2023 Meath Senior Football Championship

131st Meath Senior Football Championship

Tournament details
County	Meath
Province	Leinster
Year	2023
Trophy	Keegan Cup
Sponsor	Fairyhouse Steel
Date	27 July - 8 October
Teams	16
Defending champions	Ratoath
Other
Matches played	38
Website	Meath GAA
←  2022 2024  →

The 2023 Meath Senior Football Championship is the 131st edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior clubs in County Meath, Ireland with 16 teams competing. The winner will represent Meath in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship starts with a group stage and then progresses to a knock out stage.

Ratoath are the defending champions after defeating Summerhill in the 2022 final for their third S.F.C. title in their history and their third in four years having also won the Keegan Cup in 2019 and 2020. ^[1]

Having only been relegated to Intermediate in 2021, Dunshaughlin returned to the Senior Football Championship by beating Duleek/Bellewstown in the 2022 Meath Intermediate Football Championship final. ^[2]

The draw for the group stages of the championship took place on 24 April 2023 with the games due to commence on 27 July 2023.

On 8 October 2023, in a repeat of the 2022 final, Summerhill faced off against Ratoath. Summerhill reversed the result of the 2022 final and won their 8th Keegan Cup and their first since 2013, having lost four finals since their last triumph. Eoghan Frayne was awarded Man of the Match, scoring 6 points.

Moynalvey were relegated to the Meath Intermediate Football Championship after losing to Skryne in the relegation playoff final, ending their 12 year stint at senior level.

Championship Structure

The 2023 Meath S.F.C. consists of 16 teams drawn into four groups each containing four teams. The top two teams progress to the quarter-finals, while the bottom two in each group contest the Relegation Quarter-Finals. The losers of each Relegation Quarter-Final then contest the Relegation Semi-Finals, the losers of which will play-off for the right to retain their senior status into 2024. ^[3]

Team Changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2022 championship season.

To S.F.C. Promoted from 2022 I.F.C. Dunshaughlin - (Intermediate Champions)

From S.F.C. Relegated to 2023 I.F.C. Navan O'Mahonys [4]

Participating teams

The teams taking part in the 2023 Meath Senior Football Championship are:

Club	Location	Management	Pre C'ship Odds	2022 Championship Position	2023 Championship Position
Ballinabrackey	Ballinabrackey		50/1	Relegation Semi-Finalist	Relegation Quarter-Finalist
Curraha	Curraha		100/1	Relegation Quarter-Finalist	Relegation Quarter-Finalist
Donaghmore/Ashbourne	Ashbourne		14/1	Relegation Quarter-Finalist	Semi-Finalist
Dunshaughlin	Dunshaughlin & Drumree		25/1	I.F.C. Champions	Quarter-Finalist
Gaeil Colmcille	Kells		10/1	Quarter-Finalist	Relegation Quarter-Finalist
Moynalvey	Moynalvey & Kiltale		25/1	Quarter-Finalist	Relegated
Na Fianna	Enfield & Baconstown		14/1	Semi-Finalist	Relegation Semi-Finalist
Ratoath	Ratoath	Kevin Reilly	11/10	Champions	Runners Up
Seneschalstown	Kentstown & Yellow Furze		80/1	Relegation Finalist	Relegation Quarter-Finalist
Simonstown Gaels	Navan		16/1	Relegation Quarter-Finalist	Quarter-Finalist
Skryne	Skryne & Tara		20/1	Quarter-Finalist	Relegation Quarter Finalist
St. Colmcille's	Bettystown, Donacarney, Laytown & Mornington		33/1	Relegation Semi-Finalist	Quarter-Finalist
St. Peter's Dunboyne	Dunboyne		9/1	Relegation Quarter-Finalist	Relegation Semi-Finalist
Summerhill	Summerhill		4/1	Runners-up	Champions
Trim	Trim		25/1	Quarter-Finalist	Quarter-Finalist
Wolfe Tones	Kilberry, Gibbstown, Oristown & Wilkinstown		10/1	Semi-Finalist	Semi-Finalist

Group stage

^[5]

There are four groups of four teams called Group A, B, C and D. The 1st and 2nd placed teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals. The 3rd and 4th placed team in each group will proceed to the Relegation Play-Off to determine which team will suffer relegation.

The draw for the group stages of the championship was made on 24 April 2023.

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;

• (i) Where three teams are involved - the outcome of the meetings of the three teams in their previous games in the competition. If three teams finish level on points for three places and one team has beaten the other two teams that team qualifies in first place and other places are determined by the specified order. If there are two positions and one team has beaten the other two teams that team qualifies and the second place is determined by the specified order. If there is one position and one team has beaten the other two team that team qualifies;
• (ii) Where two teams are involved - the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the previous game in the competition;
• (iii) Scoring Difference;
• (iv) Highest total scores for;
• (v) A play-off.

