2018 Meath Senior Football Championship Explained

Competition:	Meath S.F.C.
Sponsor:	Fairyhouse Steel
Season:	2018
Winners:	St. Peter's Dunboyne
Relegated:	Blackhall Gaels
Continentalcup1:	Leinster SCFC
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:	(quarter-final) St. Peter's Dunboyne 0-7 Kilmacud Crokes 2-17
Continentalcup2:	Winning Captain
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:	Cathal Finn
Continentalcup3:	Man of the Match
Continentalcup3 Qualifiers:	Cathal Finn
Continentalcup4:	Winning Manager
Continentalcup4 Qualifiers:	Ciaran Byrne
Matches:	55
Prevseason:	2017
Nextseason:	2019

The 2018 Meath Senior Football Championship is the 126th edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior clubs in County Meath, Ireland. Eighteen teams compete, with the winner representing Meath in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship starts with a group stage and then progresses to a knock out stage.

Simonstown Gaels were the defending champions after they defeated Summerhill in the 2017 final to claim a "2-in-a-row" of titles.

This was Curraha's debut in the top flight after claiming the 2017 Meath Intermediate Football Championship. Their 35 point loss (5-27 to 0-7) to Summerhill was the largest losing margin of any team in a S.F.C. match since 1996, when St. Colmcille's lost by a 44 point margin to Kilmainhamwood.

The draw for the group stages of the championship were made on 5 March 2018 with the games commencing on the weekend of 15 April 2018.

Blackhall Gaels were relegated to the Intermediate championship for 2019 after 17 years in the top-flight, including a S.F.C. title in 2003.

Team Changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2017 championship season.

To S.F.C.

Promoted from I.F.C.

• Curraha - (Intermediate Champions)

From S.F.C.

Relegated to I.F.C.

• Duleek/Bellewstown

Participating teams

The teams taking part in the 2018 Meath Senior Football Championship are:

Club	Location	Management	Pre C'ship Odds	2017 Championship Position	2018 Championship Position
Blackhall Gaels	Batterstown & Kilcloon	Liam Keane	80/1	Relegation Playoff	Relegated to IFC
Curraha	Curraha	Stephen Morgan	50/1	Intermediate Champions	Relegation Playoff
Donaghmore/Ashbourne	Ashbourne	Gabriel Brannigan	13/2	Non Qualifier	Semi-finalist
Dunshaughlin	Dunshaughlin & Drumree	Anthony Moyles	50/1	Non Qualifier	Non Qualifier
Gaeil Colmcille	Kells	Lar Wall	16/1	Semi-finalist	Quarter-finalist
Moynalvey	Moynalvey & Kiltale	Darren Fay	12/1	Quarter-Finalist	Non Qualifier
Na Fianna	Enfield & Baconstown	Seán O'Dea	33/1	Preliminary Quarter-Finalist	Non Qualifier
Navan O'Mahonys	Navan	Kevin Reilly	13/2	Quarter-Finalist	Non Qualifier
Rathkenny	Rathkenny & Stackallan	Diarmuid McCarthy	66/1	Non Qualifier	Non Qualifier
Ratoath	Ratoath	Fergal Power	5/1	Quarter-Finalist	Quarter-finalist
Seneschalstown	Kentstown & Yellow Furze	Damien Sheridan	28/1	Non Qualifier	Non Qualifier
Simonstown Gaels	Navan	Ciaran Kenny	9/2	champions	Semi-finalist
Skryne	Skryne & Tara	James Reddy	10/1	Relegation Playoff	Quarter-finalist
St. Patrick's	Gormanston, Julianstown & Stamullen	Niall Russell	66/1	Non Qualifier	Relegation Playoff
St. Colmcille's	Bettystown, Donacarney, Laytown & Mornington	Des Lane	50/1	Non Qualifier	Quarter-finalist
St. Peter's Dunboyne	Dunboyne	Ciaran Byrne	4/1	Quarter-finalist	champions
Summerhill	Summerhill	John Lyons	11/2	Finalist	Finalist
Wolfe Tones	Kilberry, Gibbstown, Oristown & Wilkinstown	Tony Kearney	11/1	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Quarter-Finalist

Group stage

There are three groups of six teams 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 6 March 2017 with the games commencing on the weekend of 20 May 2017.

