The draws for the 2021 Bon Secours County Football and Co-Op Superstores County Hurling Championships will take place at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on this Thursday, April 29th at 7pm (preceded by the Rebels’ Bounty Draw for April).

Cork County Senior and Intermediate Championship Draws 2021

Following a comprehensive review process throughout 2018 and 2019, the Championship formats outlined below were approved at County Committee for a period of two years, 2020 and 2021. In 2021 this format will be implemented as outlined below, with a number of additional amendments which proved successful in 2020 and will be retained, as follows.

• Two teams (instead of three) to progress from the groups of four to the play-off stages, thus removing the need for preliminary quarter-finals. This will result in six teams qualifying for the play-off stages in most competitions, with the two top group winners qualifying for the semi-finals and the remaining group winner and the three second -placed teams qualifying for the quarter-finals. In the Premier Senior championships, only the top-ranked group winner will qualify for the semi-finals and the remaining two group winners, the three second-placed teams and the divisions / colleges winner qualifying for the quarter-finals. In IAFC, two teams will qualify from each of the four groups, as before.
• In all grades, the relegation final will be a straight play-off between the two lowest ranked teams (in terms of points won and scoring difference) amongst the bottom-placed teams from each group.
• All knock-out games will be finish on the day, where necessary, and as decided by the CCC.
• Clarification was provided in 2020 with regard to avoiding repeat pairings in quarter-finals. and this is also incorporated below, with no repeat pairings in semi-finals.
• Seeding for 2021 will be based on final positions after the group stages in 2020, with promotion and relegation taking precedence.

Following review recently, April 2021, the following was agreed and will be reflected in the upcoming draws.

• The regrading to Junior of all 12 teams in Lower Intermediate Hurling (LIHC) and 4 teams from Intermediate A Football Championship (IAFC), scheduled for the end of the 2021 season, has been paused for one year, due to the effects of Covid-19 related restrictions.
• It is planned to revert to two Intermediate Hurling (PIHC & IAHC) and two Intermediate Football grades (PIFC & IAFC) at the end of 2022, instead. The IAHC and IAFC grades will contain 16 teams each. LIHC will be abolished, as planned.
• Consequently, the 2020 Junior A Hurling winners will not be promoted to IAHC. They will instead take their place in LIHC. This means that there is a requirement to relegate one team only from IAHC 2020. Therefore, the round robin relegation series between Meelin, Glen Rovers and Argideen Rangers, which has yet to be completed, will see only the bottom team relegated to LIHC 2020, rather than the two teams outlined previously.
• Also, the 2021 Junior A Hurling winners will be promoted to LIHC for 2022 and not IAHC, again requiring only one team to be relegated from IAHC at the end of 2021.

The format / scheduling of Divisional / College rounds will be confirmed at a later date following further consultation with the Divisions / Colleges. Therefore, these draws will not take place this week.

Summary

• 104 Club teams in total in Senior & Intermediate Championships by start 2023
• Four Grades with 12 Teams in both Football and Hurling
  • Premier Senior Football & Hurling (12)
  • Senior A Football & Hurling (12)
  • Premier Intermediate Football & Hurling (12)
  • Intermediate A Football (16)
  • Intermediate A Hurling (2021 / 2022 =12, 2023 onwards =16)
• Transition period across 2021 /2022 will see an extra hurling grade of 12 hurling teams in Lower Intermediate (LIHC)
• Grades 
  • Premier Senior Football Championship PSFC 
  • Senior A Football Championship SAFC 
  • Premier Intermediate Football Championship PIFC 
  • Intermediate A Football Championship IAFC
  • Premier Senior Hurling Championship PSHC
  • Senior A Hurling Championship SAHC
  • Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship PIHC
  • Intermediate A Hurling Championship IAHC
  • Lower Intermediate Hurling Championship LIHC

• Seedings Based on final positions after the group stages in the previous year.

• Sequence of Group Games R1 (A v B, C v D); R2 (A v D, B v C); R3 (A v C, B v D).
• Placings as per Rule 6.21 Placing within groups for qualification / relegation will be determined in line with general rule, as follows:
  • if two teams are tied, it will be based on the head-to-head result.
  • if three or more teams are tied, it will be based on scoring difference.
  • placing across groups to be determined by points won and scoring difference.

