Draft:2023 Meath Intermediate Football Championship


97th Meath Intermediate Football Championship
Tournament details
CountyMeath
ProvinceLeinster
Year2023
TrophyMattie McDonnell Cup
SponsorMeade Potato
Date28 July 2023 - 7 October 2023
Teams16
Defending championsDunshaughlin
Winners
ChampionsRathkenny (3rd win)
ManagerDonal Curtis
CaptainDonal Keogan
Runners-up
Runners-upDuleek/Bellewstown
ManagerJoe Sheridan
Promotion/Relegation
Promoted team(s)Rathkenny
Relegated team(s)Dunderry
Other
Matches played38
WebsiteMeath GAA
← 2022
2024 →

The 2023 Meath Intermediate Football Championship was the 97th edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for Intermediate graded teams in County Meath, Ireland. The tournament consisted of 16 teams and started with a group stage before progressing to a knock out stage. The winner will represent Meath in the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship.

Dunshaughlin were the 2022 Meath Intermediate Football Champions after they defeated Duleek/Bellewstown by 0-17 to 0-07 in the final. After having being relegated from the Meath Senior Football Championship in 2021, they will return to the senior ranks after a year in the Intermediate Championship.[1]

Navan O'Mahonys were relegated from the Senior Football Championship in 2022 after playing in the Senior Football Championship since 2004 and winning four Meath Senior Football Championships within that time[2]. Castletown were promoted to the I.F.C. after defeating Dunsany 1-12 to 0-11 in the Meath Junior Football Championship.[3] Clann na nGael, Kilmainham and St. Vincent's were relegated to the 2023 Meath Junior Football Championship.

The draws for the group stages of the championship took place on 24 April 2023[4] with the games commencing on 28 July 2023.

On 7 October 2023, Rathkenny claimed their third I.F.C title and secured their return to the senior ranks for the first time since 2019 when defeating Duleek/Bellewstown 1-18 to 2-14 in the final.[5]

Dunderry were relegated to the Meath Junior Football Championship after losing to Longwood in the relegation play-off final.[6]

Championship Structure

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The 2023 Meath I.F.C. consisted of 16 teams drawn into four groups each containing four teams. The top two teams progressed to the quarter-finals, while the bottom two in each group contested the Relegation Quarter-Finals. The losers of each Relegation Quarter-Final then contested the Relegation Semi-Finals, the losers of which would play-off for the right to retain their intermediate status into 2025.

Team Changes

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

Participating Teams

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

Club Location Management 2022 Championship Position 2023 Championship Position
Ballivor Ballivor Non-Qualifier Quarter-Finalist
Bective Navan David Nolan Non-Qualifier Relegation Semi-Finalist
Blackhall Gaels Batterstown & Kilcloon Non-Qualifier Relegation Quarter-Finalist
Castletown Castletown-Kilpatrick Aidan Young 2022 JFC Champions Quarter-Finalist
Drumbaragh Emmets Drumbaragh, Kells Davy Cahill Relegation Playoff Relegation Quarter-Finalist
Duleek/Bellewstown Duleek & Bellewstown Joe Sheridan Runners-Up Runners-Up
Dunderry Dunderry Michael Clarke Semi-Finalist Relegated to 2024 JFC
Longwood Longwood Noel Kerrigan Non-Qualifer Relegation Finalist
Meath Hill Meath Hill Shane McCoy Non-Qualifier Quarter-Finalist
Navan O'Mahonys Navan Damien Moran & Rory Maguire Relegated from 2022 SFC Semi-Finalist
Nobber Nobber Paddy Bates Semi-Finalist Relegation Semi-Finalist
Oldcastle Oldcastle Jude McNabb Quarter-Finalist Relegation Quarter-Finalist
Rathkenny Rathkenny Donal Curtis Quarter-Finalist Champions
St. Michael's Carlanstown & Kilbeg Mick O'Rourke Non-Qualifier Relegation Quarter-Finalist
St. Patrick's Stamullen Ronan Kearns & Daithi Whyte Quarter-Finalist Semi-Finalist
Walterstown Johnstown Niall Reynolds Quarter-Finalist Quarter-Finalist

Group Stage

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There were four groups of four teams called Group A, B, C and D. The 1st and 2nd placed teams in each group qualified for the quarter-finals. The 3rd and 4th placed team in each group proceeded to the Relegation Play-Off to determine which team would be relegated.

