Club hurling returns to Limerick with start of Premier Intermediate Championship

Tommy Quaid of Effin is tackled by Robert Sampson of Garryspillane during last year's Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final at the TUS Gaelic Grounds | SPORTSFILE

placeholder image — Tommy Quaid of Effin is tackled by Robert Sampson of Garryspillane during last year's Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final at the TUS Gaelic Grounds | SPORTSFILE

Murroe-Boher are playing in the championship opener this Thursday night - they take on Granagh-Ballingarry in Adare at 7pm

CLUB hurling returns to Limerick as the Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship gets underway this Thursday night.

Five members of John Kiely’s All-Ireland winning panel - Effin’s Nickie Quaid and Paddy O’Donovan; Bruff’s Sean Finn and Sean Casey; and Dromin-Athlacca’s David Reidy - are involved in the second-tier competition and will be helping their clubs reach the promised land of senior status.

Effin were beaten in the final last year, losing to Garryspillane in a penalty shootout.

They are one of five south division teams in the championship as Dromin-Athlacca and Bruff are also joined by Blackrock and Glenroe.

Croagh-Kilfinny will be looking to maintain their steady improvement in recent years. After heartbreaking losing three intermediate finals in a row, they finally got over the line in 2024 when they beat Bruree.

The west Limerick club reached the semi-finals of the competition last season and will fancy their chances of going a step further in 2026.

Coincidentally, newly-promoted Murroe-Boher also beat Bruree in an intermediate final.

The lone east division side in the second tier championship are playing in the championship opener this Thursday night - they take on Granagh-Ballingarry, who make up the octet, in Adare at 7pm.

There is one game on Saturday - Blackrock take on Bruff in Knocklong (note this is different venue than originally scheduled) at 2pm.

There are two games on Sunday - either side of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final.

At 1pm in Ballyagran, Croagh-Kilfinny take on Effin while at 7pm Glenroe meet Dromin-Athlacca in Knocklong.

In round 2, Granagh-Ballingarry meet Glenroe in Kilmallock on Friday, July 31 at 7pm.

There are two games the following day: Blackrock v Murroe-Boher (Bruff, 4pm) and the meeting of Effin and Bruff (Kilmallock 7pm). Round 2 concludes on Sunday, August 2 where Ballingarry host the clash of Dromin-Athlacca and Croagh-Kilfinny.

Round 3 takes place the following weekend in the intense seven-round group stage before the top four reach the semi-finals.