Louth Junior A Football League Explained

Louth Junior A Football League
First:	1921
Sponsors:	John O'Neill Sand and Gravel
Current:	Stabannon Parnells
Currentordinal:	1

The Louth Junior A Football League, or Division 3 of the county football Leagues, is an annual Gaelic football competition. Introduced in 1921,^[1] it is contested by Junior clubs in County Louth. The captain of the winning team is presented with the Dixon Cup.^[2]

Format

A Final to determine the winner was held annually until 1996, when the format changed. At the end of the league programme, the team with the most points is now awarded the trophy and is promoted to Division 2. The second-placed team can obtain promotion by winning a play-off involving a Division 2 club. In 2019, Division 3 was split into separate A and B grades.^[3]

Trophy

The MacArdle Cup was presented to each winning team until 2014,^[4] when it was replaced by the Dixon Cup.^[5]

Winners by Year

Year	Winner
2023^[6]	Stabannon Parnells
2022^[7]	Glen Emmets
2021	Glen Emmets
2020	Cancelled (COVID-19)
2019^[8]	Roche Emmets
2018^[9]	Dundalk Young Irelands
2017^[10]	Glyde Rangers
2016^[11]	Glen Emmets
2015^[12]	Glyde Rangers
2014^[13]	Naomh Fionnbarra
2013^[14]	Roche Emmets
2012^[15]	Hunterstown Rovers
2011^[16]	Naomh Fionnbarra
2010^[17]	St Fechin's
2009^[18]	Dundalk Young Irelands
2008^[19]	Naomh Fionnbarra
2007^[20]	St Mochta's
2006^[21]	Dundalk Young Irelands
2005^[22]	Seán McDermott's
2004^[23]	Glen Emmets
2003^[24]	Dowdallshill
2002^[25]	St Nicholas
2001^[26]	Westerns
2000^[27]	Seán McDermott's
1999	O'Connells
1998^[28]	John Mitchels
1997^[29]	Na Piarsaigh

(R) = Replay

Year	Winner	Opponent
1996	Oliver Plunketts	O'Raghallaighs
1995	St Bride's	Oliver Plunketts
1994	O'Connells	Glyde Rangers
1993	Oliver Plunketts (R)	Glyde Rangers (R)
1992	O'Connells	John Mitchels
1991	St Nicholas	St Mochta's
1990	John Mitchels	O'Raghallaighs
1989^[30]		O'Raghallaighs
1988	St Kevin's	John Mitchels
1987	Seán O'Mahony's	Dundalk Gaels
1986	Glyde Rangers	John Mitchels
1985	Dundalk Gaels	Hunterstown Rovers
1984	Oliver Plunketts	Lann Léire
1983	Dundalk Gaels	Lann Léire
1982	Hunterstown Rovers	Cooley Kickhams
1981	John Mitchels	Roche Emmets
1980^[31]	Naomh Máirtin	Roche Emmets
1979^[32]	St Fechin's	Hunterstown Rovers
1978	Naomh Máirtin	Hunterstown Rovers
1977^[33]	Kilkerley Emmets	Dundalk Young Irelands
1976^[34]	Dreadnots	St Fechin's
1975	St Fechin's	St Mochta's
1974	Seán McDermott's	Dundalk Young Irelands
1973	St Mochta's	Naomh Fionnbarra
1972	St Patrick's	Naomh Fionnbarra
1971	Naomh Fionnbarra	Clan na Gael
1970	St Patrick's	Wolfe Tones
1969	Glyde Rangers	John Mitchels
1968^[35]	Cooley Kickhams (R)	St Kevin's (R)
1967	St Kevin's	St Bride's
1966	St Kevin's	St Bride's
1965	St Kevin's	Naomh Fionnbarra
1964^[36]	Cooley Kickhams	Naomh Fionnbarra
1963^[37]	Naomh Fionnbarra	O'Raghallaighs
1962^[38]	Wolfe Tones	Naomh Fionnbarra
1961^[39]	Geraldines	Mattock Rangers
1960	Naomh Fionnbarra	Wolfe Tones
1959^[40]	St Bride's
1958	Geraldines	Seán McDermott's
1957	Geraldines
1956^[41]	Roche Emmets	Geraldines
1955	Roche Emmets	Newtown Blues
1954^[42]	Clan na Gael	Darver Volunteers
1953	Clan na Gael	Darver Volunteers
1952	Darver Volunteers	Naomh Mhuire
1951^[43]	Naomh Mhuire (R)	Dowdallshill (R)
1950	Naomh Mhuire (Drogheda)	Dundalk Young Irelands
1949^[44]	Dundalk Young Irelands	St Bride's
1948	Seán O'Mahony's	Parnells
1947^[45]	Clan na Gael (R)	Parnells (R)
1946	St Colmcille's (Togher)	Kilkerley Emmets
1945	Parnells (Drogheda)	Seán O'Mahony's
1944	Western Rovers (Army)	Owen Roes
1943	Oliver Plunketts	Stabannon Parnells
1942	St Magdalene's	Stabannon Parnells
1941	St Magdalene's (R)	Seán O'Mahony's (R)
1940	Seán O'Mahony's	Owen Roes
1939	Seán O'Mahony's	Ramblers (Termonfeckin)
1938	Darver Young Irelands	St Mochta's
1937	St Bride's	St Mochta's
1936	St Mochta's	Drogheda Gaelics
1935	Darver Young Irelands	St Mary's
1934	Dowdallshill	Geraldines
1933	St Magdalene's	Hitchestown
1932	Cooley Kickhams	St Magdalene's
1931	St Magdalene's (Drogheda)	Drogheda Gaelics
1930	Owen Roes (Drogheda)	Clan na Gael
1929	Clan na Gael	Newtown Blues
1928^[46]	Newtown Blues	Castlebellingham
1927	-	-
1926	St Dominic's (Dundalk)	Unknowns (Dromiskin)
1925	-	-
1924	Con Colberts (Dundalk)	Wolfe Tones
1923	-	-
1922	-	-
1921	Boyne Rangers (Drogheda)	Clan na Gael