The draws for the group stage of the championship were made on 24 April 2023[7].

Group A

[edit]

  Advance to knockout stage   Advance to relegation play-off

Team Matches Score Pts
Pld W D L For Against Diff
Navan O'Mahonys 3 2 1 0 52 43 +9 5
Rathkenny 3 1 1 1 51 39 +12 3
Drumbaragh Emmets 3 1 0 2 42 61 -19 2
Oldcastle 3 0 2 1 39 41 -2 2

Round 1

[edit]
29 July 2023 Round 1 Oldcastle 1-11 (14) (14) 2-8 Navan O'Mahonys Ballinlough  
18:30 (HT: 0-5 - 1-8)
Report Referee: Patrick Clarke


30 July 2023 Round 1 Rathkenny 4-13 (25) (7) 1-4 Drumbaragah Emmets Nobber  
12:00
Referee: Martin Dawson


Round 2

[edit]
11 August 2023 Round 2 Drumbaragh Emmets 1-11 (14) (12) 0-12 Oldcastle Grangegodden  
19:30
Referee: Joseph Curran


13 August 2023 Round 2 Navan O'Mahonys 2-08 (14) (13) 0-13 Rathkenny Navan  
14:00 (HT: 2-4 - 0-8) Venue: Pairc Tailteann
Report Referee: Robert Purfield


Round 3

[edit]
25 August 2023 Round 3 Navan O'Mahonys 2-18 (24) (16) 3-7 Drumbaragh Emmets Bohermeen  
19:15 (HT: 1-10 - 1-2)
Report Referee: Patrick Clarke


25 August 2023 Round 3 Rathkenny 0-13 (13) (13) 2-7 Oldcastle Carlanstown  
19:15
Referee: Robbie Barrett


Group B

[edit]

  Advance to knockout stage   Advance to relegation play-off

Team Matches Score Pts
Pld W D L For Against Diff
Duleek/Bellewstown 3 3 0 0 46 33 +13 6
Castletown 3 2 0 1 46 45 +1 4
St. Michael's 3 1 0 2 36 42 -6 2
Blackhall Gaels 3 0 0 3 36 44 -8 0

Round 1

[edit]
29 July 2023 Round 1 Blackhall Gaels 3-7 (16) (19) 1-16 Castletown Bective  
18:30 (HT: 1-7 - 0-10)
Report Referee: Robbie Barrett


29 July 2023 Round 1 St. Michael's 1-10 (13) (15) 0-15 Duleek/Bellewstown Rathkenny  
18:30 (HT: 0-5 - 0-10)
Report Referee: Robert Purfield


Round 2

[edit]
12 August 2023 Round 2 Duleek/Bellewstown 0-12 (12) (9) 1-6 Blackhall Gaels Kilbride  
18:30 (HT: 0-7 - 0-2)
Report Referee: Peter O'Halloran


12 August 2023 Round 2 Castletown 1-13 (16) (10) 0-10 St. Michael's Kilmainhamwood  
18:30 (HT: 1-6 - 0-3)
Report Referee: Liam Reddy


Round 3

[edit]
26 August 2023 Round 3 Castletown 1-8 (11) (19) 1-16 Duleek/Bellewstown Stamullen  
18:30 (HT: 1-5 - 1-3)
Report Referee: Owen Ganly


26 August 2023 Round 3 St. Michael's 1-10 (13) (11) 1-8 Blackhall Gaels Walterstown  
18:30 (HT: 0-8 - 0-3)
Report Referee: Andrew Lenehan


Group C

[edit]

  Advance to knockout stage   Advance to relegation play-off

Team Matches Score Pts
Pld W D L For Against Diff
Walterstown 3 3 0 0 61 42 +19 6
Ballivor 3 2 0 1 65 35 +30 4
Nobber 3 1 0 2 35 61 -26 2
Longwood 3 0 0 3 45 68 -23 0

Round 1

[edit]
29 July 2023 Round 1 Walterstown 2-17 (23) (19) 3-10 Longwood Trim  
18:00 (HT: 1-6 - 0-1)
Report Referee: Owen Ganly