• Qualification; two teams from each groups qualify for the semi-finals / quarter-finals as outlined in each grade below.
• Relegation; ‘one up one down’.
• Divisions / Colleges; one team to enter at quarter-final stage of the Premier Senior Championships. Format / scheduling of Divisional / College rounds to be confirmed later following further consultation with the Divisions / Colleges.
• Draw Format & Procedure In all competitions with 12 teams (3 groups of 4), draws will take place as follows: There will be 3 Groups to be filled (labelled A to C). There will be 3 top seeds, 3 second seeds, 3 third seeds and 3 fourth seeds. The three top seeds will be placed in bowl 1. The three second seeds will be placed in bowl 2, the third seeds in bowl 3 and the fourth seeds in bowl 4. For example, Group A will be formed by drawing one team from each of the four bowls and so on.
• *Exception For IAFC where there are 16 teams there will instead be four top seeds placed in bowl 1 etc. They will be drawn and placed in Groups A to D in order.

Premier Senior Hurling & Football

• • 12 Teams
  • 3 Groups of 4 Teams, each with a top seed, second seed, third seed and fourth seed included
  • 3 Games each

• Divisional and College teams will play in their own competition as before, with one team gaining entry to the Championship proper at the quarter-final stage. Players from the 24 Senior Clubs (Premier Senior and Senior A ) will not be eligible to play with such teams as per bye-law. Cork will represented in provincial Club competitions by the Premier Senior, Premier Intermediate and Junior A champions, as before.

Premier Senior Hurling Championship Seedings 2021

Premier Senior Football Championship Seedings 2021

Qualification

In the Premier Senior Hurling and Football Championships, only the top group winner will qualify for the semi-finals, with the remaining two group winners, the three second-placed teams and the divisions / colleges winner qualifying for the three quarter-finals.

Teams (1-6) will be ranked as follows, on completion of the group stages:

1. Top Group winner
2. Second Group winner
3. Third Group winner
4. Top Group runner-up
5. Second Group runner-up
6. Third Group runner up

Quarter-finals: (a) 2v5, (b) 3v4, (c) 6 v Divisions / Colleges winner

Semi-finals: 1 v (b), (a) v (c)

A repeat pairing is possible in the quarter finals in (a) 2v5 and (b) 3v4 above. If either scenario arises, then team 2 will instead play team 4, and team 3 will play team 5. Repeat pairings in semi-finals will be avoided, with pairings being adjusted where necessary.

Relegation

The relegation final will be a straight play-off between the two lowest ranked teams (in terms of points won and scoring difference) amongst the three bottom placed teams from the groups.

Senior A Hurling & Football

• 12 Teams
• 3 Groups of 4 Teams, each with a top seed, second seed, third seed and fourth seed included
• 3 Games each

Senior A Hurling Championship Seedings 2021

Senior A Football Championship Seedings 2021

Qualification

Two teams will progress from each group of four to the play-off stages. This will result in six teams qualifying for the play-off stages, with the two top group winners qualifying for the semi-finals and the remaining group winner and the three second -placed teams qualifying for the quarter-finals. 

Teams (1-6) will be ranked as follows, on completion of the group stages:

1. Top Group winner
2. Second Group winner
3. Third Group winner
4. Top Group runner-up
5. Second Group runner-up
6. Third Group runner up

Quarter-finals: (a) 3v6, (b) 4v5

Semi-finals: 1 v (b), 2 v (a)

A repeat pairing is possible in the quarter finals in (a) 3v6 above. If this arises 3 will instead play 5 and 4 will play 6. Repeat pairings in semi-finals will be avoided, with pairings being adjusted where necessary.

Relegation

The relegation final will be a straight play-off between the two lowest ranked teams (in terms of points won and scoring difference) amongst the three bottom placed teams from the groups. 

Premier Intermediate Hurling & Football

• 12 Teams
• 3 Groups of 4 Teams, each with a top seed, second seed, third seed and fourth seed included
• 3 Games each

Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Seedings 2021

Premier Intermediate Football Championship Seedings 2021

Qualification

Two teams will progress from each group of four to the play-off stages. This will result in six teams qualifying for the play-off stages, with the two top group winners qualifying for the semi-finals and the remaining group winner and the three second -placed teams qualifying for the quarter-finals. 

