Can Dunshaughlin get back on track?

Can the 2024 IFC winners take down the 2024 SFC winners in Páirc Tailteann? Photo courtesy Brian Mulligan.

The pace of the action in the Meath Club Championships quickens on Friday evening when there are five games down for decision spread across three different Championhips. Páirc Tailteann hosts a meeting of the 2024 Fairyhouse Steel SFC and 2024 Meade Farm IFC winners, there are three Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation JFC games and there is one match on the agenda in the Coolrite JBFC.

Tickets for the below games which are priced at €8 plus booking fee (a reduction on the admission fee for 2024) are available by clicking the link: Meath GAA Club Championship Tickets

It would bave been unthinkable only a few short weeks ago when they claimed the Division 1 Football League title, but Dunshaughlin take the short journey up the M3 this evening knowing that a defeat to Meath Hill would likely see them crash out of the Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship and at the very least it would leave their fate well outside of their control. This is after Trim defeating Rathkenny in Round 2 on Thursday following on from Rathkenny defeating Dunshaughlin on the opening weekend.

Meath Hill have named Gary Breslin at centre forward for this evening’s game but his participation must be in doubt off the back of being forced off at half time with injury twelve days ago against Trim. Were he to miss out, then this task becomes more of a mountain to climb than a hill for the newly promoted side. The likes of Jack McMahon and Cormac Sheehy would have to bring their game to a new level, something which they are capable of and potentially his younger brother Colin who excelled for their reserve side against Slane last weekend, might have to step up for the first team.

Dunshaughlin are resigned to being without last years captain Jared Rushe for the forseeable future through injury but they have great depth in their panel and the full back line named for this encounter looks very strong with Niall ‘Mini’ Murphy manning the edge of the square and Fiach Hartigan and Fursey Blake in the corner back berths. There is an interesting selection of Charlie O’Connor at centre back, with O’Connor better known as a midfielder and should he line up there, there will be many eyes on his performance.

The forward line racked up a decent tally against Rathkenny on the opening weekend but they never hit top gear, thanks largely to a superb defensive effort from the men in red. In McDonagh, Costello, Duke and Kinsella, they have a wonderfully talented quartet who can win any game and should they hit top form, then Dunshaughlin will be hard to stop.

Castletown will host the meeting of Slane and Syddan in Group A of the Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Junior Football Championship and these sides come into the Round 2 meeting off the back of contrasting fortunes on the opening day. Slane were impressive five point winners over Nobber while Syddan, despite a fine performance at times, lost out by the minimum to St. Vincent’s. There is likely to be very little between these sides but Slane have shown a fondness for this venue in recent years and that might prove crucial.

St. Vincent’s will take on Nobber in Walterstown and as one of the pre-Championship favourites, the Ardcath men will fancy their chances of picking up a second victory in the competition off the back of that one point win over Syddan in Seneschalstown. But Nobber showed enough in their defeat to Slane to suggest that they are capable of picking up a win should their key men hit top form.

The game in Dunganny is the one which many around Bohermeen and Dunderry are calling El Classico. St. Ultan’s came out on top against Kilmainham in a relatively low scoring game a fortnight ago and are coming into this game off the back of that confidence boosting win. And nothing would please them more than potentially knocking their nearest and dearest neighbours out of the Championship.

Dunderry racked up 4-15 the last day, surely one of the highest tallies to not win a Championship game and there must have been some head scratching done as to how they lost to Ballinlough having put up such a big score. But there is no point in being high scoring if you can’t keep the back door closed and they conceded 6-15, a score which would have been higher had Sean Brennan not been in excellent form between the posts.

The Coolrite Junior B Football Championship Round 2 meeting of Boardsmill and Moynalty will throw in at 20:00 in Cortown and it sees a club who got a heavy defeat in the opening round (Boardsmil) against a side who had a comfortable victory (Moynalty). Boardsmill found the going very tough against St. Mary’s the last day and they will not have an easier task when taking on a Moynalty side who are regarded as one of the favourites for the Championship.

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group C Round 2

Dunshaughlin vs Meath Hill

Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Junior Football Championship Group A Round 2

Syddan vs Slane

Nobber vs St. Vincent’s

There was no panel received from St. Vincent’s

Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Junior Football Championship Group B Round 2

Dunderry vs St. Ultan’s

Coolrite Junior B Football Championship Group B Round 2

Boardsmill vs Moynalty

Thursday’s Results

Competition Team 1 Score Score Team 2 Venue Referee Fairyhouse Steel SFC Grp C Rd 2 Trim 2-15 (21) 2-14 (20) Rathkenny Dunganny Pitch 6 Patrick Coyle (Curraha) Meade Farm IFC Grd 2 Moynalvey 1-14 (17) 0-09 (9) Walterstown Dunshaughlin Andrew Smith (Dunshaughlin) Meade Farm IFC Grp B Rd 2 Oldcastle 4-18 (30) 0-12 (12) Curraha Páirc Tailteann Robert Purfield (St. Patrick’s)

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