The Down Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Morgan Fuels Down Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Down IHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association for the second tier hurling teams in County Down in Northern Ireland.
In its current format, the Down Intermediate Championship begins with a group stage. The four group stage teams play each other in a round-robin system. The top two teams in the group proceed to the knockout stage, where they are joined by the bottom two teams from the Down SHC. The final is usually played at Páirc Esler in Newry. The winner of the Down Intermediate Hurling Championship qualifies for the subsequent Ulster Intermediate Club Championship.
Bredagh are the title holders after defeating Carryduff by 4-17 to 1-16 in the 2024 final.[1]
Format
Group stage
Over the course of the four-team group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least three games.[2] 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 from the group stage proceed to the knockout stage.
Knockout stage
Semi-finals: The top teams from the group stage and the bottom two teams from the Down SHC group stage contest the semi-finals.[3]
Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final.
The Charlie Keown Memorial Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It was commissioned to honour Liatroim Fontenoys clubman Charlie Keown who served in a number of administrative roles with the Down County Board, including a three-year term as chairman from 1985.[4] Pearse Óg McCrickard was the first recipient of the cup in 2022.