Group A

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts Dunshaughlin 3 3 0 0 42 36 +6 6 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 3 1 2 0 38 39 -1 2 Na Fianna 3 1 2 0 33 34 -1 2 Curraha 3 1 2 0 35 39 -4 2

Round 1 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-10, 0-14 Dunshaughlin, Ratoath, 29/7/2023 [6] [7] Na Fianna 1-9, 0-8 Curraha, Kilcloon, 30/7/2023 [8] [9] Round 2 Dunshaughlin 2-10, 0-12 Na Fianna, Páirc Tailteann, 11/8/2023 [10] Curraha 4-4, 1-12 Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Ratoath, 12/8/2023 [11] [12] Round 3 Curraha 1-8, 0-12 Dunshaughlin, Ardcath, 25/8/2023 [13] Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-7, 0-9 Na Fianna, Páirc Tailteann, 25/8/2023 [14]

Group B

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts Simonstown Gaels 3 2 0 1 42 38 +4 5 Trim 3 2 1 0 41 38 +3 4 St. Peter's Dunboyne 3 1 2 0 43 39 +4 2 Seneschalstown 3 0 2 1 47 58 -11 1

Round 1 Seneschalstown 0-12, 2-14 St. Peters Dunboyne, Dunsany, 28/7/2023 [15] [16] Simonstown Gaels 1-7, 1-5 Trim, Páirc Tailteann, 29/7/2023 [17] Round 2 Seneschalstown 2-10, 2-13 Trim, Bective, 12/8/2023 [18] St. Peters Dunboyne 0-11, 1-10 Simonstown Gaels, Walterstown, 13/8/2023 Round 3 Simonstown Gaels 2-13, 2-13 Seneschalstown, Páirc Tailteann, 26/8/2023 [19] [20] St. Peters Dunboyne 0-12, 1-11 Trim, Summerhill, 26/8/2023

Group C

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts St. Colmcille's 3 2 0 1 38 29 +9 5 Ratoath 3 2 1 0 62 36 +26 4 Moynalvey 3 1 1 1 36 39 -3 3 Skryne 3 0 3 0 33 65 -32 0

Round 1 Ratoath 1-14, 0-8 Moynalvey, Skryne, 27/7/2023 [21] [22] St. Colmcilles 0-12, 0-9 Skryne, Ashbourne, 28/7/2023 [23] Round 2 Moynalvey 0-10, 0-10 St. Colmcilles, Skryne, 11/8/2023 [24] Skryne 1-9, 7-14 Ratoath, Ashbourne, 13/8/2023 Round 3 Ratoath 0-10, 2-10 St. Colmcilles, Páirc Tailteann, 27/8/2023 [25] Skryne 0-12, 4-6 Moynalvey, Dunshaughlin, 27/8/2023 [26]

Group D

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts Summerhill 3 3 0 0 54 26 +28 6 Wolfe Tones 3 2 1 0 46 37 +9 4 Ballinabrackey 3 1 2 0 37 46 -9 0 Gaeil Colmcille 3 0 3 0 29 57 -28 0

Round 1 Wolfe Tones 2-15, 0-7 Gaeil Colmcille, Páirc Tailteann, 28/7/2023 [27] Ballinabrackey 0-7, 2-12 Summerhill, Clonard, 29/7/2023 [28] [29] Round 2 Summerhill 2-13, 0-11 Wolfe Tones, Páirc Tailteann, 13/8/2023 [30] Gaeil Colmcille 0-14, 2-13 Ballinabrackey, Trim, 13/8/2023 [31] [32] Round 3 Summerhill 1-14, 0-8 Gaeil Colmcille, Páirc Tailteann, 27/8/2023 [33] [34] Wolfe Tones 2-8, 1-8 Ballinabrackey, Trim, 27/8/2023 [35]

Knock-Out Stage

The 1st and 2nd placed teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals. Quarter Final pairings were drawn with one group winner and one 2nd placed team in each pair with no repeat pairings from group stages. Semi Final pairings were determined by an open draw. The draw for the quarter-finals and Semi-Finals took place on 28th August 2023. ^[36]

Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final

St. Colmcilles

0-13

Donaghmore/Ashbourne

1-11

Donaghmore/Ashbourne

0-8

Summerhill

0-10

Summerhill

1-14

Trim

2-4

Summerhill

0-22 (a.e.t.)

