The Football Championship goes 'Supersonic' with thrilling day of action in store

It’s the Saturday of weekend two in the Meath Club Football Championships and so far the only way to describe the on field action is ‘She’s Electric’ and as the action continues apace, the only way to keep up is to ‘Roll With It’. ‘Some Might Say’ that Oasis playing in Croke Park is the biggest thing happening this weekend but for those with no tickets to see the Gallagher brothers whose father hails from Duleek, ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ and get out in support of your club.

Those who lost on the opening weekend will be wondering ‘Who Put the Weight of the World on My Shoulders’ but a win in Round 2 can ‘Keep the Dream Alive’. For those that lose today after losing two weeks ago, the pre-Championship dreams of glory will feel ‘Half the World Away’.

But we ‘Acquiesce’ and accept that it’s time to ‘Soldier On’ with the previews and team news.

Tickets for the below games which are priced at €8 plus booking fee (a reduction on the admission fee for 2024) are available by clicking the link: Meath GAA Club Championship Tickets

There is a double header of Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship action in Páirc Tailteann and it’s a fascinating double bill of games in store. First up is a repeat of the Feis Cup Final from earlier this year which was won by Bhulf Tón CLG when they defeated Donaghmore/Ashbourne by four points in the final.

The men from the outskirts of Navan were impressive on the opening weekend when clinically accounting for the neighbouring Simonstown Gaels but this is likely to be a stiffer challenge.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne will look back ruefully on their drawn encounter with Na Fianna and know they spurned some golden goalscoring opportunities in the opening half and will feel they should have held out when leading as the hooter sounded, only to concede a point with the last kick of the ball.

Both of these sides will feel they have what it takes to win the Championship but all the pressure is on the ‘Moors as a defeat could see them out of the Championship by the evening’s end.

The second game sees Na Fianna who picked up that opening weekend point against Donaghmore/Ashbourne once more locking horns with Simonstown Gaels, just over a year on from their clash on the opening weekend of the 2024 Championship which the North Side Blues won by three points.

Simonstown were below par against Bhulf Tón CLG two weekends ago but know that they are capable of much better and will be confident of bouncing back. Much will depend on which two of Padraig McKeever or Shane Walsh hits top form.

The Centre of Excellence in Dunganny played host to a cracker on Thursday when Trim edged out Rathkenny by a point and it’s the venue once more for Senior action this evening at 17:00 when Gaeil Colmcille and Skryne meet.

Both of these sides enjoyed excellent wins two weeks ago when Summerhill and St. Peter’s Dunboyne were toppled. A win for either of these sides and a place in the quarter finals is tantalisingly close. Gaeil Colmcille spring the returning Fionn Reilly off the bench the last day and he fired a brilliant winner. Might he be introduced to the fray at an earlier stage today or even be thrown into the action from the outset?

The midfield battle between Liam Ferguson/Seamus Mattimoe and Daniel Fitzpatrick/Harry Rooney will be pivotal. Will Skryne be able to stop the raiding runs of Mattimoe from deep and will Rooney be able to win enough primary possession? The answer to these two questions could go a long way towards deciding the outcome of this encounter.

The fourth of the Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship games on the cards is the Group B meeting of Ballinabrackey and St. Colmcille’s at 18:00. The Angelus bells will be ringing as the ball is thrown in for this game but the bells could be tolling for whoever loses, as the defeated side would be staring at the prospect of a relegation battle.

The ‘Cilles were a pale shadow of the side that defeated Seneschalstown on the opening weekend in 2024 when losing to the same opposition two weeks ago and while they have farmed underage titles over the years, transferring that underage success to the adult ranks has proved very challenging.

Ballinabrackey won the sides Round 10 meeting in the League but St. Colmcille’s exercised revenge when winning the Relegation Playoff. Something has got to give this evening in this rivalry but who will be breathing easier come half 7 and for whom will those bells likely be tolling for?

Two sides who experienced contrasting fortunes on the opening weekend of the Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship meet today in Dunsany as St. Patrick’s take on Ballivor.

St. Patrick’s took care of Walterstown in Ashbourne while Ballivor were defeated by Moynalvey in Summerhill. Despite that loss, Ballivor impressed at times and possess the attacking threats to trouble the East Meath side. Jamie Murphy shot the lights out for his side in that Walterstown game and much will depend on how his threat is managed.

Fr. Tully Park in Seneschalstown will play host to the meeting of Duleek-Bellewstown and Castletown and these sides are coming in off the back of contrasting performances the last day. Duleek-Bellewstown laid down a marker that they are genuine contenders for the Mattie McDonnell Cup when defeating the 2024 beaten finalists Navan O’Mahonys in a nail-biter while Castletown who were fancied by many to take care of St. Michael’s, had to settle for a draw.

Maybe the fact they played Division 4 Football in the League came against Castletown on that occasion as they played a side from Division 2 and they will need to improve from that game if the two points are to be secured here.

In Group D, two clubs who know each other very well face off in Dunboyne as Kilbride and Blackhall Gaels meet. Both had opening weekend wins and whoever wins here is well on the way to the last eight.

The venue for the meeting of Kilmainham and Ballinlough has changed from Moynalty to Carnaross. Kilmainham will rue the nature of their defeat to St. Ultan’s on the opening weekend and their task is no easier here when they take on the free scoring Ballinlough.

For the second year in a row, Drumconrath and St. Mary’s meet in Syddan and both sides have seen an improvement in their form over the last while. Last year it was St. Mary’s who came out on top and there is a suspicion among many shrewd observers that their impressive showing at Minor level in recent times is beginning to come to fruition.

The other game in the Coolrite Junior B Football Championship sees Cortown and Clonard meeting in Bective at 14:00 (changed from Dunganny due to a clash there with Rounders). Cortown have a tag line that they’re hard bet and that could well prove to be the case in Bective.

Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Group A

Gaeil Colmcille vs Skryne