Round 1 of the LMFM Minor Football Championship takes place this evening with no fewer than twenty-one games taking place across the county as the young players set out in search of elusive championship glory.
There is one game then down for decision tomorrow evening when Clonard welcomes Clann na nGael to St. Finian’s Park for the concluding game in the opening round.
All games throw-in at 19:30 unless otherwise stated.
Division 1A
Gaeil Colmcille v Duleek-Bellewstown
Referee – Peter Skelly (St. Brigid’s)
Venue – Grangegodden
Having won the U-16 Division 2 League last year when defeating St. Peter’s Dunboyne in a
thrilling decider, Gaeil Colmcille established themselves in the top tier when consolidating
their status in the Spring League prior to the outbreak of Covid-19. This evening they will
welcome a Duleek-Bellewstown side to Grangegodden which is full of talent but chief among
them is Alan Bowden who will take plenty of watching from the Kells defensive sextet.
Having avoided 2019 U-16 Division 1 finalists Dunshaughlin and St. Colmcilles in the draw,
both of these sides will be confident that a winning start will set them up for a tilt at the
knockout stages and if Ajay Tormey and Kristabus Vitkausus can hit top form this evening
then Gaeil Colmcille might just take the two points on offer.
Verdict – Gaeil Colmcille
Summerhill v St. Peter’s Dunboyne
Referee – Frank Scully (Longwood)
Venue – Summerhill
Summerhill’s quest to land their fifth Minor Football Championship Division 1 title gets
underway with a tricky assignment at home to an improving St. Peter’s Dunboyne outfit and
after losing out to St. Colmcilles in last year’s final they will be quietly confident of going
one better this year in the October 4th final.
St. Peter’s Dunboyne have a well-balanced team and are up in Division 1 after showing very
impressive form earlier in the year when unbeaten in Division 2 of the Spring League. An
away game in Summerhill for their first assignment is as tough a test as they could have been
handed and while they will fare well overall, they will struggle to come away with the win on
this occasion.
Verdict – Summerhill.
Division 1B
Dunshaughlin v Skryne (19:00)
Referee – Owen Ganly (Trim)
Venue – Dunshaughlin
If every competition seems to have a division which is handed the ‘Group of Death’ moniker,
then Division 1B is this Championship’s equivalent. Dunshaughlin and St. Colmcilles along
with Ratoath are many people’s idea of the top three sides in the Championship and Skryne
appear to be up against it having been drawn alongside them.
Skryne though will fear no opposition and after making it to the last four in 2019, they will be
confident of upsetting the odds and coming out of the group and they certainly have no
shortage of talented players in their ranks with Oisín Keogh (one of the stars in St. Pat’s run
to the All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior ‘A’ Final), Sean O’Regan and John Finnerty
amongst their ranks.
Dunshaughlin, having won the Division 2 MFC for the last two years, are looking to make it
three years in a row that a Minor title has wintered in the club and are fancied to get off to
winning ways this evening with John McDonagh and Conor Gray likely to be leading lights
for the black and amber outfit.
Verdict – Dunshaughlin
St. Colmcilles v Ratoath (19:00)
Referee – Derek Ryan (Na Fianna)
Venue – Piltown
Perennially two of the main contenders for the Delaney Cup, these two clubs seem to face
each other every year in the MFC with memories still fresh of their thrilling Round 3
encounter back in 2018 when the ‘Cilles edged a classic game en route to lifting the famous
trophy and in the meantime consigning Ratoath to the Shield competition.
All bar one of the management team which led the club to their second-ever outright success
in the competition are back on board for another tilt at glory and they have a team which has
brilliantly talented players everywhere you look. Godfrey Ehichoya, Luke Hannon & Liam
Stafford are three who were on the team in 2019 and know what it takes to win the MFC but
they will be all too aware of the test which Ratoath will pose when they arrive to Piltown.
Domhnall Rogers, Oisín Kelly, Mossie Corbett are three on the Ratoath side who are capable
of leading the club to a fourth title in the last ten years and one suspects that in Ratoath there
are many who are quietly confident of both their Senior and Minor sides being in action in
Páirc Tailteann on county final day.
The pitch in Piltown is next door to the parish cemetery and a defeat here for either side
could prove to be a fatal blow in the ‘Group of Death’ but this is a game where both sides
could emerge their Championship ambitions still alive as they share the points.
Verdict – Draw
Division 2A
Navan O’Mahonys v Kilbride
Referee – Padraig Coyle (Seneschalstown)
Venue – Paddy O’Brien Park
In many ways, this game could be described as the ultimate David v Goliath clash with
Kilbride representing the small club and O’Mahony’s the ultimate big town team. Kilbride
have been putting in brilliant work in recent years developing their juvenile section and the
fruits of this labour are to be seen in the ever falling average age of the Junior Championship
side thanks to the flow of talented young players coming through from the Minor grade in the
last couple of years.
With four members of the 2020 Meath Minor panel at the moment, Kilbride have no shortage
of talented players with Andrew McWeeney and Zach McGovern amongst them while the
name of Josh Harford is one to keep an eye on in this Championship.