Ratoath

1-13 (a.e.t.)

Simonstown Gaels

1-5

Wolfe Tones

2-11

Wolfe Tones

0-6

Ratoath

0-7

Dunshaughlin

1-8

Ratoath

1-9

Quarter-finals

St. Colmcilles v Donaghmore/Ashbourne

8 September 2023 (2023-09-08)Quarter-Final 1	St. Colmcilles	0-13 (13)–(14) 1-11	Donaghmore/Ashbourne	Skryne
20:00 IST (UTC+1)
		Report		Referee: David Coldrick

Simonstown Gaels v Wolfe Tones

9 September 2023 (2023-09-09)Quarter-Final 2	Simonstown Gaels	1-5 (8)–(17) 2-11	Wolfe Tones	Navan
17:15 IST (UTC+1)				Venue: Páirc Tailteann
		Report

Summerhill v Trim

10 September 2023 (2023-09-10)Quarter-Final 3	Summerhill	1-14 (17)–(10) 2-4	Trim	Navan
16:00 IST (UTC+1)				Venue: Páirc Tailteann
		Report

Dunshaughlin v Ratoath

10 September 2023 (2023-09-10)Quarter-Final 4	Dunshaughlin	1-8 (11)–(12) 1-9	Ratoath	Ashbourne
19:30 IST (UTC+1)

Semi-finals

Donaghmore/Ashbourne v Summerhill

23 September 2023 (2023-09-23)Semi-Final 1	Donaghmore/Ashbourne	0-8 (8)–(10) 0-10	Summerhill	Navan
17:00 IST (UTC+1)				Venue: Páirc Tailteann
		Report

Wolfe Tones v Ratoath

24 September 2023 (2023-09-24)Semi-Final 2	Wolfe Tones	0-6 (6)–(7) 0-7	Ratoath	Navan
16:30 IST (UTC+1)				Venue: Páirc Tailteann
		Report

Final

Summerhill v Ratoath

8 October 2023 (2023-10-08)Final	Summerhill	0-22 (22)–(16) 1-13 (a.e.t.)	Ratoath	Navan
14:15 IST (UTC+1)		(HT: 0-10 - 1-6) (FT: 0-15 - 1-12)		Venue: Páirc Tailteann
		Report		Referee: David Coldrick

Relegation play-off

The Relegation Play-Off consists of the 3rd and 4th-placed finishers in each group. The winners of each playoff round retain their senior status while the outright loser will be relegated to the Intermediate championship for 2024. The draw for the relegation playoffs took place on 28th August 2023. ^[36]

Relegation Quarter-Finals

Na Fianna v Seneschalstown

9 September 2023 (2023-09-09)Relegation Quarter-Final 1	Na Fianna	0-10 (10)–(18) 3-9	Seneschalstown	Batterstown
19:30 IST (UTC+1)
		Report		Referee: Patrick Coyle

Moynalvey v Curraha

10 September 2023 (2023-09-10)Relegation Quarter-Final 2	Moynalvey	2-6 (12)–(13) 1-10	Curraha	Dunshaughlin
12:00 IST (UTC+1)
		[37] [38]		Referee: Keith Sheerin

Ballinabrackey v Skryne

9 September 2023 (2023-09-09)Relegation Quarter-Final 3	Ballinabrackey	0-16 (16)–(15) 1-12	Skryne	Summerhill
17:00 IST (UTC+1)
		[39] [40]		Referee: Andrew Smith

St. Peter's Dunboyne v Gaeil Colmcille

10 September 2023 (2023-09-10)Relegation Quarter-Final 4	St. Peter's Dunboyne	0-18 (18)–(19) 2-13 (a.e.t.)	Gaeil Colmcille	Walterstown
12:00 IST (UTC+1)
		Report		Referee: Kieran Olwell

Relegation Semi-Finals

Na Fianna v Skryne

24 September 2023 (2023-09-24)Relegation Semi-Final 1	Na Fianna	1-13 (16)–(8) 0-8	Skryne	Summerhill
11:30 IST (UTC+1)

Moynalvey v St. Peter's Dunboyne

22 September 2023 (2023-09-22)Relegation Semi-Final 2	Moynalvey	0-10 (10)–(27) 4-15	St. Peter's Dunboyne	Batterstown
20:00 IST (UTC+1)
		Report

Relegation Final

Skryne v Moynalvey

8 October 2023 (2023-10-08)Relegation Final	Skryne	1-12 (15)–(11) 0-11	Moynalvey
11:15 IST (UTC+1)
		Report

References

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2. "IFC final: Dunshaughlin are back". hoganstand.com. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
3. Championship formats
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