Brady’s Garage have come on board as sponsors for the Meath Regional Football Championships, details for which were announced earlier this week.
Last year’s inaugural incarnation of the competition – in which teams compete for the Richie Barry Cup – was extremely well received by clubs, players and fans alike with – fittingly – the Boyne Valley combination, including Walterstown players, taking the trophy which commemorates the Garlow Cross club’s late esteemed member.
Details regarding the structure of the participating teams are expanded upon hereafter but without doubt the most interesting development thus far has been the recruitment of both Anthony Moyles and Niall Ronan to look after amalgams in their respective areas.
Clonee’s Moyles was a Leinster SFC winner in 2001 and one of the county’s greatest warriors and servants in the barren years which followed, though he did attain another Delaney Cup gong in 2010 and also represented Ireland in the International Rules Series.
In club fare, he was the catalyst behind St Paul’s winning the JFC in 1999 and also made a huge contribution to Blackhall Gaels annexing the Keegan Cup in 2003.
Since retiring, the 47-year-old Stock Broker has had a spell in charge of Dunshaughlin and, most recently, along with Leo Turley, Paul Nestor and Claire Harford, guided Kilbride to the Final of Meath Junior Football Championship.
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Niall Ronan was one of the best underage footballers the one seeing eye here ever encountered. A Meath Minor in 1999 and 2000, I have absolutely no doubt he would have gone on to be one of the greats of Meath football hdd the oval ball brigade not came calling,.
Having been initially contracted by Leinster, the St Colmcille’s clubman then took the prudent decision for the sake of his own career to transfer to Munster. Simply because, at the time, as a back row forward, he would have been competing with Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Jordi Murphy, Jack Conan and, even for a brief period, Trevor Brennan.
Though, ultimately, injury curtailed what was a burgeoning career in Thomond Park, the midfielder cum full forward was capped at international level before returning to where it all began for him.
That is to say, he made a comeback in GAA, lining out at full forward when St Colmcille’s won the county IFC and went all the way to the All Ireland Final in the grade. Where they eventually went under to a Lee Keegan-inspired Westport.
A second and final retirement from the playing fields but since then he has been involved with the coaching and particularly Strength And Conditioning of a number of local rugby clubs. However, that he has been inveigled upon to get involved with the Regionals will surely spark speculation surrounding his possible addition to Colm O’Rourke’s backroom team. Especially in light of the departure of Eugene Eivers from same.
The structures and team managements for the forthcoming Championships are as follows:
An Abhainn Dubh – Blackwater (Carnaross, Drumbaragh, Kilmainham, Moynalty, St Michael’s) Manager David Nolan
An Tuaisceart – The North (Drumconrath, Castletown, Kilmainhamwood, Meath Hill, Nobber) Manager Seamus Kenny
Ard Breacain – Ardbraccan (Dunderry, Cortown, O’Mahony’s, St Ultan’s) Manager Paul Garrigan.
Brú na Bóinne – Valley of the Boyne (Duleek/Bellewstown, Eastern Gaels, St Mary’s, St Patrick’s, St Vincent’s) Manager Niall Ronan
Gleann na Bóinne – Boyne Valley (Rathkenny, Slane, Syddan, Walterstown) Manager John McCarthy
Loch Craobh – Lough Crew (Ballinlough, Moylagh, Oldcastle, St Brigid’s) Manager Davy Nelson
Maigh Fionnráithe – Moyfenragh (Ballivor, Boardsmill, Clann na Gael, Clonard, Longwood) Manager Tom Hanley
Teamhair – Tara (Bective, Blackhall Gaels, Dunsany, Kilbride, St Paul’s) Manager Anthony Moyles
The top two teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals with the winners of one group playing
the runners up in the other,
The regional team with the 2023 IFC champions shall be allocated the team relegated from the 2023 SFC into their region.
Players eligible to play in the U-19 Football Championship in the 2023 competition year are not allowed to play in the 2023 Regional Football Championship until their U-19 Football Championship team exits the competition.
The County Committee will provide jerseys that can be kept by players after the competition is over.
The final will be played in Páirc Tailteann if available.