2015 Meath Intermediate Football Championship Explained

Competition:Meath I.F.C.
Sponsor:Meade Potato
Season:2015
Promoted:Ratoath
(1st I.F.C. Title)
Relegated:Clann na nGael
Continentalcup1:Leinster ICFC
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Ratoath (Final)
Ratoath 2-13, 2-9 Athlone
Continentalcup2:All Ireland ICFC
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Ratoath (Semi-Final)
Ratoath 1-5, 2-20 St. Mary's Cahirciveen
Matches:55
Prevseason:2014
Nextseason:2016

The 2015 Meath Intermediate Football Championship is the 89th edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for intermediate graded teams in County Meath, Ireland. The tournament consists of 18 teams, with the winner going on to represent Meath in the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship. The championship starts with a group stage and then progresses to a knock out stage.

The draw for the group stages of the championship were made on 9 February 2015 with the games commencing on the weekend of 10 April 2015.

Cortown were promoted to the middle grade after a three-year exodus when securing the J.F.C. crown last year.

This was Oldcastle's return to the Intermediate grade after five years as a senior club since being relegated last year.

Clann na nGael were relegated tho the J.F.C. after eight years in the middle grade.

On 4 October 2015, Ratoath claimed their first ever I.F.C. title (since beginning to field football teams in 1956) when overcoming Nobber 1-15 to 0-5 in Pairc Tailteann and hence earning promotion to the S.F.C. for the first time in their history.After winning the Meath I.F.C. Ratoath also made history by winning their first Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship and became only the second Meath club to win this honour after Wolfe Tones in 2004. They beat Athlone of Westmeath in the final.Their journey came to an end at the All-Ireland semi-final stage when losing to Kerry I.F.C. champions St. Mary's Cahirciveen who featured former All-Star and Kerry Bryan Sheehan.

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2014 championship season.

From I.F.C.

Promoted to S.F.C.

Relegated to 2015 J.F.C.

To I.F.C.

Relegated from 2013 S.F.C.

Promoted from 2014 J.F.C.

Participating teams

The teams taking part in the 2015 Meath Intermediate Football Championship are:

ClubLocation2014 Championship Position2015 Championship Position
BallinabrackeyBallinabrackeyFinalistsQuarter-Finalist
BallivorBallivorQuarter-FinalistNon Qualifier
CastletownCastletownSemi-finalistQuarter-Finalist
Clann na nGaelAthboyPreliminary Quarter-FinalistRelegated
CortownBohermeenJunior ChampionsNon Qualifier
Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B'AshbourneNon QualifierNon Qualifier
Drumbaragh EmmetsDrumbaragh, KellsNon QualifierRelegation Playoff
DunderryDunderryQuarter-finalistNon Qualifier
KilmainhamKilmainham, KellsRelegation PlayoffQuarter-finalist
LongwoodLongwoodNon QualifierNon Qualifier
NobberNobberRelegation PlayoffFinalists
OldcastleOldcastleNon Qualifier
RatoathRatoathSemi-finalistChampions
St. Colmcille'sLaytownQuarter-finalistSemi-finalist
St. Michael'sCarlanstownNon QualifierQuarter-finalist
St. Ultan'sBohermeenNon QualifierRelegation Playoff
SyddanLobinstownQuarter-FinalistPreliminary Quarter-finalist
TrimSt Lomans Park, TrimNon QualifierSemi-finalist

Group stage

[1]

There are three groups called Group A,B and C. The 2 top finishers in each group and the third-place finisher in Group A will qualify for the quarter-finals. The third placed teams in Group B and C will qualify for a Preliminary Quarter-final, with the winner earning a place in last eight. The bottom finishers of each group will qualify for the Relegation Play Off. The draw for the group stages of the championship were made on 9 February 2015 with the games commencing on the weekend of 10 April 2015.

Group A

Team
Nobber54017943+369
Kilmainham53027247+258
St. Michael's52126665+16
Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B'52214852-45
Cortown52304573-282
Clann na nGael50504373-300

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Group B

Team
Ratoath550010751+5610
Trim53207284-126
Castletown52306565+04
Dunderry52306771-44
Ballivor52305367-144
St. Ultan's51404167-262

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Group C

Team
St. Colmcille's54019546+499
Ballinabrackey53118054+267
Syddan52217483-95
Oldcastle51225169-184
Longwood51315083-333
Drumbaragh Emmets51406176-152

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Knock-out Stages

Relegation Play Off

The three bottom finishers from each group qualify for the relegation play off and play each other in a round robin basis.The team with the worst record after two matches will be relegated to the 2016 Junior Championship.

Team
St. Ultan's1100227+152
Drumbaragh Emmets11002414+102
Clann na nGael20202146-250

Finals

The winners and runners up of each group qualify for the quarter-finals along with the third placed finisher of Group A.