Group A

Team
	5	4	0	1	80	58	+22	9
Simonstown Gaels	5	3	1	1	89	63	+26	7
Donaghmore/Ashbourne	5	3	1	1	79	65	+14	7
Seneschalstown	5	2	3	0	78	78	+0	4
Dunshaughlin	5	1	3	1	71	79	-8	3
Blackhall Gaels	5	0	5	0	50	104	-54	0

Round 1

• Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-12, 1-11 Seneschalstown, Stamullen, 7/4/2018, ^[1]
• St. Peter's Dunboyne 2-11, 0-11 Blackhall Gaels, Ashbourne, 8/4/2018, ^[2]
• Simonstown Gaels 4-10, 0-12 Dunshaughlin, Pairc Tailteann, 8/4/2018, ^[3]

Round 2

• Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-16, 0-11 Blackhall Gaels, Simonstown, 20/4/2018, ^[4]
• St. Peter's Dunboyne 1-12, 0-6 Simonstown Gaels, Trim, 21/4/2018, ^[5]
• Seneschalstown 2-7, 1-8 Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne, 22/4/2018, ^[6]

Round 3

• Simonstown Gaels 3-15, 2-6 Seneschalstown, Pairc Tailteann, 27/7/2018, ^[7]
• St. Peter's Dunboyne 0-13, 1-9 Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Dunsany, 28/7/2018, ^[8]
• Dunshaughlin 4-10, 1-9 Blackhall Gaels, Pairc Tailteann, 29/7/2018, ^[9]

Round 4

• Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-15, 1-9 Dunshaughlin, Ratoath, 11/8/2018, ^[10]
• Simonstown Gaels 2-16, 0-9 Blackhall Gaels, Trim, 12/8/2018, ^[11]
• St. Peter's Dunboyne 0-21, 1-12 Seneschalstown, Ashbourne, 12/8/2018, ^[12]

Round 5

• St. Peter's Dunboyne 0-14, 1-11 Dunshaughlin, Ardcath, 24/8/2018, ^[13]
• Seneschalstown 4-12, 0-7 Blackhall Gaels, Dunshaughlin, 24/8/2018, ^[14]
• Simonstown Gaels 1-12, 1-12 Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Skryne, 24/8/2018, ^[15]

Group B

Team
Summerhill	5	4	1	0	120	64	+56	8
Skryne	5	4	1	0	96	73	+23	8
	5	3	2	0	104	61	+43	6
Na Fianna	5	2	3	0	68	102	-34	4
Navan O'Mahonys	5	1	3	1	72	89	-17	3
Curraha	5	0	4	1	51	122	-71	1

Round 1

• Skryne 1-14, 0-10 Curraha, Pairc Tailteann, 7/4/2018, ^[16]
• Navan O'Mahonys 4-14, 1-7 Na Fianna, Trim, 8/4/2018, ^[17]
• Gaeil Colmcille 2-14, 0-12 Summerhill, Trim, 8/4/2018, ^[18]

Round 2

• Na Fianna 0-17, 0-15 Gaeil Colmcille, Pairc Tailteann, 21/4/2018, ^[19]
• Summerhill 3-11, 1-12 Skryne, Bohermeen, 22/4/2018, ^[20]
• Navan O'Mahonys 0-14, 1-11 Curraha, Dunsany, 22/4/2018, ^[21]

Round 3

• Summerhill 5-27, 0-7 Curraha, Pairc Tailteann, 28/7/2018, ^[22]
• Skryne 1-21, 1-11 Na Fianna, Bohermeen, 29/7/2018, ^[23]
• Gaeil Colmcille 4-8, 0-8 Navan O'Mahonys, Kilmainhamwood, 29/7/2018, ^[24]

Round 4

• Na Fianna 0-15, 1-9 Curraha, Simonstown, 10/8/2018, ^[25]
• Skryne 1-13, 0-15 Gaeil Colmcille, Pairc Tailteann, 12/8/2018, ^[26]
• Summerhill 4-9, 0-10 Navan O'Mahonys, Pairc Tailteann, 14/8/2018, ^[27]