There is unlikely to be a management team with more medals between them than what
O’Mahony’s have assembled and it’s a sign of the hopes they have for this group of players
that the likes of Cormac McGuinness & Rory Maguire are assisting team manager Damien
Moran. O’Mahony’s will go well in this year’s Championship but Kilbride have more
weaponry than David had, and they are capable of slaying Goliath in Paddy O’Brien Park.
Verdict – Kilbride
Walterstown v Simonstown Gaels
Referee – Martin Dawson (St. Michael’s)
Venue – Walterstown
Potentially one of the ties of the round, this game pits two teams up against each other who
have genuine ambitions of lifting the Liam Tolan Cup at the end of September. Walterstown
are beginning to rise once more as they begin to see the fruits of their work in the juvenile
ranks and have a promising group of players coming through in the class of 2020 under the
tutelage of Andy McGuinness. Keep an eye out for Troy Campbell O’Brien in the middle of
the park as well as centre-forward Byron Farrell. In defence for The Blacks, Ross Reynolds,
from that famous Walterstown stable, is a superbly intelligent young footballer, while
wearing number five, Eoghan McCague is another one to watch.
Simonstown are more used, in recent years, to contesting the Division 1 Championship and
they will be confident that they have what it takes to make the short journey out the Oldtown
Road a fruitful one. In Adam Niven and Luke Caffrey, they have two bright talents who are
capable of inspiring the team to glory. The first step on that journey can see them return to
Navan with the points this evening. It will be a close one, however.
Verdict – Simonstown
Division 2B
Killary Emmets v Donaghmore/Ashbourne
Referee – Kieran Olwell (Moynalty)
Venue – Castletown
When these sides last met on February 29th, they couldn’t have imagined their next competitive game would come over five months later but in this strangest of years this is what has transpired. Killary Emmets won out that day, having thirteen points to spare in Syddan as they won by 6-09 to 2-08.
Donaghmore/Ashbourne tend to perform to a much higher level in the Championship than in
the League and a much-improved performance can be expected after they finished pointless
in Division 2B back in the Spring. Dominion Agbaha is a name to watch out for over the
coming weeks, as is Sean Tyrrell while on the Killary Emmets side they will look to Rian
McConnell and Killian Smith for inspiration.
There is likely to be very little to choose between these teams but on the basis of the
aforementioned Championship form in recent years being much improved from that shown in
the League, Donaghmore/Ashbourne may have the edge here.
Verdict – Donaghmore/Ashbourne
Seneschalstown v Trim
Referee – Andrew Smith (Dunshaughlin)
Venue – Fr. Tully Park
For the second time in three years these two teams meet in the opening round of the
Championship, having clashed in Trim back in 2018 when Seneschalstown edged a tight
affair en route to qualifying for the Division 1 semi-finals.
With only having one home game, Seneschalstown will be looking to make the most of this
evening’s game before their away trips to Ashbourne and Castletown. The Gerry McDonnell
managed side will be looking to put the experience gained when competing in Division 1 at
U-16 last year and earlier this year in the Minor League to good effect.
Trim come into the competition somewhat under the radar but with no shortage of talent in
their ranks. Unlike their opposition, many of their players have the benefit of competitive
action under their belt since the resumption of games last month, with the dual nature of the
club proving beneficial as they got two Minor Hurling League games played.
Much may depend on who comes out on top in the likely matchup between Donal Commons
from Seneschalstown and Ciaran Caulfield while if Seneschalstown can tie down James
Foley in the Trim attack they have the wherewithal to rack up a match winning tally at the
other end of the field especially if Jack Owens hits top form.
Verdict – Seneschalstown
Division 3A
St. Mary’s v Wolfe Tones
Referee – Liam Reddy (Duleek-Bellewstown)
Venue – Donore
A year ago a Wolfe Tones side travelled to Donore needing a win to secure their Senior
Championship status in a relegation playoff, now it’s the turn of their Minors to make the
journey looking to take their first steps towards retaining the Noel Curran Cup.
Standing in their way is a St. Mary’s side who have been improving steadily and find
themselves in Division 3, having been U-16 Division 4 finalists last year. Wolfe Tones might
just have too much in the tank from them on this occasion.
Verdict – Wolfe Tones
St. Colmcilles (B) v St. Michael’s/Nobber (19:00)
Referee – Liam O’Brien (Duleek-Bellewstown)
Venue – Seafield
It is a lengthy trek to one of the more unique venues in the county this evening for St.
Michael’s/Nobber as they set their sat navs for Laytown.
There’s a huge depth of talent in the St. Colmcilles club at present and after they did the
Division 1 and 4 Double last year, they will be looking to maintain their progress now that
their second side is in Division 3.
St. Michael’s/Nobber will look to Lorcan McEntee to keep the scoreboard ticking over but
they may face the journey home having just come up short.
