2019 Meath Intermediate Football Championship
# 2019 Meath Intermediate Football Championship

The 2019 Meath Intermediate Football Championship is the 93rd edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for Intermediate graded teams in County Meath, Ireland. The tournament consists of 18 teams, with the winner going on to represent Meath in the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship. The championship starts with a group stage and then progresses to a knock out stage.

Longwood (who in 2019 will compete at senior level) were the previous years champions after they defeated Ballinlough in the 2018 decider.

Blackhall Gaels return to the I.F.C. for the first time since 2001, after suffering relegation from the S.F.C. in 2018. Their 17 year tenure in the top-flight brought a Keegan Cup triumph to the club in 2003.

St. Peter's Dunboyne 'B's were promoted to the middle grade after claiming the J.F.C. crown in 2018 with an extra-time final victory over St. Vincent's. This is the first time that a reserve side from the club has been ranked in the I.F.C. They now join Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B's as the two clubs with reserve sides in the I.F.C.

On 26 October 2019, Nobber claimed their third I.F.C. title and secured their return to senior ranks for the first time since 2013 when defeating Trim 4-16 to 0-13 in the final at Pairc Tailteann. Brian Farrell and Brendan Heffernan raised the Mattie McDonnell Cup as joint-captains while Thomas Murtagh claimed the "Man-of-the-Match" award for his performance.

The draw for the group stages of the championship were made on 4 March 2019 with the games commencing on 4 April 2019.

## Championship Structure Change Proposals

In 2019:

* 3 teams shall be relegated from the S.F.C. to the I.F.C. in 2019. The 2019 I.F.C. champions will be promoted to S.F.C. for 2020.
* No team will be relegated from the I.F.C. in 2019.
* The two best placed J.F.C. first teams in 2019 shall be promoted to the I.F.C. for 2020. This shall include the 2019 J.F.C. Champions (if a first team) and the J.F.C. runner-up (if a first team). If necessary a play-off shall take place between the beaten J.F.C. semi-finalists (if first teams).
* Any second team competing in the 2019 I.F.C. (Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B's and St. Peter's Dunboyne 'B's) shall be regraded to a new Premier A grade (a new championship grade exclusively for reserve sides) for 2020.

In 2020:

* The I.F.C. shall consist of 20 teams drawn randomly in five groups each containing four teams.
* The top two teams in each group shall contest the knock-out stages in a predetermined draw.

## Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2018 championship season.

## Participating teams

The teams taking part in the 2019 Meath Intermediate Football Championship are:

| Club | Location | Management | 2018 Championship Position | 2019 Championship Position |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Ballinabrackey | Ballinabrackey | Darren Bannon | Semi-Finalist | Preliminary Quarter-Finalist |
| Ballinlough | Ballinlough & Kilskyre | Stephen Baxter | Runners-up | Non Qualifier |
| Bective | Navan | Davy Hosie | Non Qualifier | Non Qualifier |
| Castletown | Castletown | John Tiernan & James Quaile | Relegation Playoff | Semi-Finalist |
| Blackhall Gaels | Ashbourne | Mark Crampton | Relegated from 2018 S.F.C. | Non Qualifier |
| Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B' | Ashbourne | Vincent Carton | Non Qualifier | Non Qualifier |
| Drumbaragh Emmets | Drumbaragh, Kells | Conor Brennan | Non Qualifier | Non Qualifier |
| Duleek/Bellewstown | Duleek & Bellewstown | Anthony Malone | Preliminary Quarter-Finalist | Quarter-Finalist |
| Dunderry | Dunderry | David Callaghan | Quarter-Finalist | Quarter-Finalist |
| Kilmainham | Kilmainham, Kells | Martin McGovern | Relegation Playoff | Non Qualifier |
| Meath Hill | Meath Hill | Paddy Martin | Non Qualifier | Quarter-Finalist |
| Nobber | Nobber | Seán Carolan & Gordon Weldon | Non Qualifier | Champions |
| Oldcastle | Oldcastle | Leo McEnroe | Semi-Finalist | Semi-Finalist |
| St. Michael's | Carlanstown & Kilbeg | David Wright | Quarter-Finalist | Non Qualifier |
| St. Peter's Dunboyne 'B' | Dunboyne | Ger Robinson | Junior Champions | Non Qualifier |
| Syddan | Lobinstown | Myles Byrne | Quarter-Finalist | Non Qualifier |
| Trim | St Lomans Park, Trim | Brendan Murphy | Quarter-Finalist | Finalists |
| Walterstown | Navan | Joe Treanor | Non Qualifier | Quarter-Finalist |

## Group stage

There are three groups of six teams called Group A, B and C. The 1st and 2nd placed teams in Groups A, B and C along with the 3rd placed team in Group A automatically qualify for the quarter-finals. The third placed teams in Groups B and C engage in the Preliminary Quarter-Final to determine the team that completes the quarter-finals lineup. There will be no Relegation Play-Off in 2019.

The draw for the group stages of the championship were made on 4 March 2019 with the games commencing on 4 April 2019.

## Knock-Out Stage

The 1st and 2nd placed teams in Groups A, B and C along with the 3rd placed team in Group A automatically qualify for the quarter-finals. The third placed teams in Groups B and C engage in the Preliminary Quarter-Final to determine the team that completes the quarter-finals lineup.

| Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Final | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ballinabrackey | Ballinabrackey | 0-9 | | | | | | | | | |
| Walterstown | Walterstown | 0-10 | Nobber | Nobber | 1-12 | | | | | | |
| | | | Walterstown | Walterstown | 0-13 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Nobber | Nobber | 2-18 | | | |
| | | | | | | Castletown | Castletown | 1-17 | | | |
| | | | Meath Hill | Meath Hill | 1-11 | | | | | | |
| | | | Castletown | Castletown | 1-14 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Nobber | Nobber | 4-16 |
| | | | | | | | | | Trim | Trim | 0-13 |
| | | | Trim | Trim | 0-16 | | | | | | |
| | | | Duleek/Bellewstown | Duleek/Bellewstown | 0-15 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Trim | Trim | 2-12 | | | |
| | | | | | | Oldcastle | Oldcastle | 0-9 | | | |
| | | | Dunderry | Dunderry | 2-07 | | | | | | |
| | | | Oldcastle | Oldcastle | 2-12 | | | | | | |
