Cavan Intermediate Football Championship
Currentlyrunning2025 Cavan Intermediate Football Championship
CodeGaelic football
Founded1915
RegionCavan, Ireland
TrophyTommy Gilroy Cup
Teams15
Title holders Cuchulainns
Currentordinal4
Most titlesFive clubs
Mostordinal4
SponsorsO'Reilly Precast
Websitehttp://www.cavangaa.ie

The Cavan Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition organised by Cavan GAA. It is played between the fourteen intermediate-graded clubs in County Cavan. It was first competed for in 1915, before a lapse prior to being revived in 1966. The winners are awarded the Tommy Gilroy Cup and go on to represent Cavan in the Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship. The winners are also promoted to the Cavan Senior Football Championship for the following year.

Five different clubs—Arva, Ballinagh, Cuchulainns, Lacken, and Templeport—have won the competition four times. Cuchulainns are the current champions after beating Butlersbridge in the 2025 final.

Format

14 teams contest the O'Reilly Precast Intermediate Football Championship. The championship is run on a league basis up to the quarter-final stage and knock-out thereafter. Each team plays 4 rounds in the league phase with the fixtures decided by a random draw at the conclusion of each round. No team can meet each other twice in the group stage. The top 8 teams in the league progress to the quarter-finals while the bottom 4 placed teams in the league enter a relegation play-off with 1 team to be relegated to the Cavan Junior Football Championship. The winner is promoted to the Cavan Senior Football Championship.

List of finals

Key to list of winners
†Winning team reached the final of the Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship
‡Winning team won the Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship
List of Cavan Intermediate Football Championship finals[1]
YearWinnersScoreOpponentRef.
1915Cornafean
1916Cornafean
1923Templeport1–2 – 1–2Bruskey
3–1 – 2–4 (R)
1–2 – 1–2 (R)
1–2 – 1–0 (R)
1924Templeport
1925Gowna3–1 – 0–1Cootehill
1926Tullyco2–1 – 0–2Virginia Blues
1966Castlerahan1–14 – 0–7Arva
1967Lacken2–7 – 1–7Drumalee
1968Ballyhaise1–5 – 0–5Crosserlough
1969Drumalee1–9 – 1–6Arva[2]
1970Killygarry2–5 – 2–3Cootehill[3]
1971Cootehill2–8 – 1–3Virginia Blues[4]
1972Arva1–10 – 1–4Ballymachugh
1973Redhills3–7 – 3–3Killeshandra
1974Maghera4–6 – 2–4Drumlane
1975Virginia0–12 – 0–9Templeport
1976Kingscourt Stars0–11 – 0–6Arva
1977Templeport2–6 – 0–5Mullahoran
1978Mullahoran2–9 – 1–6Castlerahan
1979Ballinagh1–9 – 0–4Killinkere
1980Munterconnaught2–4 – 0–7Cuchulainns
1981Ballymachugh0–6 – 0–6Redhills
4–5 – 2–7 (R)
1982Killinkere0–10 – 1–4Castlerahan
1983Arva1–11 – 0–7Knockbride
1984Shercock0–8 – 0–8Knockbride
1985Gowna0–14 – 0–4Cuchulainns
1986Killeshandra0–10 – 1–6Cuchulainns
1987Cuchulainns1–10 – 0–12Denn
1988Denn2–7 – 1–8Redhills
1989Bailieborough Shamrocks1–9 – 0–7Lavey
1990Denn2–15 – 1–7Belturbet
1991Killeshandra0–9 – 0–6Munterconnaught[5]
1992Ballinagh0–10 – 0–7Ballymachugh
1993Cuchulainns3–11 – 1–4Lacken
1994Laragh United0–15 – 2–6Cornafean
1995Templeport1–14 – 0–7Arva
1996Belturbet1–5 – 0–5Denn
1997Lacken2–10 – 2–8Knockbride
1998Killygarry0–12 – 0–8Denn
1999Ballymachugh0–8 – 0–6Denn
2000Knockbride2–11 – 0–7Drung
2001Castlerahan1–6 – 0–9Drung
0–10 – 2–2 (R)
2002Drumgoon †0–8 – 0–6Denn
2003Denn1–8 – 0–9Ballinagh
2004Lacken1–9 – 1–8Drung
2005Cuchulainns1–6 – 0–7Drumalee
2006Drumalee0–7 – 0–7Ballinagh
1–5 – 0–4 (R)
2007Ballinagh ‡1–7 – 0–9Lavey
2008Redhills0–14 – 1–8Ballyhaise[6]
2009Lavey †3–9 – 1–8Cootehill[7]
2010Drumalee1–11 – 0–8Drumlane[8]
2011Drumgoon0–11 – 1–7Crosserlough[9]
2012Lacken1–10 – 1–10Cootehill[10][11]
3–10 – 1–9 (R)
2013Killeshandra1–10 – 1–8Shercock[12]
2014Cootehill3–11 – 0–8Ballyhaise[13]
2015Ballyhaise2–13 – 1–14Arva[14]
2016Arva3–10 – 1–16Killinkere[15][16]
0–11 – 0–10 (R)
2017Shercock2–11 – 1–9Ballyhaise[17]
2018Mullahoran †2–16 – 0–8Cuchulainns[18]
2019Laragh United2–16 – 1–9Belturbet[19]
2020Ballinagh0–23 – 0–11Butlersbridge[20]
2021Butlersbridge1–12 – 0–14Ballyhaise[21]
2022Castlerahan1–8 – 0–8Ballyhaise[22]
2023Ballyhaise †0–13 – 0–7Denn[23]
2024Arva †3–11 – 0–11Butlersbridge[24]
2025Cuchulainns †0–24 – 0–18Butlersbridge[25]

