The Dublin Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship (abbreviated to the Dublin PIHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking intermediate clubs in the county of Dublin in Ireland. It is the third tier overall in the entire Dublin hurling championship system.
The Dublin Premier Intermediate Championship was introduced in 2025 following a restructuring of the existing Dublin hurling system. It was the sixth adult county championship to come into existence in Dublin.
In its current format, the eight participating teams compete in a seven-game round-robin group stage. The top four teams proceed to the knockout stage that culminates with the final match at Parnell Park. The winner of the Limerick Premier Intermediate Championship, as well as gaining automatic promotion to the Dublin Senior 2 Championship, qualifies for the subsequent Leinster Club Championship.
The Dublin Intermediate Hurling Championship was established in 1924 in an effort to provide a meaningful competition for clubs and also to bridge the standard of play between the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship and the Dublin Junior Hurling Championship. As the number of club teams increased, the need for more appropriate championships also increased. By 2024, the Dublin hurling system featured three senior championships, one intermediate championship and one junior championship.
In February 2025, the Dublin County Committee ratified a new structure for all adult hurling championships. The new structure resulted in the abolition of the Dublin Senior 3 Hurling Championship and the creation of a new Dublin Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship. This new competition consisted of the bottom six teams from SHC 3 in 2024, as well as the winner and runner-up from the 2024 IHC.[2]
The eight teams in the inaugural championship were: Commercials, Cuala, Naomh Fionnbarra, Naomh Ólaf, O'Tooles, Setanta, St Sylvester's and St Vincent's. The very first matches took place on 12 July 2025.[3] Commercials went on to win the very first championship after a 1–22 to 0–13 win over St Sylvester's in the 2025 final.
Format
Group stage
The eight teams form one single group. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed seven 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 four teams in the group qualify for the knockout stage.
Knockout stage
Semi-finals: The top four teams from the group stage qualify for the semi-finals. 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd with the higher placed team having home advantage. 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.
Promotion and relegation
At the end of the championship, the winning team is automatically promoted to the Dublin Senior 2 Championship for the following season. The bottom four teams after the group stage enter the relegationplayoffs. 5th v. 8th and 6th v. 7th with the higher placed team having home advantage. The two losing teams are relegated to the Dublin Intermediate Championship for the following season.
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Dublin (GAA)
Commercials (1st title)