Round 5

• Skryne 1-21, 1-11 Navan O'Mahonys, Pairc Tailteann, 25/8/2018,
• Summerhill 3-16, 1-9 Na Fianna, Clonard, 25/8/2018,
• Gaeil Colmcille 4-22, 0-8 Curraha, Walterstown, 25/8/2018, ^[28]

Group C

Team
	5	4	0	1	96	64	+32	9
St. Colmcille's	5	3	2	0	69	73	-4	6
	5	3	2	0	75	58	+17	6
	5	2	2	1	70	79	-9	5
	5	1	3	1	50	64	-14	3
	5	0	4	1	55	78	-23	1

Round 1

• Ratoath 3-12, 4-9 St. Patrick's, Ashbourne, 6/4/2018, ^[29]
• St. Colmcille's 1-17, 0-12 Rathkenny, Stamullen, 7/4/2018, ^[30]
• Wolfe Tones 3-16, 0-10 Moynalvey, Skryne, 8/4/2018, ^[31]

Round 2

• Rathkenny 0-10, 0-8 St. Patrick's, Duleek, 20/4/2018, ^[32]
• Ratoath 1-18, 1-5 Moynalvey, Skryne, 20/4/2018, ^[33]
• St. Colmcille's 0-11, 0-10 Wolfe Tones, Pairc Tailteann, 22/4/2018, ^[34]

Round 3

• Ratoath 1-12, 0-10 Rathkenny, Bohermeen, 27/7/2018, ^[35]
• Wolfe Tones 1-10, 0-5 St. Patrick's, Skryne, 28/7/2018, ^[36]
• Moynalvey 3-14, 0-14 St. Colmcille's, Dunshaughlin, 29/7/2018, ^[37]

Round 4

• Ratoath 4-13, 2-11 Wolfe Tones, Pairc Tailteann, 10/8/2018, ^[38]
• St. Colmcille's 1-14, 0-13 St. Patrick's, Duleek, 11/8/2018, ^[39]
• Moynalvey 1-8, 0-11 Rathkenny, Pairc Tailteann, 11/8/2018, ^[40]

Round 5

• Wolfe Tones 0-10, 0-7 Rathkenny, Castletown, 24/8/2018,
• Ratoath 1-11, 1-5 St. Colmcille's, Duleek, 24/8/2018,
• Moynalvey 2-11, 0-8 St. Patrick's, Ashbourne, 24/8/2018, ^[41]

Knock-Out Stage

The winners and runners up of the three groups and the third placed team of Group A automatically qualify for the quarter-finals. The third placed teams in Groups B and C play off to determine the team that completes the quarter-final lineup.

Final

Relegation Play-Off Group

The three bottom teams from each group enter the relegation play-off group and play each other in a round robin basis.

The team with the worst record after two matches will be relegated to the 2019 Intermediate Championship.

Team
St. Patrick's	1	1	0	0	15	10	+5	2
Curraha	1	1	0	0	15	12	+3	2
Blackhall Gaels	2	0	2	0	22	30	-8	0

• Game 1: Curraha 0-15, 1-9 Blackhall Gaels, Dunshaughlin, 6/9/2018, ^[42]
• Game 2: St. Patrick's 1-12, 0-10 Blackhall Gaels, Ashbourne, 13/9/2018, ^[43]

Leinster Senior Club Football Championship

See main article: 2018–19 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship.

Round 1:

• Shelmaliers 1-2, 1-12 St Peters Dunboyne, Wexford Park, 28/10/2018, ^[44]

Quarter-final:

