Hectic Saturday of Championship Action Ahead

20 October 2024; Adrian Crawford of Wolfe Tones during the Meath County Senior Club Football Championship final match between Wolfe Tones and Dunshaughlin at Páirc Tailteann in Navan, Meath. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

It may be a Bank Holiday Weekend but there is no let up in the on field action in the Meath Club Football Championships with 8 games spread across the first team competitions on Saturday evening and further games on in the reserve championships.

Round 1 is often a round where upsets can be the order of the day with teams understrength due to players not having come home from their summer travels but where might there be an upset today?

Perennial contenders for the Keegan Cup, Summerhill open their latest tilt for the Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship when taking on Gaeil Colmcille in Trim at 17:00.

Now under the stewardship of Dave Clare who was in Páirc Tailteann on Friday evening to see Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Na Fianna play out an entertaining draw, the ‘Hill have named a strong side for this encounter. Adam McDonnell who has played all of his Championship football at wing back since coming out of the Minor ranks a few years ago moves to midfield, a berth he held during the League and how this positional switch works could be key. If he can form an effective partnership with Adam Flanagan then it could open up further opportunities for a side who have a plethora of options in the half back line.

As ever, the running game of David Larkin and Kevin Ryan will be key for Summerhill as will the form of the dangerous inside line of Conor and Eoghan Frayne as well as Barry Dardis.

There is a very interesting selection at midfield for Gaeil Colmcille where Seamus Mattimoe, noted for being one of the most dangerous forwards in the county, will partner Liam Ferguson. Conn Cleary has a happy knack of getting them most out of a team he’s involved with and he will be looking to some of his younger charges to step up and bring their game to new levels this year.

And there is no doubting that potential is there in the likes of Rian Early who starred for the Meath U-20’s this year at full back, the Gormley twins Andrew and John as well as the slightly older Ajay Tormey who shone in the 2023 Championship.

You could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve woken up in a previous year today as the opening game in Group B is a repeat of a game which has become a staple of the opening weekend in recent years. In 2022 and 2024 Seneschalstown and St. Colmcille’s have met a this stage of the competition and they will once more lock horns. Twelve months ago it was the ‘Cilles who won out in Stamullen but it’s anybody’s guess who will pick up the points on offer today.

And both are shorn of the services of their county panelists through injury with Cathal Hickey out for the Yellow Furze outfit and James Conlon remaining on the sidelines for St. Colmcille’s.

On the plus side for Seneschalstown, Niall Hickey is back for his first Championship appearance since 2021 and he is joined by Bryan Clarke (Man of the Match in the Senior Final 18 years ago) who had retired from Senior football back in 2021 in the immediate aftermath of helping his side win a relegation playoff. Clarke incidentally is also a selector with the team this year.

The East Meath side are short a number of players who would expected to be part of a first choice XV with the lure of a summer in America appearing to have proven too strong to resist. Nonetheless, the production lines have been moving well as evidenced by their regular presence in Minor Division 1 Finals over the last decade.

Eoin Gillick who has played much of his football to date in the half back line is named at midfield along with Ruairí O’Grady and if they can get the upperhand on Donal Commons and Niall Hickey then it will be a massive boost for the ‘Cilles. Ben Brennan will look to pull the strings at centre forward and they have plenty of danger lurking in the inside line of the attack with the likes of Jack Reynolds, Luke ‘Bomber’ Hanan and David Bell.

Reigning champions Dunshaughlin open the defence of their crown at 18:00 in Páirc Tailteann when they take on a Rathkenny side that escaped the relegation mire at the semi-final stage in 2024.

There is a new management team in Dunshaughlin for this year’s Championship and they will be looking to lay down an early marker a few weeks after bringing the Division 1 League title back to the club.

Charlie O’Connor who had an injury hit season with Meath, will line out at midfield alongside Adam Kealy and much will be expected of Conor Duke who had a fine debut season with the county side.

There is a new look to their inside forward line with John McDonagh linking up with Adam Hanley and Sean O’Neill but few would be shocked to see Mathew Costello and/or Ruairí Kinsella being announced as late additions to the starting team.

Rathkenny will as ever look to Keith Curtis to bear a large share of the scoring burden in their attack and they’ll likely opt for the odd long ball towards the edge of the square where James Macken will act as the target man.

Jeaic Timmons is back from a few years spent in America and he is named at corner forward but it would be no surprise to see him adopt a roving role.

Last year’s beaten finalists Bhulf Tón CLG are in action at 17:00 in Walterstown where they face local rivals Simonstown Gaels in what is the live game on Clubber.

