Ballygunner set to field two teams in Waterford SHC
Ballygunner's Cathal O’Sullivan and Craig O’Keeffe celebrate following the Co. Final win in the Intermediate hurling final against Tallow. They'll now play in the senior ranks in 2026. Photos: Sean Byrne
Ballygunner will field two teams in the 2026 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship.
Having been crowned All-Ireland champions for the second time by virtue of their 1-20 to 1-14 win against Loughrea, the Déise kingpins are now set to field two senior sides later this year.
Ballygunner won the Waterford Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship this year, defeating Tallow 1-21 to 2-11 in the county final.
They had also won the tournament in 2022, seeing off Ballysaggart 2-29 to 3-20 - but did not have to take their place in the senior ranks on that occasion.
As first reported by the Irish Examiner, despite some reluctance within the club and focus having been on the All-Ireland campaign, Ballygunner’s second team, last year’s premier intermediate county champions, will be treated as an entirely separate entity.
The Waterford County Board have informed the club that the teams can’t be kept separate at the group phase, while the sides also can’t be stopped from playing on the same day or time.
A ruling prohibiting two teams from the same club from playing at the same level was discussed at Central Council in November, but was then referred to a rules advisory committee.
A meeting of the CCC proposed a number of recommendations for the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship going forward, including a restructuring for 2026 with the aim of establishing a Senior Hurling B Championship in 2027.
Under the proposals, the 2026 championship would be divided into two groups of six, played on a round-robin basis, with a break week following the conclusion of the group stage.
The top two teams in each group would qualify directly for the quarter-finals and be seeded. The remaining teams would contest preliminary quarter-finals, drawn as follows: A3 v B6, A4 v B5, A5 v B4, and A6 v B3. The four winners would advance to the quarter-finals, with repeat pairings avoided where possible. Semi-final pairings would be decided by an open draw, again avoiding repeat match-ups if possible.
The four teams defeated in the preliminary quarter-finals, along with the two finalists from the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship, would form the Senior Hurling B Championship in 2027. Ballygunner’s second team would compete in the Senior B Championship in 2027 regardless of their finishing position in the 2026 Senior Hurling Championship.
Should both Ballygunner teams qualify for the 2026 quarter-finals, a play-off would be required to determine which of the four defeated preliminary quarter-final teams remains in the Senior A Championship for 2027. The winners of the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship will continue to represent Waterford in the Munster Intermediate Championship.
The number of teams in each competition for 2027 would see the Senior A Hurling Championship comprise eight teams, the Senior B Hurling Championship six teams, and the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship also consist of six teams.
At the time of writing, the proposals were due to be discussed at a County Board meeting at The Park Hotel, Dungarvan, last night (Monday).
