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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 | |
| Irish | Craobh Iomána Sóisear A Corcaigh Thuaidh |
| Code | Hurling |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Region |  Avondhu (GAA) |
| Trophy | Seán O'Brien Memorial Cup |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Title holders |  Killavullen (1st title) |
| Most titles |  Ballyhea,  Kilworth (10 titles) |
| Sponsors | Hibernian Hotel |
| Official website | Official 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
editDevelopment
editThe 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
editMilford 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
editFor 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
editGroup stage
editThe 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
editQuarter-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
edit2024 Teams
editThe 12 teams competing in the 2024 North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship are:
| Team | Location | Colours | Position in 2023 | In Championship since | Championship Titles | Last Championship Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Araglen | Green and white | Group stage | 2021 | 0 | — | |
| Ballyhea | Black and white | Group stage | 2023 | 10 | 1976 | |
| Ballyhooly | Blue and yellow | Semi-finals | 1996 | 0 | — | |
| Charleville | Red and white | Group stage | 2019 | 9 | 2011 | |
| Mourneabbey | Black and yellow | Quarter-finals | 1992 | 3 | 2019 | |
| Dromina | Blue and yellow | Group stage | 2014 | 5 | 2017 | |
| Fermoy | Black and amber | — | 2024 | 8 | 2009 | |
| Glanworth | Green and white | Champions | 2002 | 4 | 2023 | |
| Killavullen | Blue and white | Quarter-finals | 2018 | 1 | 2024 | |
| Glantane | Blue and yellow | Runners-up | 2014 | 1 | 2022 | |
| Churchtown | Green, white and yellow | Semi-finals | 2017 | 0 | — | |
| Shanballymore | Red and black | Group stage | 2016 | 5 | 1997 |
Qualification for subsequent competitions
editThe North Cork Championship winners qualify for the subsequent Cork Junior A Hurling Championship.
Roll of honour
editBy club
edit| # | Club | Titles | Runners-up | Championship wins | Championship runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 9 | 1930, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1965, 1975, 1976 | 1928, 1937, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1954, 1964, 1969, 1974 | |
| 10 | 9 | 1961, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1980, 1983, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2006 | 1962, 1963, 1965, 1972, 1976, 1985, 1994, 1997, 2004 | ||
| 3 | 9 | 8 | 1945, 1970, 1974, 1986, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2011 | 1926, 1973, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1995, 1998, 2006 | |
| 9 | 5 | 1962, 1963, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1984, 1988, 2012 | 1961, 1968, 1975, 1978, 2011 | ||
| 9 | 3 | 1939, 1940, 1944, 1946, 1951, 1952, 1968, 1992, 2013 | 1941, 1942, 2014 | ||
| 6 | 8 | 8 | 1928, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1978, 1979, 1982 | 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1980, 1991, 2007 | |
| 8 | 2 | 1941, 1964, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2009 | 2000, 2008 | ||
| 8 | 5 | 10 | 1998, 2000, 2003, 2014, 2017 | 1927, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002 | |
| 5 | 5 | 1931, 1937, 1942, 1996, 1997 | 1930, 1939, 1940, 1989, 2018 | ||
| 5 | 2 | 1925, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1981 | 1979, 1990 | ||
| 11 | 4 | 3 | 2015, 2016, 2020, 2023 | 2012, 2019, 2024 | |
| 12 | 3 | 6 | 1985, 1989, 2019 | 1957, 1986, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2021 | |
| 3 | 1 | 2004, 2018, 2021 | 2003 | ||
| 14 | 2 | 3 | 1947, 1948 | 1949, 1951, 1958 | |
| 2 | 2 | 1938, 1943 | 1932, 1935 | ||
| 2 | 1 | 1926, 1927 | 1938 | ||
| 17 | 1 | 5 | 1932 | 1931, 1934, 1970, 1971, 1982 | |
| 1 | 3 | 1934 | 1933, 1936, 1944 | ||
| 1 | 2 | 2022 | 2020, 2023 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1929 | 2010 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 2024 | 1929 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 2010 | — | ||