Having won the Comortas Peile na Gaeltacht on the June Bank Holiday Weekend, they come into the Championship in fine fettle and there is nothing to get the blood flowing more on the opening weekend of the Championship than meeting your local rivals.

Ross Gallagher anchors the defensive effort at centre back and he will be flanked by two men who love to raid forward in Dan O’Neill and Sean Penny. Behind him is the evergreen Shane Glynn who mans the edge of the square while in attack, will Caolan Ward manage to find a few moments for his popular Tik Tok profile.

The Northside Blues will look to their inside line of Eoghan Gough, Aaron Farrelly and Sean Tobin to carry much of their scoring threat while Pádraig McKeever will keep the scoreboard ticking over from centre forward as well. Brian McGrath always carries an attacking threat from wing back and the tussle between Brían Conlon and Thomas O’Reilly could be worth the admission fee alone.

The opening game on the Páirc Tailteann double header is the Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship meeting of Drumbaragh Emmets and Oldcastle.

Drumbaragh Emmets have been missing Hughie Corcoran for the summer with the ace attacker in the USA but he is named on the bench for this game and could potentially make his return to the side. They have an impressive looking midfield paring in Harry O’Higgins and Shea McManus and if the Oldcastle attack catches fire then the performance of the reliable Jake Balfe between the uprights will be crucial.

Joe Sheridan knows the Intermediate Championship well from his time over Duleek-Bellewstown and his appointment over Oldcastle grabbed the attention of plenty of people over the close season.

There is no shortage of talent among the group and twelve months ago they turned in a devastating display when defeating St. Patrick’s on the opening weekend. Dylan Garrigan is a solid full back, Paddy Rahill is teak tough at centre back but it is the influx of youth in recent times through the likes of Thomas Sheridan and the Crawleys, Pat and Rory who have brought a freshness to the group.

In Group C, Castletown who are aiming for a clean sweep of competitions in 2025, will take on St. Michael’s at 178:30 in Moynalty. Having won the Corn na Boinne and League titles already this year, Justin Carry Lynch is getting a fine tune out of his charges.

St. Michael’s though will be relishing this encounter and while their League campaign was a struggle, they were operating in Division 2 as opposed to Castletown who were in Division 4. Could that experience of playing better teams stand to them for this game?

Ballinlough and Dunderry drew in Round 2 of the Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Junior Football Championship and when they once more lock horns in Dunganny this afternoon, another tight encounter is expected.

Dunderry will look to Sean Brennan in goals to keep the scoreboard moving with his free taking expertise and in Leo Turley they have the wiliest of managers in charge.

Ballinlough welcome Tom Shine back from injury and he will anchor the defensive effort while Harry Ryan will as ever be a key cog of their attacking wheel.

The other game in the Junior Championship sees Carnaross who won the Junior B title last year facing off against Moylagh at 19:30 in Ballinlough.

Carnaross have recently seen last years managers return to the fold and that might be a timely boost while Moylagh have Ballinlough clubman Peadar Byrne pulling on their Bainisteoir bib.

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

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group A Round 1

Summerhill vs Gaeil Colmcille

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group B Round 1

St. Colmcille’s vs Seneschalstown

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group C Round 1

Rathkenny vs Dunshaughlin

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group D Round 1

Simonstown Gaels vs Bhulf Tón CLG

Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship Group B Round 1

Drumbaragh Emmets vs Oldcastle

Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship Group C Round 1

Castletown vs St. Michael’s

Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Junior Football Championship Group B Round 1

Ballinlough vs Dunderry

Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Junior Football Championship Group C Round 1

Carnaross vs Moylagh

There was no panel received from Carnaross.

Friday’s Results

Competition Team 1 Score Score Team 2 Venue Referee Fairyhouse Steel SFC Grp D Rd 1 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-16 (16) 1-13 (16) Na Fianna Páirc Tailteann Cormac Reilly (St. Mary’s) Meade Farm IFC Grp C Rd 1 Duleek-Bellewstown 0-18 (18) 1-14 (17) Navan O’Mahonys Walterstown Robbie Barrett (Walterstown) Meade Farm IFC Grp D Rd 1 Kilbride 0-13 (13) 0-08 (8) Dunsany Dunshaughlin Keith Sheerin (Castletown) Meade Farm IFC Grp D Rd 1 Blackhall Gaels 2-09 (15) 2-07 (13) Bective Trim Owen Ganly (Trim) Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation JFC Grp C Rd 1 Clann na nGael 1-13 (16) 0-14 (14) St. Brigid’s Cortown Gabriel Patterson (Kingscourt Stars)

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