The 2023 Meath Senior Football Championship was the 131st edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior clubs in County Meath, with 16 teams competing. The winner represented Meath in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship started with a group stage and then progressed to a knock out stage.
Ratoath were the defending champions after defeating Summerhill in the 2022 final.
Having only been relegated to Intermediate in 2021, Dunshaughlin returned to the Senior Football Championship by beating Duleek/Bellewstown in the 2022 Meath Intermediate Football Championship final.
The draw for the group stages of the championship took place on 24 April 2023 with the games due to commence on 27 July 2023.
On 8 October 2023, in a repeat of the 2022 final, Summerhill faced off against Ratoath. Summerhill reversed the result of the 2022 final and won their 8th Keegan Cup and their first since 2013, having lost four finals since their last triumph. Eoghan Frayne was awarded Man of the Match, scoring 6 points.
Moynalvey were relegated to the Meath Intermediate Football Championship after losing to Skryne in the relegation playoff final, ending their 12 year stint at senior level.
Championship structure The 2023 Meath S.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 senior status into 2024.Championship formats
Team changes The following teams changed division since the 2022 championship season.
To S.F.C. Promoted from 2022 I.F.C. Dunshaughlin - (Intermediate Champions)
From S.F.C. Relegated to 2023 I.F.C. Navan O'Mahonys
Participating teams The teams taking part in the 2023 Meath Senior Football Championship were:
Club Location Management Pre C'ship Odds 2022 Championship Position 2023 Championship Position Ballinabrackey BallinabrackeyTrevor Bannon50/1Relegation Semi-FinalistRelegation Quarter-Finalist CurrahaCurrahaRuairi Murphy100/1Relegation Quarter-FinalistRelegation Quarter-Finalist Donaghmore/AshbourneAshbournePadraig Durkan & Shane Treanor14/1Relegation Quarter-FinalistSemi-Finalist DunshaughlinDunshaughlin & DrumreeRichie Kealy25/1I.F.C. ChampionsQuarter-Finalist Gaeil ColmcilleKellsEoin Carroll & Brendan Murphy10/1Quarter-FinalistRelegation Quarter-Finalist MoynalveyMoynalvey & KiltaleCaoimhin King25/1Quarter-FinalistRelegated Na FiannaEnfield & BaconstownCormac Davey14/1Semi-FinalistRelegation Semi-Finalist RatoathRatoathKevin Reilly11/10ChampionsRunners Up SeneschalstownKentstown & Yellow FurzeCiaran Marks80/1Relegation FinalistRelegation Quarter-Finalist Simonstown GaelsNavanGordon Ward16/1Relegation Quarter-FinalistQuarter-Finalist SkryneSkryne & TaraDavy Byrne20/1Quarter-FinalistRelegation Quarter Finalist St. Colmcille'sBettystown, Donacarney, Laytown & MorningtonJody Devine33/1Relegation Semi-FinalistQuarter-Finalist St. Peter's DunboyneDunboyneGer Robinson9/1Relegation Quarter-FinalistRelegation Semi-Finalist SummerhillSummerhillConor Gillespie4/1Runners-upChampions TrimTrimCiaran Giblin25/1Quarter-FinalistQuarter-Finalist Wolfe TonesKilberry, Gibbstown, Oristown & WilkinstownPaddy Martin10/1Semi-FinalistSemi-Finalist
Group stage 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 draw for the group stages of the championship was made on 24 April 2023.
Group A
TeamDunshaughlin33004236+66Donaghmore/Ashbourne31203839-12Na Fianna31203334-12Curraha31203539-42
Round 1 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-10, 0-14 Dunshaughlin, Ratoath, 29/7/2023 Na Fianna 1-9, 0-8 Curraha, Kilcloon, 30/7/2023
Round 2 Dunshaughlin 2-10, 0-12 Na Fianna, Páirc Tailteann, 11/8/2023 Curraha 4-4, 1-12 Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Ratoath, 12/8/2023
Round 3 Curraha 1-8, 0-12 Dunshaughlin, Ardcath, 25/8/2023 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-7, 0-9 Na Fianna, Páirc Tailteann, 25/8/2023
Group B
TeamSimonstown Gaels32014238+45Trim32104138+34St. Peter's Dunboyne31204339+42Seneschalstown30214758-111
Round 1 Seneschalstown 0-12, 2-14 St. Peters Dunboyne, Dunsany, 28/7/2023 Simonstown Gaels 1-7, 1-5 Trim, Páirc Tailteann, 29/7/2023
Round 2 Seneschalstown 2-10, 2-13 Trim, Bective, 12/8/2023 St. Peters Dunboyne 0-11, 1-10 Simonstown Gaels, Walterstown, 13/8/2023
Round 3 Simonstown Gaels 2-13, 2-13 Seneschalstown, Páirc Tailteann, 26/8/2023 St. Peters Dunboyne 0-12, 1-11 Trim, Summerhill, 26/8/2023
Group C
TeamSt. Colmcille's32013829+95Ratoath32106236+264Moynalvey31113639-33Skryne30303365-320
Round 1 Ratoath 1-14, 0-8 Moynalvey, Skryne, 27/7/2023 St. Colmcilles 0-12, 0-9 Skryne, Ashbourne, 28/7/2023
Round 2 Moynalvey 0-10, 0-10 St. Colmcilles, Skryne, 11/8/2023 Skryne 1-9, 7-14 Ratoath, Ashbourne, 13/8/2023
Round 3 Ratoath 0-10, 2-10 St. Colmcilles, Páirc Tailteann, 27/8/2023 Skryne 0-12, 4-6 Moynalvey, Dunshaughlin, 27/8/2023
Group D
TeamSummerhill33005426+286Wolfe Tones32104637+94Ballinabrackey31203746-90Gaeil Colmcille30302957-280
Round 1 Wolfe Tones 2-15, 0-7 Gaeil Colmcille, Páirc Tailteann, 28/7/2023 Ballinabrackey 0-7, 2-12 Summerhill, Clonard, 29/7/2023
Round 2 Summerhill 2-13, 0-11 Wolfe Tones, Páirc Tailteann, 13/8/2023 Gaeil Colmcille 0-14, 2-13 Ballinabrackey, Trim, 13/8/2023
Round 3 Summerhill 1-14, 0-8 Gaeil Colmcille, Páirc Tailteann, 27/8/2023 Wolfe Tones 2-8, 1-8 Ballinabrackey, Trim, 27/8/2023
Knock-out stage
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 28th August 2023.
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Relegation play-off The relegation play-off consisted of the 3rd and 4th-placed finishers in each group. The winners of each playoff round retained their senior status while the outright loser was relegated to the Intermediate championship for 2024. The draw for the relegation playoffs took place on 28th August 2023.
Relegation quarter-finals
Relegation semi-finals
Relegation final
References