Performances by club

Performances in the Cavan Intermediate Football Championship by club
ClubTitlesYears won
Templeport41923, 1924, 1977, 1995
Lacken41967, 1997, 2004, 2012
Ballinagh41979, 1992, 2007, 2020
Arva41972, 1983, 2016, 2024
Cuchulainns41987, 1993, 2005, 2025
Drumalee31969, 2006, 2010
Denn31988, 1990, 2003
Killeshandra31986, 1991, 2013
Castlerahan31966, 2001, 2022
Ballyhaise31968, 2015, 2023
Cornafean21915, 1916
Gowna21925, 1985
Killygarry21970, 1998
Ballymachugh21981, 1999
Redhills21973, 2008
Drumgoon22002, 2011
Cootehill21971, 2014
Shercock21984, 2017
Mullahoran21978, 2018
Laragh United21994, 2019
Tullyco11926
Maghera11974
Virginia11975
Kingscourt Stars11976
Munterconnaught11980
Killinkere11982
Bailieborough Shamrocks11989
Belturbet11996
Knockbride12000
Lavey12009
Butlersbridge12021

References

  1. ^ Cartwright, George (2023). Breffni Park to Kingspan Breffni: Celebrating 100 Years. Cavan GAA. pp. 242–244. ISBN 978-1-3999-6000-7.
  2. ^ "1969 was a memorable season for Drumalee". Hogan Stand. 28 September 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  3. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (24 April 2020). "From the archive: Killygarry reach senior ranks in 1970". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Cootehill Celtic Winners of 1971". Hogan Stand. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  5. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (18 January 2021). "From the archive: Leaguers win 1991 IFC". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Cavan IFC: Redhills edge past rivals to collect title". Hogan Stand. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  7. ^ "IFC: Gallant Lavey claim first intermediate crown". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  8. ^ "IFC: Brilliant Drumalee clinch title". Hogan Stand. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  9. ^ "IFC final: Drumgoon upset Crosserlough to clinch title". Hogan Stand. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  10. ^ "IFC final: Lacken and Cootehill finish all square". Hogan Stand. 7 October 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  11. ^ "IFC final replay: McKiernan hat-trick buries Cootehill". Hogan Stand. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  12. ^ Corrigan, Shane (20 October 2013). "IFC final: Leaguers leave it late". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  13. ^ Corrigan, Shane (4 October 2014). "IFC final: Cootehill end 43-year wait". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  14. ^ Corrigan, Shane (4 October 2015). "IFC final: Ballyhaise hold on to end hoodoo". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  15. ^ Corrigan, Shane (3 October 2016). "IFC final: Arva and Killinkere finish all square in thrilling decider". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  16. ^ Corrigan, Shane (15 October 2016). "IFC final replay: 33-year wait over for Arva". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  17. ^ Corrigan, Shane (1 October 2017). "IFC final: Shercock stun Ballyhaise to bridge 33-year gap". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  18. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (14 October 2018). "Mullahoran deliver in brilliant style". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  19. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (6 October 2019). "Impressive Laragh claim IFC title in style". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  20. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (27 September 2020). "Ballinagh storm to Intermediate crown". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  21. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (31 October 2021). "Butlersbridge make history after enthralling final". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  22. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (9 October 2022). "Castlerahan return to senior ranks". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  23. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (15 October 2023). "Ballyhaise claim Intermediate Championship title". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  24. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (13 October 2024). "Arva make it back-to-back county titles with win over the 'Bridge". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  25. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (6 October 2025). "Cuchulainns claim IFC crown in high-quality final". The Anglo-Celt. Retrieved 6 October 2025.