2020 Meath Intermediate Football Championship

The 2020 Meath Intermediate Football Championship is the 94th edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for Intermediate graded teams in County Meath, Ireland. The tournament consists of 20 teams and starts with a group stage before progressing to a knock out stage. The winner will not represent Meath in the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship as the GAA made the decision to cancel the 2020 Provincial and All-Ireland Club Championships due to the Covid-19 pandemic.[1]

94th Meath Intermediate Football Championship
Tournament details
CountyMeath
ProvinceLeinster
Year2020
TrophyMattie McDonnell Cup
SponsorMeade Potato
Date1 August - 3 October
Teams20
Defending championsNobber
Qualify forLeinster Club IFC
Other
WebsiteMeath GAA

Nobber were the 2019 Meath Intermediate Football Champions after they defeated Trim in the final.[2] As a result, they will compete in the 2020 Meath Senior Football Championship.

Three teams were relegated from the Senior Football Championship in 2019. Longwood returned to the I.F.C. after spending just one season in the Senior Football Championship. Rathkenny returned to the I.F.C. for the first time since 2006 while St. Patrick's returned to the I.F.C. for the first time since 2000. Clann na nGael and Moylagh were promoted to the I.F.C. from the Meath Junior Football Championship. Due to the change in championship structures[3], any second teams competing at the Intermediate grade were to be regraded to a new Premier Championship consisting only of reserve teams. To this effect, Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'B' and St. Peter's Dunboyne 'B' were regraded to Division 1 of the Premier Championship. No team was relegated from the I.F.C. in 2019.

The 2020 Meath Intermediate Football Championship was due to commence in April 2020. However, due to health measures implemented in Ireland to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, all GAA activity was initially suspended until 29 March 2020[4] with the suspension being extended until 19 April 2020[5] and then 5 May 2020.[6] The GAA published a return to action protocol update on May 6th which stated that the suspension of GAA activity was "expected to remain in place until July 20".[7] Meath GAA county board published their return to play document on June 11th outlining the 2020 adult championship formats and announcing the calendar for the completion of the 2020 football and hurling championships.[8] The draw for the group stages of the championship took place on 21 June 2020 with the games commencing on 31 July 2020. The 2020 Meath Intermediate Football Championship Final is due to take place on 3 October 2020 prior to the commencement of the 2020 GAA Intercounty season on 17 October 2020.

Championship Structure

Due to the short window (11 weeks) to complete the 2020 Meath Intermediate Football Championship, some changes were made to the initial championship format. The championship will consist of five groups with each containing four teams. However, only the group winners will progress to the knockout stages while the bottom team in each group will contest the relegation playoffs.

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2019 championship season.

Participating teams

The teams taking part in the 2020 Meath Intermediate Football Championship are:

Club Location Management 2019 Championship Position 2020 Championship Position
Ballinabrackey Ballinabrackey Gordon McDonnell Preliminary Quarter-Finalist
Ballinlough Ballinlough & Kilskyre Kieran Shankey Non Qualifier
Bective Navan John Brady Non Qualifier
Blackhall Gaels Batterstown and Kilcloon Martin Whelan Non Qualifier
Castletown Castletown John Tiernan Semi-Finalist
Clann na nGael Athboy and Rath Cairn Tom Hanley Junior 'A' Champions
Drumbaragh Emmets Drumbaragh, Kells Ciarán O'Malley Non Qualifier
Duleek/Bellewstown Duleek & Bellewstown Anthony Malone Quarter-Finalist
Dunderry Dunderry David Callaghan Quarter-Finalist
Kilmainham Kilmainham, Kells Martin McGovern Non Qualifier
Longwood Longwood David Flynn Relegated from 2019 SFC
Meath Hill Meath Hill Paddy Martin Quarter-Finalist
Moylagh Moylagh Kevin Dowd Junior 'A' Runners-up
Oldcastle Oldcastle Leo McEnroe Semi-Finalist
Rathkenny Rathkenny and Stackallan Dudley Farrell Relegated from 2019 SFC
St. Michael's Carlanstown & Kilbeg David Wright Non Qualifier
St. Patrick's Stamullen Mark Gibson Relegated from 2019 SFC
Syddan Lobinstown Davy Cahill Non Qualifier
Trim St Lomans Park, Trim Brendan Murphy Finalists
Walterstown Navan Martin O'Connell Quarter-Finalist

Group Stage

[9]

There are five groups of four teams called Group A, B, C, D and E. The 1st placed teams in Groups A, B and C automatically qualify for the Semi-Finals. The 1st placed teams in Groups D and E qualify for the Quarter-Final with the winner progressing to the Semi-Finals. The last placed teams in Groups A, B and C progress to the relegation Semi-Finals while the last placed teams in Groups D and E will playoff in a relegation Quarter-Final with the loser the playing in the relegation Semi-Finals. The losers of the relegation Semi-Finals playoff in the relegation final with the loser relegated to the 2021 Meath Junior Football Championship.