| 23 | 0 | 4 | — | 1945, 1946, 2016, 2017 | |
| Allow Rovers | 0 | 2 | — | 1956, 1960 | |
| 0 | 2 | — | 2013, 2022 | ||
| Ballymagoogley | 0 | 1 | — | 1925 | |
| 0 | 1 | — | 1966 | ||
| 0 | 1 | — | 1967 |
List of finals
editNotes
- 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
editTeams
editBy decade
editThe most successful team of each decade, judged by the number of North Cork Junior A Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:
- 1930s: 3 for Milford (1933-35-36)
- 1940s: 3 for Newtownshandrum (1940-44-46)
- 1950s: 5 for Ballyhea (1950-53-55-58-59)
- 1960s: 3 each for Kildorrery (1962-63-69) and Kilworth (1961-66-67)
- 1970s: 3 for Kildorrery (1972-73-77)
- 1980s: 2 each for Kilworth (1980–83), Kildorrery (1984-88) and Clyda Rovers (1985–89)
- 1990s: 4 for Fermoy (1990-91-94-99)
- 2000s: 4 for Charleville (2001-02-07-08)
- 2010s: 2 each for Dromina (2014-17) and Harbour Rovers (2015-16)
- 2020s: 2 for Harbour Rovers (2020-23)
Gaps
editTop ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:
- 71 years: Dromina (1927-1998)
- 54 years: Shanballymore (1942-1996)
- 45 years: Milford (1936-1981)
- 30 years: Clyda Rovers (1989-2019)
- 26 years: Castletownroche (1928-1954)
- 25 years: Charleville (1945-1970)
- 24 years: Newtownshandrum (1968-1992)
- 24 years: Kildorrery (1988-2012)
- 23 years: Fermoy (1941-1964)
- 23 years: Fermoy (1964-1987)
Winners and finalists
editTwo 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, Doneraile, Charleville, Kilshannig and Killavullen 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
edit| # | Team | Titles | Runners-up | Years won | Years Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 1 | 1930, 1955, 1976 | 1959 | |
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 1967, 2006 | 1961, 1980, 1993, 2005 | |
| 2 | 3 | 1908, 1942 | 1902, 1904, 1937 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 1946, 1969 | 1940, 1992 | ||
| 2 | 1 | 1960, 1982 | 1979 | ||
| 6 | 1 | 3 | 2011 | 1974, 2001, 2007 | |
| 1 | 1 | 1914 | 1950 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1919 | 1918 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 2012 | 1972 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 1934 | — | ||
| 1 | 0 | 1943 | — | ||
| 1 | 0 | 1981 | — | ||
| 1 | 0 | 1989 | — | ||
| 1 | 0 | 2003 | — | ||
| 1 | 0 | 2009 | — | ||
| 1 | 0 | 2021 | — | ||
| 17 | 0 | 2 | – | 2020, 2023 | |
| Funcheon Vale | 0 | 1 | — | 1916 | |
| 0 | 1 | — | 2022 |
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ Ryan, Pat (19 October 2023). "Harbour Rovers see off Kilshanning to claim Avondhu Junior Hurling crown". The Corkan. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ Ryan, Paddy (14 October 2023). "Harbour Rovers lift Avondhu Junior A Hurling title by seeing off Kilshannig". Echo Live. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Ryan, Paddy (20 June 2021). "Harbour Rovers hold off Kilshanning in Avondhu hurling final". Evening Echo. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Paddy (15 September 2019). "Clyda clinch the Avondhu hurling title after late drama against Harbour Rovers". Evening Echo. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Ryan, Pat (12 September 2020). "Clyda face Harbour and Ballygiblin take on Kilshannig for JAHC final spots". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Dramatic finish sees Dromina take title". The Corkman. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ Ryan, Pat (14 January 2017). "Rovers find safe Harbour in 2016". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Pat (23 January 2016). "Ballyclough were the stars of 2015". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Avondhu in 2014 - how was it for you?". The Corkman. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Paddy (27 August 2012). "Kildorrery bridge 24-year gap". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ McGrath, Mike (10 November 2011). "Charleville bask in final glory". The Corkman. Retrieved 25 October 2021.