29 July 2023 Round 1 Nobber 0-9 (9) (23) 4-11 Ballivor Bohermeen  
18:30 (HT: 0-4 - 2-5)
Report Referee: Peter Skelly


Round 2

[edit]
11 August 2023 Round 2 Longwood 1-13 (16) (17) 2-11 Nobber Bohermeen  
19:30 (HT: 0-9 - 0-8)
Report Referee: Eamon Barry


13 August 2023 Round 2 Ballivor 1-11 (14) (16) 1-13 Walterstown Athboy  
14:00 (HT: 0-9 - 1-5)
Report Referee: Patrick Clarke


Round 3

[edit]
27 August 2023 Round 3 Ballivor 4-16 (28) (10) 2-4 Longwood Clonard  
12:00 (HT: 2-8 - 1-3)
Report Referee: Bernard Heaney


27 August 2023 Round 3 Walterstown 1-19 (22) (9) 1-6 Nobber Slane  
12:00 (HT: 0-9 - 0-4)
Report Referee: Patrick Coyle


Group D

[edit]

  Advance to knockout stage   Advance to relegation play-off

Team Matches Score Pts
Pld W D L For Against Diff
St. Patrick's 3 3 0 0 47 34 +13 6
Meath Hill 3 2 0 1 51 30 +21 4
Bective 3 1 0 2 43 49 -6 2
Dunderry 3 0 0 3 26 54 -28 0

Round 1

[edit]
28 July 2023 Round 1 Bective 2-7 (13) (15) 2-9 St. Patrick's Duleek  
19:30 (HT: 0-4 - 0-2)
Report Referee: Liam Reddy


30 July 2023 Round 1 Meath Hill 1-13 (16) (6) 0-6 Dunderry Castletown  
19:00
Report Referee: Stephan Cregan


Round 2

[edit]
11 August 2023 Round 2 St. Patrick's 1-11 (14) (11) 1-8 Meath Hill Castletown  
19:30
Referee: Robbie Barrett


13 August 2023 Round 2 Dunderry 1-7 (10) (20) 2-14 Bective Trim  
16:00 (HT: 1-3 - 1-9)
Report Referee: Martin Dawson


Round 3

[edit]
27 August 2023 Round 3 Meath Hill 3-15 (24) (10) 1-7 Bective Drumconrath  
14:00
Referee: Martin Dawson


27 August 2023 Round 3 St. Patrick's 2-12 (18) (10) 2-4 Dunderry Duleek  
14:00
Referee: Liam Reddy


Knock-out Stage

[edit]

The 1st and 2nd placed teams in each group qualified 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 the 28 August 2023.[8]

Bracket

[edit]
Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals Final
      
Border Walterstown 1-10
Border Rathkenny 1-17
Border Rathkenny 1-12
Border Navan O'Mahonys 0-06
Border Navan O'Mahonys 2-10
Border Ballivor 1-09
Border Rathkenny (AET) 1-18
Border Duleek/Bellewstown 2-14
Border Castletown 0-13
Border St. Patrick's 2-12
Border St. Patrick's 1-09
Border Duleek/Bellewstown 1-17
Border Duleek/Bellewstown 0-11
Border Meath Hill 0-10

Quarter-Finals

[edit]
9 September 2023 Quarter-Final 1 Walterstown 1-10 (13) (20) 1-17 Rathkenny Navan  
15:15 (HT: 0-5 - 1-9) Venue: Pairc Tailteann
Report Referee: Robert Purfield


10 September 2023 Quarter-Final 2 St. Patricks 2-12 (18) (13) 0-13 Castletown Seneschalstown  
12:00 (HT: 1-6 - 0-7)
Referee: Joseph Curran


10 September 2023 Quarter-Final 3 Duleek/Bellewstown 0-11 (11) (10) 0-10 Meath Hill Navan  
14:00 (HT: 0-5 - 0-6) Venue: Pairc Tailteann
Report Referee: Padraic Coyle


10 September 2023 Quarter-Final 4 Navan O'Mahonys 2-10 (16) (12) 1-9 Ballivor Dunsany  
17:00 (HT: 0-6 - 0-3)
Report Referee: Liam Reddy


