2021 Meath Intermediate Football Championship Explained

95th Meath Intermediate Football Championship
County:Meath
Province:Leinster
Year:2021
Trophy:Mattie McDonnell Cup
Sponsor:Meade Potato
Date:13 August 2021 - 6 November 2021
Num Teams:20
Defending Champions:Ballinabrackey
Winners:Trim
Ordinal:2nd
Manager:Kevin Reilly
Captain:Alan Douglas
Runnersup:Oldcastle
Promoted:Trim
Relegated:Ballinlough, Moylagh, Syddan
Matches:42
Website:Meath GAA
Previous:2020
Next:2022

The 2021 Meath Intermediate Football Championship is the 95th edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for Intermediate graded teams in County Meath, Ireland. The tournament consists of 20 teams and starts with a group stage before progressing to a knock out stage. The winner will represent Meath in the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship.

Ballinabrackey were the 2020 Meath Intermediate Football Champions after they defeated Trim in the final.[1] As a result, they will compete in the 2021 Meath Senior Football Championship.

Nobber were relegated from the Senior Football Championship in 2020 after just one season in the Senior Football Championship.Ballivor returned to the I.F.C. for the first time since 2017 after beating St. Vincent's in the 2020 Meath Junior Football Championship final.[2] Castletown were relegated to the 2021 Meath Junior Football Championship. They will play at the junior grade for the first time in their history.

The draw for the group stages of the championship took place on 20 June 2021 with the games commencing on 13 August 2021.

Championship Structure

The championship will consist of five groups with each containing four teams. The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stages while the bottom team in each group will contest the relegation playoffs.

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2020 championship season.

From I.F.C.

Promoted to 2021 S.F.C.

Relegated to 2021 Meath Junior Football Championship

To I.F.C.

Relegated from 2020 S.F.C.

Promoted from 2020 J.F.C.

Participating teams

The teams taking part in the 2021 Meath Intermediate Football Championship are:

ClubLocationManagement2020 Championship Position2021 Championship Position
BallinloughBallinlough & KilskyreRelegation PlayoffRelegated to 2022 JFC
BallivorBallivorJunior 'A' ChampionsPreliminary Quarter-Finalist
BectiveNavanNon QualifierNon Qualifier
Blackhall GaelsBatterstown and KilcloonNon QualifierQuarter-Finalist
Clann na nGaelAthboy and Rath CairnQuarter-FinalistPreliminary Quarter-Finalist
Drumbaragh EmmetsDrumbaragh, KellsRelegation PlayoffNon Qualifier
Duleek/BellewstownDuleek & BellewstownNon-QualifierQuarter-Finalist
DunderryDunderryNon-QualifierQuarter-Finalist
KilmainhamKilmainham, KellsSemi-FinalistRelegation Playoff
LongwoodLongwoodNon-QualifierNon Qualifier
Meath HillMeath HillNon-QualifierNon Qualifier
MoylaghMoylaghNon-QualifierRelegated to 2022 JFC
NobberNobberRelegated from 2020 SFCQuarter-Finalist
OldcastleOldcastleRelegation PlayoffFinalists
RathkennyRathkenny & StackallanNon-QualifierSemi-Finalist
St. Michael'sCarlanstown & KilbegSemi-FinalistNon Qualifier
St. Patrick'sStamullenRelegation PlayoffRelegation Playoff
SyddanLobinstownNon QualifierRelegated to 2022 JFC
TrimSt Lomans Park, TrimFinalistsChampions
WalterstownJohnstownNon-QualifierSemi-Finalist

Group stage

[3] [4]

There are five groups of four teams called Group A, B, C, D and E. The 1st placed teams in each group along with the 2nd placed team in group A automatically qualify for the quarter-finals. The 2nd placed teams in Groups B, C, D & E qualify for the preliminary Quarter-finals with the winners progressing to the quarter-finals.

Three teams will be relegated from IFC to JFC in both 2021 and 2022 in order to bring the IFC from 20 teams to 16 teams. In 2021, the last placed teams in each group (five teams in total) will be entered into an open draw to contest the relegation playoffs as follows:

The loser of each playoff game will be relegated to the 2022 JFC while two teams will preserve their intermediate status.

