943 Oldcastletown 6-07 Ballyhea 1-01
1942 Shanballymore 5-03 Newtownshandrum 4-03
1941 Fermoy 10-05 Newtownshandrum 2-04
1940 Newtownshandrum 5-03 Shanballymore 3-03
1939 Newtownshandrum 6-06 Shanballymore 3-04
1938 Oldcastletown 3-06 Mallow 2-03
1937 Shanballymore 2-06 Ballyhea 2-03
1936 Milford 6-03 Mitchelstown 3-05
1935 Milford 4-02 Oldcastletown 1-00
1934 Mitchelstown 2-02 Liscarroll 2-01
1933 Milford 4-02 Mitchelstown 3-04
1932 Liscarroll 4-05 Oldcastletown 2-03
1931 Shanballymore 4-01 Liscarroll 1-01
1930 Ballyhea 2-05 Shanballymore 1-01
1929 Churchtown 5-03 Killavullen 3-01
1928 Castletownroche 3-03 Ballyhea 2-04
1927 Mallow 8-02 Dromina 4-00
1926 Mallow Charleville
1925 Milford Ballymagooley

Notes

  • 1932 – the first match ended in a draw.
  • 1963 – the first match ended in a draw: Kildorrery 4-05, Kilworth 4-05.
  • 1964 – the first match ended in a draw: Fermoy 7-05, Ballyhea 6-08.
  • 1978 – the first match ended in a draw: Castletownroche 3-12, Kildorrery 4-09.
  • 1984 – the first match ended in a draw: Kildorrery 0-13, Charleville 2-07.
  • 1985 – the first match ended in a draw: Clyda Rovers 0-11, Kilworth 2-05.
  • 1992 – the first match ended in a draw: Newtownshandrum 3-04, Dromina 1-10.
  • 2020 – the first match ended in a draw: Harbour Rovers 1-17, Kilshannig 1-17.

Records and statistics

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Teams

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By decade

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The most successful team of each decade, judged by the number of North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:

Gaps

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Top ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:

Winners and finalists

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Two teams have won the North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship and the North Cork Junior A Football Championship in a single year as part of a hurling-Gaelic football double. Fermoy became the first club to win the double when they achieved the feat in 1941. Clyda Rovers became only the second team to complete the double in 1989.

Kildorrery, Mallow, Buttevant and Doneraile also hold the distinction of being dual North Cork Championship winning teams, however, these were not achieved in a single calendar year. Combined teams Glanworth-Harbour Rovers and Ballygiblin-Mitchelstown have also won North Cork titles in both codes.

County Record

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# Team Titles Runners-up Years won Years Runners-up
1   Ballyhea 3 1 1930, 1955, 1976 1959
2   Kilworth 2 4 1967, 2006 1961, 1980, 1993, 2005
  Shanballymore 2 3 1908, 1942 1902, 1904, 1937
  Newtownshandrum 2 2 1946, 1969 1940, 1992
  Castletownroche 2 1 1960, 1982 1979
6   Charleville 1 3 2011 1974, 2001, 2007
  Mallow 1 1 1914 1950
  Doneraile 1 1 1919 1918
  Kildorrery 1 1 2012 1972
  Liscarroll 1 0 1934
  Oldcastletown 1 0 1943
  Milford 1 0 1981
  Clyda Rovers 1 0 1989
  Dromina 1 0 2003
  Fermoy 1 0 2009
  Ballygiblin 1 0 2021
17   Harbour Rovers 0 2 2020, 2023
Funcheon Vale 0 1 1916
  Kilshannig 0 1 2022


See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ryan, Pat (19 October 2023). "Harbour Rovers see off Kilshanning to claim Avondhu Junior Hurling crown". The Corkan. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. ^ Ryan, Paddy (14 October 2023). "Harbour Rovers lift Avondhu Junior A Hurling title by seeing off Kilshannig". Echo Live. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  3. ^ Ryan, Paddy (20 June 2021). "Harbour Rovers hold off Kilshanning in Avondhu hurling final". Evening Echo. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  4. ^ Ryan, Paddy (15 September 2019). "Clyda clinch the Avondhu hurling title after late drama against Harbour Rovers". Evening Echo. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  5. ^ Ryan, Pat (12 September 2020). "Clyda face Harbour and Ballygiblin take on Kilshannig for JAHC final spots". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Dramatic finish sees Dromina take title". The Corkman. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  7. ^ Ryan, Pat (14 January 2017). "Rovers find safe Harbour in 2016". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  8. ^ Ryan, Pat (23 January 2016). "Ballyclough were the stars of 2015". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Avondhu in 2014 - how was it for you?". The Corkman. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  10. ^ Ryan, Paddy (27 August 2012). "Kildorrery bridge 24-year gap". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  11. ^ McGrath, Mike (10 November 2011). "Charleville bask in final glory". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.