All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
| All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship | |
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Current season or competition: 2016 All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
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| Irish | Craobh Idimhéanach Iomána na hÉireann |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Region | Ireland (GAA) |
| Trophy | Michael Cusack Cup |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Title holders | Kilkenny (4th title) |
| First winner | Wexford (4 titles) |
| Most titles | Cork (8 titles) |
| Official website | http://www.gaa.ie |
The All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship, the second tier competition in hurling, is an annual series of games played in Ireland during the summer and early autumn, and organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Effectively contested by the second string teams of the top inter-county hurling sides in Ireland, the tournament has taken place every year since 1997—having originally been run between 1961 and 1973.
The final, usually held in August, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during the summer months, and the results determine which county's team receives the Michael Cusack Cup. The championship has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the series. In the present format, it begins in May with provincial championships held in Leinster and Munster, with the respective champions contesting the subsequent All-Ireland final.
Only Cork and Kilkenny use players exclusively from their various junior or intermediate clubs. If a county wins this competition it may not choose any of the players on the team for the defence of the title the following year.
Eight teams currently participate in the championship, the most dominant teams coming from the province of Munster. Cork and Tipperary have dominated the championship since the beginning. Between them, these teams have won 15 out of 31 (approx 48%) championships completed during its history. The title has been won by eleven different teams, six of which have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Cork, who have won the competition eight times. Kilkenny are the current title holders.
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Intermediate Championship features two teams in the final tournament. 8 teams contest the two provincial under-21 championships with the two respective champions automatically qualifying for the All-Ireland final.
The All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship began in 1961. It was the fourth All-Ireland championship to be created after the senior, junior and minor grades.
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