At Monday evening’s Meath Co Board meeting in the county’s centre of excellence in Dunganny, the draws took place for the knockout stages of the main adult men’s club football championships. David Sheehan brought us the unfolding drama live on LMFM too, which was great to hear too. Literally and in other ways too. As their being so adds to the sense that the local championships are burgeoning. In terms of quality, profile and attendances.
Cliched though it may be, there is no way other than mouthwatering to describe some of the confrontations thrown up. Foremost among them a repeat of last year’s SFC Final as trailblazing Wolfe Tones again square off against a Dunshaughlin side who just about hobbled over the qualification line.
Indeed, very similar parametres could also be affixed to the coming together of neighbours Summerhill and Trim. A two-pointer with quite literally the last kick of the game getting big Dave Clare’s blue and gold brigade a short head ahead of stop-start Dunboyne in the final Group A table and through to tackle Ken Robinson’s Trim troops who scorched their way through their group unbeaten, including claiming the scalp of the current kingpins who required a massive favour from Cormac Sheehy and Meath Hill in order to limp to the third last hurdle. That said, beware the wounded lions.
Now, in the third quarter final, if the game was to be played on paper, Ratoath would be expected to advance comfortably. But it’s not, you see. Look, Paul Galvin’s charges may well still advance – with the likes of Ben Wyer, Liam Kelly, Jack Flynn, Cian O’Brien, Daithi McGowan, Cian Rogers and the Wallace brothers in their ranks they may well do so.
However, there is a distinct possibility they will need every one of those big guns firing if they are to spend other winter with Tom Keegan. Because firstly, any proverbial formbook goes out the window when it comes to local derbies – and they don’t come much more localised than this one. Also, however, because, in fairness to them, Timmy O’Regan’s Donaghmore/Ashbourne have been quietly stalking their way to the last eight without drawing little or any notice along the way. Which is all the more noteworthy and commendable in view of the fact that they have been without their totem, the great Bryan Menton, for the entirety of the campaign, to date at least, due to the serious injury the midfielder sustained in the All Ireland SFC semi final against Donegal.
That they have been able to do so in those circumstances is even more credit worthy. And it also endorses the fact that others, such as Andy Colgan and Sean Curran and Jamie Brown and Dylan Brady and Andy Tormey have raised their game to the nth degree and, if they raise their game similarly next time out, it is quite likely they will, at the very minimum, give their highly vaunted neighbours plenty to think about.
The final quarter final sees the collision of aristocrats Skryne and history making Ballinabrackey. The latter making it through to the knockout stages of the SFC for the first time in their history while the 13-time champions will be aiming to go two steps further than last term when they lost out to Wolfe Tones after extra time in a semi final.
Having seen plenty of Mick O’Dowd’s team this season, it would be the view in this seat that the Tara side are several degrees better this time round than was the case 12 months ago.
SFC QUARTER FINALS
Skryne v. Ballinabrackey (Sept. 13th, Pairc Tailteann, 3.00pm)
Summerhill v. Trim
(Sept. 13th, Pairc Tailteann, 5.00pm)
Wolfe Tones v. Dunshaughlin
(Sept. 14th, Pairc Tailteann, 1.30pm)
Ratoath v. Donaghmore/Ashbourne
(Sept. 14th, Pairc Tailteann, 3.30pm)
IFC QUARTER FINALS
Kilbride v. St Patrick’s
(Sept. 12th, Ashbourne, 8.00pm)
Oldcastle v. St Michael’s
(Sept. 13th, Ballinlough, 7.30pm)
Moynalvey v. Dunsany
(Sept. 14th, Pitch 6 Dunganny, 12.00pm)
Castletown v. Drumbaragh Emmets
(Sept. 14th, Moynalty, 6.00pm)
JFC B SEMI FINALS
Cortown v. St Mary’s
(Sept. 12th, Paddy O’Brien Park – Navan O’Mahonys – 8.00pm)
Kilmainhamwood v. Moynalty
(Sept. 13th, Nobber, 11.30am)
FOGRA: The knockout stages of the JFC have yet to be finalised due to outstanding fixtures: Slane v. St Vincent’s and Nobber v. Syddan
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