Semi-Finals

[edit]
23 September 2023 Semi-Final 1 St. Patricks 1-9 (12) (20) 1-17 Duleek/Bellewstown Navan  
15:00 (HT: 1-6 - 0-8) Venue: Pairc Tailteann
Report Referee: Keith Sheerin


24 September 2023 Semi-Final 2 Navan O'Mahonys 0-6 (6) (15) 1-12 Rathkenny Navan  
12:30 (HT: 0-1 - 1-7) Venue: Pairc Tailteann
Report Referee: David Gough


Final

[edit]
7 October 2023 Final Rathkenny 1-18 (21) (20) 2-14
(a.e.t.)
Duleek/Bellewstown Navan  
(HT: 0-7 - 2-6)
(FT: 1-14 - 2-11)
Venue: Pairc Tailteann
Report Referee: Andrew Smith


Relegation Play-Offs

[edit]

The relegation play-off consisted of the 3rd and 4th-placed finishers in each group. The winners of each playoff round retained their intermediate status while the outright loser was relegated to the Junior championship for 2024. The draw for the Relegation Quarter-finals and Semi-Finals took place on 28 August 2023.[9]

Bracket

[edit]
Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals Final
      
Border Bective 1-05
Border Oldcastle 0-11
Border Bective 3-13
Border Longwood 1-14
Border Drumbaragh Emmets 0-10
Border Longwood 1-06
Border Longwood (AET) 2-13
Border Dunderry 1-15
Border Dunderry 0-08
Border St. Michael's 2-10
Border Dunderry 1-09
Border Nobber 1-15
Border Blackhall Gaels (AET) 2-09
Border Nobber 0-14

Relegation Quarter-Finals

[edit]
7 September 2023 Relegation Quarter-Final 1 Drumbaragh Emmets 0-10 (10) (9) 1-6 Longwood Carnaross  
20:00 (HT: 0-7 - 1-2)
Report Referee: Robbie Barrett


7 September 2023 Relegation Quarter-Final 2 Nobber 0-14 (14) (15) 2-9
(a.e.t.)
Blackhall Gaels Navan  
20:00 (HT: 0-8 - 1-6)
(FT: 0-11 - 1-8)
Report Referee: Owen Ganly


9 September 2023 Relegation Quarter-Final 3 St. Michaels 2-10 (16) (8) 0-8 Dunderry Moynalty  
20:00 (HT: 1-6 - 0-3)
Report Referee: Brendan O'Brien


10 September 2023 Relegation Quarter-Final 4 Bective 1-5 (8) (11) 0-11 Oldcastle Drumbaragh  
12:00 (HT: 0-2 - 0-5)
Referee: Bernard Heaney


Relegation Semi-Finals

[edit]
22 September 2023 Relegation Semi-Final 1 Dunderry 1-9 (12) (18) 1-15 Nobber Navan  
20:00 (HT: 1-3 - 1-5)
Report Referee: Patrick Coyle


23 September 2023 Relegation Semi-Final 2 Longwood 1-14 (17) (22) 3-13 Bective Boardsmill  
17:00 (HT: 1-8 - 2-7)
Report Referee: Owen Ganly


Relegation Final

[edit]
8 October 23 Relegation Final Longwood 2-13 (19) (18) 1-15
(a.e.t.)
Dunderry Boardsmill  
11:15 (HT: 1-4 - 1-6)
(FT: 2-8 - 1-11)
Report


References

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  1. ^ "IFC final: Dunshaughlin return to the top table - HoganStand". hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  2. ^ "20-time champions Navan O'Mahonys relegated from Meath SFC - HoganStand". hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  3. ^ "Castletown reach summit as Dunshaughlin fall short". Meath Chronicle. 2022-12-03. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  4. ^ "2022 Meath GAA Championship draws made - HoganStand". hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  5. ^ "IFC final: Rathkenny reap rich reward - HoganStand". hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  6. ^ "IFC rel final: Maigh Dearmhaí secure status - HoganStand". www.hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  7. ^ "Football championship draws - HoganStand". hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  8. ^ "Championship knock-out draws - HoganStand". www.hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  9. ^ "Championship knock-out draws - HoganStand". www.hoganstand.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
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