3B Winners

The winning team is promoted to 3A

Year	Winner
2024^[47]	St Nicholas
2023^[48]	John Mitchels
2022^[49]	Stabannon Parnells
2021^[50]	Wolfe Tones
2020	Cancelled (COVID-19)
2019^[51]	Westerns

External links

• Louth GAA official website

Notes and References

1. Book: Mulligan, Fr.John. The GAA in Louth - An Historical Record. 1984.
2. Web site: Congratulations to @Glen_Emmets who were crowned the Hollywood Developments Division 3A Champions last night. . Louth GAA. 14 August 2022.
3. Web site: GAA: Louth delegates vote to revert to old league system . LMFM. 16 January 2018.
4. Web site: How Louth GAA's top trophies got their names . . 23 January 2022.
5. Web site: Louth Macardle Cup, dating back to 1926, is to be stood-down owing to disrepair. . Colm Corrigan . 8 April 2014.
6. Web site: Louth GAA Division 3A roundup: Stabannon keep their cool to clinch Div 3A title. . 7 August 2023.
7. Web site: Division 3A Roundup: Glen Emmets victory sees them crowned champions. . 11 August 2022.
8. Web site: Roche Emmets Louth Division 3A Cup winners 2019 . Roche Emmets GFC . 10 August 2019.
9. Web site: JFC final: Young Irelands claim first title since 2007 . Hogan Stand. 8 October 2018.
10. Web site: Glyde are forced to fight for title glory. The Argus. 9 September 2017.
11. News: FL3 round-up: Emmets lift trophy despite no game against Nh Malachi. Hogan Stand. 8 August 2016 .
12. Web site: FL3 playoff: Glyde crowned champions. Hogan Stand. 12 November 2015.
13. News: Naomh Fionnbarra & St. Anne's New Land Purchase & Development Plans. Hogan Stand. 15 June 2015 .
14. Web site: IFC quarters: Injury time goal puts Roche through . . 8 September 2013.
15. Web site: Undefeated Hunterstown clinch Division 3 crown. Drogheda Independent. 11 July 2012.
16. Web site: Togher. . 23 November 2011 .
17. Web site: Shield win caps fine fortnight for saints. Drogheda Independent. 3 November 2010.
18. Web site: Irelands clinch title . . 7 October 2009.
19. Web site: Hot off the press. . 30 November 2008.
20. Web site: League winners. . 30 November 2007.
21. Web site: Young Irelands capture the Div. 3 League. . 25 October 2006.
22. News: No need to play for title. . 11 November 2005.
23. Web site: Promotion was thoroughly deserved. Hogan Stand. 30 November 2004.
24. Web site: '02 disappointment banished. . 30 November 2003.
25. Web site: St. Nicholas clinch Division Three. . 13 September 2002.
26. Web site: Westerns make winning debut. . 7 June 2002.
27. Web site: Sean McDermotts are promoted to Div. 2B . . 1 September 2000.
28. Web site: No final for Mitchells. Hogan Stand. 30 November 2004.
29. Web site: Committed to the cause . . 30 November 2005.
30. Web site: Cutting the red ribbon. Hogan Stand. 30 November 2008.
31. Web site: 80s glory days are recalled at Naomh Mairtin celebration. Drogheda Independent. 25 March 2005.
32. Web site: Honours: Gaelic Football. St Fechin's.
33. Web site: Kilkerley parish district history. Willie Quigley.
34. Web site: Club History. Dreadnots GFC.
35. Web site: Barry Brennan selects his St. Kevin's and Louth all-time XVs. . 2 July 2020.
36. Web site: Special Scolls presented to : 1964 McArdle Cup Winners . The Argus. 9 April 2004.
37. Web site: Community shocked at sudden death of Kieran. . 19 December 2015.
38. Web site: Duleek Gate had lots of great greyhound men. . 21 October 2005.
39. Web site: Lynch, Sean. Hogan Stand.
40. Web site: Seán was a pub quiz buff. The Argus. 11 July 2012.
41. Web site: 'Big Vincie' Kirk got his wish for Roche Emmets and it's picture perfect . . 7 April 2020.
42. Web site: Paddy became staunch member of Castlebellingham community. The Argus. 19 August 2005.
43. Web site: Legendary 'save' in final minute of final. . 24 June 2009 .
44. Web site: Young Irelands stalwart and sports all-rounder. The Argus. 9 November 2011.
45. Web site: Paddys life was the Clans football club. The Argus. 17 May 2006.
46. Web site: Club History - The Hair Oil Team. Newtown Blues GFC.
47. Web site: The latest John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 3A & 3B League results, tables, & fixtures. Dundalk Democrat. 31 July 2024.
48. Web site: John Mitchels clinch first title in 25 years as they are crowned 3B champions. Dundalk Democrat. 13 July 2023.
49. Web site: Caoimhín Reilly: Tweaking Louth GAA league structures could be a shrewd move but change is certainly required in Louth LGFA’s format. Drogheda Independent. 27 December 2023.
50. Web site: WOLFE TONES CLAIM DIVISION 3B TITLE FOR 2021. Louth GAA. 11 October 2021.
51. Web site: All the possible outcomes ahead of the final round of Louth GAA club leagues. Dundalk Democrat. 5 August 2019.