Teams (1-6) will be ranked as follows, on completion of the group stages:

1. Top Group winner
2. Second Group winner
3. Third Group winner
4. Top Group runner-up
5. Second Group runner-up
6. Third Group runner up

Quarter-finals: (a) 3v6, (b) 4v5

Semi-finals: 1 v (b), 2 v (a)

A repeat pairing is possible in the quarter finals in (a) 3v6 above. If this arises 3 will instead play 5 and 4 will play 6. Repeat pairings in semi-finals will be avoided, with pairings being adjusted where necessary.

Relegation

The relegation final will be a straight play-off between the two lowest ranked teams (in terms of points won and scoring difference) amongst the three bottom placed teams from the groups. 

Intermediate A Hurling

• 12 Teams
• 3 Groups of 4 Teams, each with a top seed, second seed, third seed and fourth seed included
• 3 Games each

Intermediate A Hurling Championship Seedings 2021

Qualification 

Two teams will progress from each group of four to the play-off stages. This will result in six teams qualifying for the play-off, with the two top group winners qualifying for the semi-finals and the remaining group winner and the three second -placed teams qualifying for the quarter-finals. 

Teams (1-6) will be ranked as follows, on completion of the group stages:

1. Top Group winner
2. Second Group winner
3. Third Group winner
4. Top Group runner-up
5. Second Group runner-up
6. Third Group runner up

Quarter-finals: (a) 3v6, (b) 4v5

Semi-finals: 1 v (b), 2 v (a)

A repeat pairing is possible in the quarter finals in (a) 3v6 above. If this arises 3 will instead play 5 and 4 will play 6. Repeat pairings in semi-finals will be avoided, with pairings being adjusted where necessary.

Relegation

The relegation final will be a straight play-off between the two lowest ranked teams (in terms of points won and scoring difference) amongst the three bottom placed teams from the groups. 

Intermediate A Football

• 16 Teams
• 4 Groups of 4 Teams, each with a top seed, second seed, third seed and fourth seed included
• 3 Games each

Intermediate A Football Championship Seedings 2021

Qualification

In Intermediate A Football Championship there are four groups of four, so the top two from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, where group winners will play a group runner up from another group.

Teams (1-8) will be ranked as follows, on completion of the group stages:

1. Top Group winner
2. Second Group winner
3. Third Group winner
4. Fourth Group winner
5. Top Group runner-up
6. Second Group runner-up
7. Third Group runner up
8. Fourth Group runner-up

Quarter-finals: (a) 1v8, (b) 2v7, (c) 3v6, (d) 4v5

Semi-finals: (a) v (d), (b) v (c)

A repeat pairing is possible in all quarter finals here. If a repeat pairing occurs, the second team in the fixture will move down to the next fixture on the list with group winners playing group runners up in all cases. If a repeat pairing occurs in the last quarter-final (d) (i.e. 4v5), then team 3 plays team 5 and team 4 plays team 6. Repeat pairings in semi-finals will be avoided, with pairings being adjusted where necessary.

Relegation

The relegation final will be a straight play-off between the two lowest ranked teams (in terms of points won and scoring difference) amongst the four bottom placed teams from the groups. 

Lower Intermediate Hurling

• 12 Teams
• 3 Groups of 4 Teams, each with a top seed, second seed, third seed and fourth seed included
• 3 Games each

Lower Intermediate Hurling Championship Seedings 2021

*This seeding has been simplified since the previous draft with no change in seeding

Qualification

Two teams will progress from each group of four to the play-off stages. This will result in six teams qualifying for the play-off stages with the two top group winners qualifying for the semi-finals and the remaining group winner and the three second -placed teams qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Teams (1-6) will be ranked as follows, on completion of the group stages:

1. Top Group winner
2. Second Group winner
3. Third Group winner
4. Top Group runner-up
5. Second Group runner-up
6. Third Group runner up

Quarter-finals: (a) 3v6, (b) 4v5

Semi-finals: 1 v (b), 2 v (a)

A repeat pairing is possible in the quarter finals in (a) 3v6 above. If this arises 3 will instead play 5 and 4 will play 6. Repeat pairings in semi-finals will be avoided, with pairings being adjusted where necessary.

Relegation

The relegation final will be a straight play-off between the two lowest ranked teams (in terms of points won and scoring difference) amongst the three bottom placed teams from the groups.