Preliminary Quarter-Final:

Quarter-finals:

Semi-finals:

Final:

Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship

Preliminary round:

Quarter-final:

Semi-final:

Final:

All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship

Semi-final:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Meath Intermediate Football Championship 2015 Draws. 9 February 2015. Hoganstand.com. 9 February 2015.
  2. Web site: Cortown -vs- Clann na nGael. 11 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 11 April 2015 .
  3. Web site: Kilmainham -vs- Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B'. 11 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 11 April 2015 .
  4. Web site: Nobber -vs- St. Michael's. 12 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 12 April 2015 .
  5. Web site: Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B' -vs- Clann na nGael. 19 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 19 April 2015 .
  6. Web site: Kilmainham -vs- St. Michael's. 24 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 24 April 2015 .
  7. Web site: Nobber -vs- Cortown. 24 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 24 April 2015 .
  8. Web site: Nobber -vs- Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B'. 22 May 2015. Hoganstand.com. 22 May 2015 .
  9. Web site: St. Michael's -vs- Cortown. 22 May 2015. Hoganstand.com. 22 May 2015 .
  10. Web site: Kilmainham -vs- Clann na nGael. 24 May 2015. Hoganstand.com. 24 May 2015 .
  11. Web site: Nobber -vs- Kilmainham. 8 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 8 August 2015 .
  12. Web site: St. Michael's -vs- Clann na nGael. 9 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 9 August 2015 .
  13. Web site: St. Michael's -vs- Donaghmore/Ashbounre 'B'. 21 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 21 August 2015 .
  14. Web site: Nobber -vs- Clann na nGael. 21 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 21 August 2015 .
  15. Web site: Kilmainham -vs- Cortown. 21 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 21 August 2015 .
  16. Web site: Dunderry -vs- Ballivor. 10 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 10 April 2015 .
  17. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Trim. 12 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 12 April 2015 .
  18. Web site: Castletown -vs- St. Ultan's. 17 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 17 April 2015 .
  19. Web site: Trim -vs- Dunderry. 17 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 17 April 2015 .
  20. Web site: Ballivor -vs- St. Ulatn's. 23 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 23 April 2015 .
  21. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Castletown. 25 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 25 April 2015 .
  22. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Dunderry. 24 May 2015. Hoganstand.com. 24 May 2015 .
  23. Web site: St. Ultan's -vs- Trim. 26 May 2015. Hoganstand.com. 26 May 2015 .
  24. Web site: Ballivor -vs- Castletown. 27 May 2015. Hoganstand.com. 27 May 2015 .
  25. Web site: Trim -vs- Castletown. 9 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 9 August 2015 .
  26. Web site: Ratoath -vs- St. Ultan's. 23 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 23 August 2015 .
  27. Web site: Trim -vs- Ballivor. 23 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 23 August 2015 .
  28. Web site: Castletown -vs- Dunderry. 23 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 23 August 2015 .
  29. Web site: St. Colmcille's -vs- Ballinabrackey. 10 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 10 April 2015 .
  30. Web site: Oldcastle -vs- Drumbaragh Emmets. 12 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 12 April 2015 .
  31. Web site: Syddan -vs- Longwood. 12 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 12 April 2015 .
  32. Web site: St. Colmcille's -vs- Oldcastle. 25 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 25 April 2015 .
  33. Web site: Drumbaragh Emmets -vs- Syddan. 26 April 2015. Hoganstand.com. 26 April 2015 .
  34. Web site: St. Colmcille's -vs- Syddan. 22 May 2015. Hoganstand.com. 22 May 2015 .
  35. Web site: Syddan -vs- Oldcastle. 9 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 9 August 2015 .
  36. Web site: Ballinabrackey -vs- Syddan. 22 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 22 August 2015 .
  37. Web site: Oldcastle -vs- Longwood. 22 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 22 August 2015 .
  38. Web site: Castletown -vs- Syddan. 30 August 2015. Hoganstand.com. 30 August 2015 .
  39. Web site: Nobber -vs- Castletown. 4 September 2015. Hoganstand.com. 4 September 2015 .
  40. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Ballinabrackey. 5 September 2015. Hoganstand.com. 5 September 2015 .
  41. Web site: Trim -vs- Kilmainham. 5 September 2015. Hoganstand.com. 5 September 2015 .
  42. Web site: Ratoath -vs- St. Colmcille's (Semi-Final). 21 September 2015. Hoganstand.com. 21 September 2015 .
  43. Web site: Nobber -vs- Trim (Semi-Final). 22 September 2015. Hoganstand.com. 22 September 2015 .
  44. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Nobber (Final). 4 October 2015. Hoganstand.com. 4 October 2015 .
  45. Web site: Ratoath -vs- St. Patrick's Donabate (Leinster Preliminary Round). 17 October 2015. Meathchronicle.ie. 17 October 2015 .
  46. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Railyard (Leinster Quarter-Final). 17 October 2015. Meathchronicle.ie. 17 October 2015 .
  47. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Castledermot (Leinster Semi-Final). 15 November 2015. Kildarenow.com. 15 November 2015 .
  48. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Athlone (Leinster Final). 29 November 2015. Independent.ie. 29 November 2015 .
  49. Web site: St. Mary's Caherciveen -vs- Ratoath (All-Ireland Semi-Final). 24 January 2016. Irishexaminer.com. 24 January 2016.