Tiebreakers:If two or more teams were equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following tie-breaking criteria would be applied:

All Football Championships and Leagues shall be run on a combination of a league and knockout basis under Rule 6.21 T.O. Where teams finish equal with points for qualification or relegation process for concluding stages, the positioning shall be decided as follows;

Group A

Team
Blackhall Gaels32103733+44
Nobber32105238+144
Bective31114045-53
St. Patrick's30213851-131

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Group B

Team
Trim33006635+316
Clann na nGael32104743+44
Longwood31204958-92
Moylagh30302955-260

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Group C

Team
Oldcastle32015846+125
Walterstown32015847+115
Meath Hill31205347-42
Syddan30304362-190

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Group D

Team
Duleek/Bellewstown33008041+396
Ballivor32106246+164
Drumbaragh Emmets30215271-191
Kilmainham30214076-361

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Group E

Team
Rathkenny33005028+226
Dunderry32104635+114
St. Michael's31202650-242
Ballinlough30303746-90

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Knock-Out Stage

The 1st placed teams each group and the 2nd placed team in Group A qualify for the quarter-finals. The 2nd places teams in Groups B, C, D and E qualify for the preliminary Quarter-finals with the winners progressing to the quarter-finals

Final

Relegation play-off

Three teams were relegated from the 2021 IFC. The 4th placed teams in each group contested the relegation playoffs. Each team was entered into an open draw which consists of three games. The loser of each game was relegated to the 2022 JFC while the winners of Relegation play-offs 2 & 3 preserved their intermediate status.[4]

Relegation play-off Matches

Notes and References

  1. Web site: IFC final: 'Bracks' reach summit after thriller. 3 October 2020. Hoganstand.com. 3 October 2020.
  2. Web site: JFC final: Ballivor control contest to take title. 4 October 2020. Hoganstand.com. 4 October 2020.
  3. Web site: Meath SFC draw: Ratoath to open against Dunshaughlin. 20 June 2021. Hoganstand.com. 20 June 2021.
  4. https://meath.gaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-CCC-Championship-Format-Regulations-1.pdf CCC Championship format regulations
  5. Web site: Blackhall Gaels -vs- Nobber. hoganstand.com . 16 August 2021.
  6. Web site: St. Patrick's -vs- Bective. hoganstand.com. 16 August 2021.
  7. Web site: Blackhall Gaels -vs- St. Patrick's. hoganstand.com. 30 August 2021.
  8. Web site: Bective -vs- Nobber. hoganstand.com. 1 September 2021.
  9. Web site: Bective -vs- Nobber. hoganstand.com. 1 September 2021.
  10. Web site: Bective -vs- Blackhall Gaels. hoganstand.com. 15 September 2021.
  11. Web site: Nobber -vs- St. Patrick's. hoganstand.com. 15 September 2021.
  12. Web site: Clann na nGael -vs- Longwood. hoganstand.com. 25 August 2021.
  13. Web site: Longwood -vs- Trim. hoganstand.com. 31 August 2021.
  14. Web site: Moylagh -vs- Clann na nGael. hoganstand.com. 30 August 2021.
  15. Web site: Moylagh -vs- Longwood. hoganstand.com. 13 September 2021.
  16. Web site: Clann na nGael -vs- Trim. hoganstand.com. 13 September 2021.
  17. Web site: Clann na nGael -vs- Trim. hoganstand.com. 13 September 2021.
  18. Web site: Walterstown -vs- Syddan. hoganstand.com. 16 August 2021.
  19. Web site: Oldcastle -vs- Meath Hill. hoganstand.com. 16 August 2021.
  20. Web site: Oldcastle -vs- Syddan. hoganstand.com. 29 August 2021.
  21. Web site: Oldcastle -vs- Syddan. hoganstand.com. 30 August 2021.
  22. Web site: Oldcastle -vs- Walterstown. hoganstand.com. 12 September 2021.
  23. Web site: Syddan -vs- Meath Hill. hoganstand.com. 14 September 2021.
  24. Web site: Ballivor -vs- Drumbaragh. hoganstand.com . 18 August 2021.
  25. Web site: Duleek/Bellewstown -vs- Kilmainham. hoganstand.com . 20 August 2021.
  26. Web site: Drumbaragh -vs- Kilmainham. hoganstand.com. 29 August 2021.
  27. Web site: Duleek/Bellewstown-vs- Ballivor. hoganstand.com. 30 August 2021.
  28. Web site: Duleek/Bellewstown -vs- Drumbaragh. hoganstand.com. 11 September 2021.
  29. Web site: Ballivor -vs- Kilmainham. hoganstand.com. 14 September 2021.
  30. Web site: Rathkenny -vs- Dunderry. hoganstand.com . 16 August 2021.
  31. Web site: St. Michael's -vs- Ballinlough. hoganstand.com . 16 August 2021.
  32. Web site: St. Michael's -vs- Ballinlough. hoganstand.com . 16 August 2021.
  33. Web site: Rathkenny -vs- Ballinlough. hoganstand.com . 30 August 2021.
  34. Web site: Rathkenny -vs- Ballinlough. hoganstand.com . 29 August 2021.
  35. Web site: Dunderry -vs- St. Michael's. hoganstand.com. 30 August 2021.
  36. Web site: Dunderry -vs- Ballinlough. hoganstand.com. 12 September 2021.
  37. Web site: Dunderry -vs- Ballinlough. hoganstand.com. 13 September 2021.
  38. Web site: St. Michael's -vs- Rathkenny. hoganstand.com. 13 September 2021.
  39. Web site: St. Michael's -vs- Rathkenny. hoganstand.com. 13 September 2021.