After the thrills and spills on Thursday night that saw two dramatic draws played out as well as a come from behind victory in Devenish Park, Dunganny for the reigning Senior champions, we will do it all again this evening with two more games in the Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship and a further pair of fixtures in the Coolrite Junior B Football Championship.

Tickets for the games are available via the link: Football Championship Tickets

It is a fixture that feels like it is thrown up every season at this stage in the Senior Championship as Ratoath and Skryne meet once more in a local derby that will be played in Dunshaughlin at 19:30.  Ratoath are coming off the back of a very impressive campaign in the Husqvarna Centre PR Coyne Division 1 Football League in which they won all eleven group fixtures before losing out to Summerhill in the decider.

By contrast, Skryne endured a rather more difficult campaign as they struggled throughout and needed to defeat Intermediate side Moynalvey in a Relegation Playoff to maintain their Division 1 status.

The Tara men are now guided by former midfielder Aidan Tuite who has replaced Mick O’Dowd in the Bainisteoir bib and while you would normally want to be playing with a full deck of cards when facing Ratoath, he is short of a few key men who have been stalwarts for a number of seasons.  Take the likes of Harry Rooney, Ciaran Lenehan, Conor O’Brien and Niall Finnerty out of any side and there is going to be a significant drop off.

That said, the production line in Skryne is always ticking over and John O’Regan and Padraig Finnerty will form a strong centrefield partnership and in Billy Smyth, Darragh Campion and Oisín Keogh they have a trio of forwards whose skillset will cause any defence big problems.

Ratoath were missing the services of Jack Flynn and joint-captain Bryan McMahon for that recent League Final and their return to the starting XV is a massive boost.  Liam Kelly has long been one of the most talked about young players in the county after captaining the Minors to All-Ireland glory and the U-20’s to Leinster success and he will line out at full back where he is flanked by Callum Brady and Conor McGill.

Few neutrals will give Skryne much hope of a victory in this encounter but those that do so are not giving due credence to the spirit and knowhow of the group of players and they will relish coming into this game as big underdogs.

Watch all the Round 1 games in the Fairyhouse Steel SFC & Meade Farm IFC this weekend live on Clubber. Graphic is courtesy of Clubber.

Click the link to purchase the game you want to see or buy an Annual Subscription.  Live on Clubber

The fare on offer in Devenish Park, Dunganny sees Ballinabrackey, who were desperately unlucky to lose out to Skryne in the quarter-final of last year’s Championship, taking on perennial contenders Bhulf Tón CLG.

The ‘Bracks made history in 2025 when the club who have a relatively small pool of players to pick from qualified for the knockout stages of the premier competition in Meath football for the first time and in the end it was only the width of the post that prevented them from progressing to the last four when Danny Quinn saw his monstrous effort from just shy of 60 metres out just fail to go over the crossbar.

The quality of their depth will be tested this evening as they come into the game with some key players from recent seasons missing out on the starting line-up.  Conor Ennis must make do with a place on the bench while Dean Pluck and Barry Thompson are not on the match day panel.

Much will come down to how the half back line of the Coffey brothers gets on and if Richie, Seán and Mark can get the upperhand in this area of the pitch then Ballinabrackey have forwards capable of doing plenty of damage at the far end of the pitch with the likes of the aforementioned Danny Quinn, Niall Smullen and Seán Kavanagh.

Bhulf Tón are under new management this year with Shane McCoy who led Meath Hill to the Meade Farm IFC title two seasons ago now the man pulling on the Bainisteoir bib and he has Ciaran Marks alongside him as coach, Marks most recent involvement in Meath GAA was as Seneschalstown manager.

There is a hardened core of experienced players in the ‘Tones camp and in Ciarán Ó Gallachóir they possess one of the finest goalkeepers in the county, but he is well protected by the full back line of Conor Sheppard, Shane Glynn and Andrew Crawford in front of him.

Adam O’Neill and Eoin Donegan are a very physically imposing duo in the middle of the field and there is no shortage of talent in the half forward line which is led by Thomas O’Reilly at centre forward with Oisín Martin at right half forward and Caolan Ward on the left flank.

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group B Round 1

Ratoath vs Skryne.  19:30.  Venue – Dunshaughlin

Ratoath

• Manager:  Kevin Daly (Year 1)
• Joint Captains:  Ben Wyer & Bryan McMahon

Skryne

• Manager:  Aidan Tuite (Year 1)
• Captain:  Darragh Campion

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group C Round 1

Bhulf Tón CLG vs Scrín.  19:30.  Venue – Devenish Park, Dunganny

Ballinabrackey

• Manager:  Ciaran Giblin (Year 2)
• Captain:  Nicky Judge

Bhulf Tón CLG

• Manager:  Shane McCoy (Year 1)
• Captain:  Shane Glynn

Coolrite Junior B Football Championship Group B Round 1

Kilmainham vs Moynalty – 19:30.  Venue – Grangegodden (Gaeil Colmcille)

Kilmainham

• Manager:  Mickey Newman (Year 2)
• Captain:  Dylan Morgan

Moynalty

• Manager:  Mícheál McDermott (Year 1)  
• Captain:  Paddy Byrne

Kilmainhamwood vs Drumconrath – 19:30.  Venue – Meath Hill

Kilmainhamwood

• Joint Managers:  Stephen Smith & Kieran Shankey  
• Captain:  Brian Cassidy

Drumconrath

• Manager:  Wayne Reilly
• Captain:  Daniel Byrne

Thursday’s Results