• St. Peters Dunboyne 0-7, 2-17 Kilmacud Crokes, Pairc Tailteann, 11/11/2018, ^[45]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Donaghmore/Ashbourne -vs- Seneschalstown. 7 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 7 April 2018.
2. Web site: St. Peter's Dunboyne -vs- Blackhall Gaels. 8 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 8 April 2018.
3. Web site: Simonstown Gaels -vs- Dunshaughlin. 8 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 8 April 2018.
4. Web site: Donaghmore/Ashbourne -vs- Blackhall Gaels. 20 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 20 April 2018.
5. Web site: St. Peter's Dunboyne -vs- Simonstown Gaels. 21 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 21 April 2018.
6. Web site: Seneschalstown -vs- Dunshaughlin. 22 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 22 April 2018.
7. Web site: Simonstown Gaels -vs- Seneschalstown. 27 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 27 July 2018.
8. Web site: St. Peter's Dunboyne -vs- Donaghmore/Ashbourne. 28 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 28 July 2018.
9. Web site: Dunshaughlin -vs- Blackhall Gaels. 29 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 29 July 2018.
10. Web site: Donaghmore/Ashbourne -vs- Dunshaughlin. 11 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 11 August 2018.
11. Web site: Simonstown Gaels -vs- Blackhall Gaels. 12 August 2018. Simonstowngfc.com. 12 August 2018.
12. Web site: St. Peter's Dunboyne -vs- Seneschalstown. 12 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 12 August 2018.
13. Web site: St. Peter's Dunboyne -vs- Dunshaughlin. 24 August 2018. Simonstowngfc.com. 24 August 2018.
14. Web site: Seneschalstown -vs- Blackhall Gaels. 24 August 2018. Simonstowngfc.com. 24 August 2018.
15. Web site: Simonstown Gaels -vs- Donaghmore/Ashbourne. 24 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 24 August 2018.
16. Web site: Skryne -vs- Curraha. 7 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 7 April 2018.
17. Web site: Navan O'Mahonys -vs- Na Fianna. 8 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 8 April 2018.
18. Web site: Gaeil Colmcille -vs- Summerhill. 8 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 8 April 2018.
19. Web site: Na Fianna -vs- Gaeil Colmcille. 21 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 21 April 2018.
20. Web site: Summerhill -vs- Skryne. 22 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 22 April 2018.
21. Web site: Navan O'Mahonys -vs- Curraha. 22 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 22 April 2018.
22. Web site: Summerhill -vs- Curraha. 28 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 28 July 2018.
23. Web site: Skryne -vs- Na Fianna. 29 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 29 July 2018.
24. Web site: Gaeil Colmcille -vs- Navan O'Mahonys. 29 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 29 July 2018.
25. Web site: Na Fianna -vs- Curraha. 10 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 10 August 2018.
26. Web site: Skryne -vs- Gaeil Colmcille. 12 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 12 August 2018.
27. Web site: Summerhill -vs- Navan O'Mahonys. 14 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 14 August 2018.
28. Web site: Gaeil Colmcille -vs- Curraha. 25 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 25 August 2018.
29. Web site: Ratoath -vs- St. Patrick's. 6 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 6 April 2018.
30. Web site: St. Colmcille's -vs- Rathkenny. 7 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 7 April 2018.
31. Web site: Wolfe Tones -vs- Moynalvey. 8 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 8 April 2018.
32. Web site: Rathkenny -vs- St. Patrick's. 20 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 20 April 2018.
33. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Moynalvey. 20 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 20 April 2018.
34. Web site: St. Colmcille's -vs- Wolfe Tones. 22 April 2018. Hoganstand.com. 22 April 2018.
35. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Rathkenny. 27 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 27 July 2018.
36. Web site: Wolfe Tones -vs- St. Patrick's. 28 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 28 July 2018.
37. Web site: Moynalvey -vs- St. Colmcille's. 29 July 2018. Hoganstand.com. 29 July 2018.
38. Web site: Ratoath -vs- Wolfe Tones. 10 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 10 August 2018.
39. Web site: St. Colmcille's -vs- St. Patrick's. 11 August 2018. Cilles.com. 11 August 2018.
40. Web site: Moynalvey -vs- Rathkenny. 11 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 11 August 2018.
41. Web site: Moynalvey -vs- St. Patrick's. 24 August 2018. Hoganstand.com. 24 August 2018.
42. Web site: Curraha -vs- Blackhall Gaels. 6 September 2018. Hoganstand.com. 6 September 2018.
43. Web site: St. Patrick's -vs- Blackhall Gaels. 13 September 2018. PressReader. 13 September 2018.
44. Web site: Leinster Club SFC Shelmaliers no match for Dunboyne. 28 October 2018. hoganstand.com. 28 October 2018 .
45. Web site: Dublin star Mannion inspires Kilmacud to book Leinster semi-final spot. 11 November 2018. rte.ie. 11 November 2018 .