Friday night’s club championship draw threw up a ‘group of death’ in the senior grade with three previous winners of the top prize pitted in pool one.
Holders Geraldines will face Cooley Kickhams, who they defeated in last season’s decider, Newtown Blues, and two of Division One’s top four from 2019, St. Mochta’s and St. Fechin’s.
Meanwhile, in group two, intermediate queens St. Patricks and Roche Emmets will renew rivalries for the first time since September’s thrilling Division Two final, won by the former. Several-time champions Stabannon Parnells are also on this side of the draw, along with St. Kevins/Hunterstown Rovers and St. Brides.
In the intermediate championship, last year’s beaten semi-finalists, Kilkerley Emmets and Clan na Gael, are paired in group A with junior holders Ardee St. Marys and Gleann Mháirtín (the Naomh Mairtin / Glen Emmets amalgamation).
On the other side, 2019 runners-up Naomh Fionnbarra will take on Oliver Plunkett’s/O’Raghallaighs, Dreadnots and Glyde Rangers as they seek to go one better.
The senior championship will begin on Monday, August 3, and run in sequence until its finish, with the top two in each section qualifying for the semi-finals. The decider is fixed for Saturday, September 19, six days after the last four games.
Of course, the intermediate showpiece will precede the senior final, though that competition will be a week later starting, August 9, due to having a reduced number of teams.
The Junior Championship final clash of Mattock Rangers and Dowdallshill/Cuchulainn Gaels will take place on September 20.
SFC group one:
- Geraldines (holders)
- Cooley Kickhams
- St. Mochtas
- St. Fechins
- Newtown Blues
SFC group two:
- St. Patricks (IFC winners)
- Roche Emmets
- St. Brides
- St. Kevins/Hunterstown Rovers
- Stabannon Parnells
IFC group one:
- Gleann Mháirtín
- Kilkerley Emmets
- Clan na Gael
- Ardee St. Marys
IFC group two:
- Oliver Plunketts/O’Raghallaighs
- Glyde Rangers
- Naomh Fionnbarra
- Dreadnots
Junior one championship final: Mattock Rangers vs Cuchulainn Gaels/Dowdallshill
Junior two championship:
- Geraldines B
- Cooley Kickhams B
- St. Brides B
- Clan na Gael B
- Gleann Mháirtín B
Two teams will progress from each of the senior and intermediate championship groups, while in the junior two grade, the top two in the pool stages will contest the final.
2020 Leagues
Also at Friday’s gathering in Dowdallshill the draws for the adult leagues took place. Due to the shorter season the leagues will be split into two groups of four in Divisions One and Two, and sections of five in the third tier, with games played through this month, starting from July 17th & 19th.
The top two in each group will advance to the divisional semi finals, on September 26th & 27th.
Division 3
Group A
St. Marys, Clan na Gael B, Cooley Kickhams B, Mattock Rangers, Cuchulainn Gaels/Dowdallshill
Group B
O’Raghallaighs/Oliver Plunketts, Newtown Blues B, St.Brides B, Gleann Mhairtin B, Geraldines B
Division 2
Group A
Clan na Gael, Naomh Fionnbarra, Kilkerley Emmets, Dreadnots
Group B
Roche Emmets, Gleann Mhairtin, St. Kevins/Hunterstown Rovers, Glyde Rangers
Division 1
Group A
St.Fechins, St. Patricks, Cooley Kickhams, St.Mochtas
Group B
Stabannon Parnells, Newtown Blues, Geraldines, St.Brides
There will be no promotion or relegation in Leagues 1, 2 or 3 in season 2020 with all clubs being encouraged by the Louth LGFA to ensure all players returning after the Covid 19 lockdown get proper game time.
Report by Dermot Woods | Photos by Warren Matthews