Tiebreakers: If two or more teams were equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following tie-breaking criteria would be applied:

All Football Championships and Leagues shall be run on a combination of a league and knockout basis under Rule 6.21 T.O. Where teams finish equal with points for qualification or relegation process for concluding stages, the positioning shall be decided as follows;

  • (i) Where three teams are involved - the outcome of the meetings of the three teams in their previous games in the competition. If three teams finish level on points for three places and one team has beaten the other two teams that team qualifies in first place and other places are determined by the specified order. If there are two positions and one team has beaten the other two teams that team qualifies and the second place is determined by the specified order. If there is one position and one team has beaten the other two team that team qualifies;
  • (ii) Where two teams are involved - the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the previous game in the competition;
  • (iii) Scoring Difference;
  • (iv) Highest total scores for;
  • (v) A play-off.

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Knock-Out Stage

The 1st placed teams in Groups A, B and C qualify for the Semi-Finals. The 1st place teams in Groups D and E qualify for the Quarter-Final with the winner progressing to the Semi-Finals

Quarter-Final Semi-Finals Final
Group D Winner  
Group E Winner     Quarter-Final Winner  
        Group B Winner  
         
         
        Group A Winner
        Kilmainham    
     

Quarter-Final

Semi-Finals

Final

Relegation Play-Off

The 4th placed teams in each group contest the relegation playoff. The 4th placed teams from groups D and E compete in the relegation Quarter-Final. The loser of the relegation Quarter-Final proceeds to the relegation Semi-Finals along with the 4th placed teams from groups A, B and C. The losers of the relegation Semi-Finals will then contest the relegation final. The loser of the relegation final will be relegated to the Junior Football Championship while all other teams retain their Intermediate status.

Relegation Quarter-Final

Relegation Semi-Finals

Relegation Final
gollark: Actually, RIGHT!
gollark: WRONG, technically, I think!
gollark: I've *heard* it before, at least.
gollark: No.
gollark: It does, however, exist.

References
  1. ""Something had to give" - Decision to cancel Provincial and All-Ireland Club Championships". hoganstand.com. 28 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. "Jordan leads way as Nobber triumph over Trim". Hoganstand.com. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  3. "2Championship proposals for change ratified". meathchronicle.ie. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  4. "GAA announce suspension on all activities until 29 March". the42.ie. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  5. "GAA update – COVID-19". meath.gaa.ie. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  6. "Update on GAA club and inter-county championships". gaa.ie. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  7. "GAA return to action protocol update". gaa.ie. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  8. "2020 Meath GAA Return to Play (11-06-20)". meath.gaa.ie. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  9. "Meath club championship draws made". Hoganstand.com. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  10. "Bective -vs- Drumbaragh". Hoganstand.com. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  11. "Trim -vs- Rathkenny". Hoganstand.com. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  12. "Rathkenny v Bective". Hoganstand.com. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  13. "Trim v Drumbaragh". Hoganstand.com. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  14. "Walterstown -vs- Moylagh". Hoganstand.com. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  15. "St. Michael's -vs- St. Patrick's". Hoganstand.com. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  16. "Walterstown -vs- St. Patrick's". Hoganstand.com. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  17. "St. Michael's -vs- Moylagh". Hoganstand.com. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  18. "Dunderry -vs- Kilmainham". Hoganstand.com. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  19. "Blackhall Gaels -vs- Castletown". Hoganstand.com. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  20. "Blackhall Gaels -vs- Castletown". Hoganstand.com. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  21. "Dunderry -vs- Castletown". Hoganstand.com. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  22. "Kilmainham -vs- Blackhall Gaels". Hoganstand.com. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  23. "Syddan -vs- Oldcastle". Hoganstand.com. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  24. "Duleek/Bellewstown -vs- Ballinabrackey". Hoganstand.com. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  25. "Duleek/Bellewstown -vs- Oldcastle". Hoganstand.com. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  26. "Ballinabrackey -vs- Syddan". Hoganstand.com. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  27. "Meath Hill -vs- Longwood". Hoganstand.com. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  28. "Clann na nGael -vs- Ballinlough". Hoganstand.com. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  29. "Meath Hill -vs- Ballinlough". Hoganstand.com. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  30. "Clann na nGael -vs- Longwood". Hoganstand.com. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
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