Laois Intermediate Football Championship


The Laois Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition contested by mid-tier Laois GAA clubs. The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association has organised it since 1907.
Park–Ratheniska are the title holders, having defeated Arles–Kilcruise in the final.

Format

The Intermediate Championship has a 'back door' and operates similarly to the Senior Championship by going for a straight knockout but the 'back door' is in place for anyone losing out.
The draw is first made for round 1 of the championship. The draw is then made for round 2 of the championship.
The final is held in O'Moore Park.

Honours

The winners of the Laois Intermediate Championship qualify to represent their county in the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship. The winners can, in turn, go on to play in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship. They often do well outside the county, with the likes of Ballyroan Abbey and Crettyard among the clubs from Laois to win at least one Leinster Championship after winning the Laois Intermediate Football Championship. Ballyroan Abbey are the only Laois GAA club to have played in Leinster finals at senior and intermediate, Galway GAA club St Michael's narrowly defeating them in the All-Ireland semi-final.

History

It was first held in 1907, with Killenard the victors.
There was no championship in 1911, and none again from 1913 through 1917 and 1919 through 1933.
In the mid-1990s, Rosenallis won the Intermediate Championship straight after winning the Junior Championship, putting back-to-back titles together.
It was once the "Campion Sparrow Laois Intermediate Football Championship" for sponsorship reasons but no more.
The 2017 final went to a replay before Emo got the better of Portlaoise.
During the pandemic year of 2020, the Laois Intermediate Football Championship achieved the distinction of being the only adult football championship completed in the county that year.

List of finals

Wins listed by club

#ClubWinsYears won
1Clonaslee–St Manman's61981, 1998, 2002, 2009, 2015, 2020
2Ballylinan51944, 1948, 1957, 1961, 2023
2Annanough51936, 1940, 1946, 1949, 1978
2Portlaoise51939, 1956, 1972, 1975, 1982
2Crettyard51965, 1976, 1984, 2005, 2024
6Timahoe41962, 2000, 2004, 2010
6Killeshin41958, 1974, 1993, 2011
6The Heath41943, 1953, 1986, 2022
9St Fintan's Hospital31951, 1960, 1970
9Barrowhouse31980, 1985, 1992
9Arles–Killeen31997, 2001, 2003
9Emo31964, 2012, 2017
9Courtwood31971, 1987, 2018
9O'Dempsey's31952, 1977, 2016
15Mountmellick21968, 2006
15Arles–Kilcruise21967, 1999
15Ballyroan Abbey22008, 2013
15Rosenallis21995, 2019
15Park–Ratheniska21988, 2021
20Jamestown11941
20Stradbally11959
20Wolfhill11950
20St Joseph's11969
20Spink11989
20The Harps11994
20The Rock11996
20Graiguecullen12007
20Ballyfin12014
20Rathdowney11912