Shock as Naas concede this weekend's Intermediate Championship final
The 2026 UPMC Intermediate Hurling Championship final was fixed for Sunday, November 1
Naas GAA have advised the CCC that they are unable to fulfil the 2026 UMPC IHC final fixture and it has been cancelled with the game being awarded to Leixlip by way of concession.
Naas have conceded the fixture with the club’s AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship opening round against Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) set for next Sunday, November 8.
Leixlip have been crowned champions in a manner which they will not have envisaged at the start of the year, by email, with their team denied their day in the county grounds and now a chance to add to their promotion to the SHC with glory on the field.
The IHC final has had a turbulent two weeks with fixture changes and complaints from supporters that 11am on a Sunday in Manguard Park, Hawkfield, what was fixed for this weekend, was inappropriate for a county final.
The sides first met on August 16 where Leixlip emerged victorious by a margin of three points and they were originally scheduled to meet again on Saturday, October 24 to decide who the Intermediate champions would be.
An enthralling final was expected with despite Leixlip dominating the group stage, Naas scored more and conceded less than the table-toppers who finished with five wins from five. Naas managed four wins with the sole blemish on their record being that aforementioned defeat to their final opponents.
The likes of Charlie Carroll and Fionn Maher have been among the top performers for Naas’ IHC team alongside two more Boran’s, Tom and CJ.
The freshly-structure Kildare IHC has provided great spectacle for hurling fans in the county but its first season in its new form ends on a bum note.