Verdict – St. Colmcilles (B)
Division 3B
Drumconrath/Meath Hill v St. Ultan’s/Cortown Gaels
Referee – Seamus O’Connor (Carnaross)
Venue – Meath Hill
In an intriguing clash of two Independent Teams in Meath Hill, the home side will look to Cormac Sheehy for inspiration against St. Ultan’s/Cortown Gaels for whom Luca Brady is l ikely to play a key role.
The venue on the Monaghan border is a notoriously difficult one to come away from with a
win for any away side and on the evidence of what we seen back in the Spring, St. Ultan’s/Cortown Gaels might just be returning home empty-handed.
Verdict – Drumconrath/Meath Hill
St. Patrick’s v Ballinabrackey
Referee – Patrick Coyle (Curraha)
Venue – Stamullen
It’s not often the drive to a game in Meath takes longer than the game itself but that’s what is
in store for Ballinabrackey as they face a 75 minute drive to Stamullen for this Round 1
encounter.
Much will depend here on who comes out on top in the likely matchup between Mark Coffey
from Ballinabrackey & Sean Emmanuel from the Pats.
Verdict – St. Patrick’s
Division 4A
Na Fianna v Rathkenny/Slane
Referee – Aidan Dalton (Ballinabrackey)
Venue – Enfield
Rathkenny/Slane are managed by 2002 All Ireland winner Andrew McCann who is likely to
have them in flying form for this visit to Enfield.
Na Fianna have a promising team but may find themselves on the back foot here against the
combined forces of the McCann managed side.
Verdict: Rathkenny/Slane
Ratoath (B) v Ballinlough (19:00)
Referee – Robbie Barrett (Walterstown)
Venue – Ratoath
Division 4 Minor Football Championship winners in 2019, Ballinlough are back looking for
more success this year.
Opening round games don’t get much tougher than a trip to Ratoath but Ballinlough are
capable of plundering points.
Verdict – Ballinlough
Division 4B
Bective/Dunsany v Kilmainhamwood
Referee – Stephen Dowling (Navan O’Mahonys)
Venue – Bective
Another club who have been doing great work in recent years at juvenile level is
Kilmainhamwood who having been joined with Drumconrath/Meath Hill in the MFC two
years ago are now competing on their own for the second successive year.
They will find the going difficult in Bective but may have enough strength to come away
with the win.
Verdict – Kilmainhamwood
St. Peter’s Dunboyne (B) v Moynalvey/Boardsmill
Referee – John O’Brien (DCU Dóchas Éireann)
Venue – Dunboyne
Fielding two Minor sides in both football and hurling is exceptional going for St. Peter’s
Dunboyne but their second team might find Moynalvey/Boardsmill a shade too strong this
evening.
Verdict – Moynalvey/Boardsmill
Division 5A
Dunderry v Blackhall Gaels
Referee – Marcas Ó Donnchú (Simonstown Gaels)
Venue – Dunderry
Having been joined with Moynalvey in recent times, Blackhall Gaels are back fielding on
their own in the last few years which is a bright sign for the club.
Dunderry showed well at the Minor grade in 2019 and another good showing is expected this
year.
Verdict – Dunderry
St. Vincent’s/Curraha v Simonstown (B)
Referee – Jack Gordon (Walterstown)
Venue – Masterson Park, Ardcath
With Shane O’Rourke, Robbie Burlingham and Brian McGrath patrolling the side-lines for
Simonstown, their players won’t be lacking for inspiration but it’s difficult to look past the
combined forces of St. Vincent’s/Curraha here.
Verdict – St. Vincent’s/Curraha
Division 5B
Moynalty/Carnaross v Inny Gaels
Referee – Dessie Smyth (St. Ultan’s)
Venue – Moynalty
When these sides met in the League back in early March it was Inny Gaels who emerged as
comfortable winners. It’s difficult to see Moynalty/Carnaross turning the tables on them.
Verdict – Moynalty/Carnaross
Round Towers v Longwood
Referee – Eamon Barry (Walterstown)
2020 LMFM Meath MFC Previews
Venue – Kilmainham
Another club fielding on their own after a lengthy spell where they joined forces with a neighbouring club is Longwood. They travel to Drumbaragh this evening but might come up just short against Round Towers for whom Hughie Corcoran is likely to be a key player.
Verdict – Round Towers
Division 6
Clonard v Clann na nGael (Thursday August 6 – 19:30)
Referee – Jim Rock (Coralstown-Kinnegad)
Venue – St. Finian’s Park
The Bishop of Meath takes centre stage in Clonard this evening but tomorrow it’s the turn of
their Minor Football side to be the focus of attention as they take on Clann na nGael in St.
Finian’s Park.
They will face tough opposition in Clann na nGael who could prove marginally too strong.
Verdict – Clann na nGael
Oldcastle v Ballivor
Referee – Brian O’Rourke (Cortown)
Venue -Millbrook
It’s very difficult to separate these two sides with Oldcastle having had a difficult Spring
League and Ballivor having not fielded.
Verdict – Draw
Donaghmore/Ashbourne (B) v BYE
By Meath GAA Wed 5th Aug
