2019 Louth Senior Football Championship Explained

2019 Louth Senior Football Championship
County:Louth
Year:2019
Trophy:Joe Ward Cup
Sponsor:Anchor Tours
Date:July – October 2019
Num Teams:12
Defending Champions:Newtown Blues
Winners:Newtown Blues
Ordinal:23
Manager:TBD
Captain:Emmet Carolan
Qualify For:Leinster Club SFC
Runnersup:TBD
Runnerupmanager:TBD
Runnerupcaptain:TBD
Relegated:Seán O'Mahony's
Previous:2018
Next:2020

The 2019 Louth Senior Football Championship is the 126th edition of the Louth GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded teams in County Louth, Ireland. The tournament consists of 12 teams, with the winner going on to represent Louth in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship starts with a group stage and then progresses to a knock out stage.

Newtown Blues were the defending champions for the second time in a row after they defeated the Naomh Máirtín in the previous years final. They successfully defended their crown to claim a "3-in-a-row" of S.F.C. titles and their 23rd overall when defeating the same opposition by 2-9 to 1-9 at Drogheda Park on 20 October 2019.

This was St. Mochta's return to the senior grade after at 37 year absence (they were relegated from the S.F.C. to the I.F.C. back in 1982) when claiming the 2018 Louth Intermediate Football Championship title with a final victory over St. Fechin's.

Seán O'Mahony's were relegated to the I.F.C. for 2020 after a 5 year spell in the top-flight when losing to the O'Connells in the relegation final. Since winning 2014 I.F.C. the Point Road club reached two senior finals in 2015 and 2016, winning the latter against St. Mary's Ardee.

Team Changes

[1] [2]

The following teams have changed division since the 2018 championship season.

To S.F.C.

Promoted from 2018 Louth Intermediate Football Championship

From S.F.C.

Relegated to 2019 Louth Intermediate Football Championship

Group stage

There are 4 groups called Group A, B, C and D. The top two finishers in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals. The bottom finishers of each group will qualify for the Relegation Play-off.

Group A

Team
Newtown Blues22003519+164
St. Mochta's21102828+02
Dundalk Gaels20201733-160

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Group B

Team
Ardee St. Mary's22003933+64
O'Raghallaighs21104230+122
O'Connells20202442-180

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Group C

Team
Dreadnots21013026+43
St. Patrick's Lordship21102727+02
Seán O'Mahonys20112125-41

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Group D

Team
Naomh Máirtín22003023+74
Geraldines21102625+12
St. Joseph's Dromisken 20202532-80

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Knock-out stages

Relegation play-off

The four bottom finishers from each group qualify for the relegation play off. The team to lose both matches will be relegated to the 2019 Intermediate Championship. [3]

Finals

The winners and runners up of each group qualify for the quarter finals.

Quarter-finals

[4] [5] [6] [7]

Final

Originally scheduled for 13 October, the Louth S.F.C. final at Drogheda Park was postponed. It's understood the pitch was playable, but in the interest of spectator safety, with the grass bank soaked, the decision to call off the matches was taken. The final was re-fixed for the following Sunday.

Leinster Senior Club Football Championship

See main article: 2019–20 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dundalk Democrat Archives. 16 January 2018. Irishnewsarchive.com. 16 January 2018.
  2. Web site: Louth Gaelic Football Champions Roll of Honor. 16 January 2018. Hoganstand.com. 16 January 2018.
  3. Web site: O'Connells -vs- Seán O'Mahonys. 24 August 2019. Hoganstand.com. 24 August 2019.
  4. Web site: Dreadnots -vs- O'Raghallaighs. 25 August 2019. Hoganstand.com. 25 August 2019.
  5. Web site: Newtown Blues -vs- St. Patrick's Lordship. 25 August 2019. Hoganstand.com. 25 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Naomh Mairtin -vs- St. Mochta's. 17 August 2019. Hoganstand.com. 17 August 2019.
  7. Web site: Geraldines -vs- Ardee. 17 August 2019. Hoganstand.com. 17 August 2019.