Meath Ladies Launch Coca-Cola Championships

On Friday 3^rd June, players and team officials from this year’s record breaking 37 teams entered into Club Championship gathered at the Annual Launch held in Páirc Tailteann. Special guest for the launch was RTE Sports presenter Darragh Maloney whose daughter lines out for St. Pats under 13s. Maloney spoke about the popularity of female sports in Ireland at the moment and the success of the recent Lidl sponsorship for the LGFA in raising awareness of ladies gaelic sports. Meath Ladies Chairperson, Fearghal Harney, thanked the gathering for their attendance and looked forward to the upcoming championships.

The growth of ladies football in the Royal County continues unabated in 2016 with no fewer than thirty-seven teams entered into adult competition, an increase of five on last year’s tally. Critical to this increase is that there are now eight clubs fielding second teams and a number of clubs fielding teams for the very first time, leading to the introduction of the first ever Junior C Championship. It is surely an exciting time to be part of what is one of the fastest growing female sports in the country. Key to this success perhaps has been the support of our Championships sponsors, Coca-Cola. Critically Coca-Cola have remained on board this season remarking that they “are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the Meath LGFA Club Championships this year, which complements our focus on empowering women.”.

In 2015, the adult club championships were by far the most popular in Meath Ladies to date with 130 games played in total. This amounts to 8,450 minutes of football which saw an incredible 413 goals and 1,890 points! Over 10,000 people attended the club finals in September which marks a remarkable increase on previous years.

Those 10,000 supporters were treated to four fabulous finals, two of which went to replays! St. Ultans were crowned Senior Champions after not one but two thrilling battles with Oldcastle, eventually defeating the North Meath side by 1-11 to 0-13 in the replay. The first game was the stuff of dreams, over eighty minutes of end to end pulsating football. The kind of game where take your eye off it for even a second and you missed something. The electric atmosphere of Paddy O’Brien Park is something that this season’s teams will surely be looking to replicate as they put their final preparations in for this year’s competition.

Dee Rangers secured elevation to top flight football when they recorded a 3-11 to 1-11 win over St. Michaels in the Intermediate Championship while Dunboyne landed the Junior A trophy after overcoming Clann na nGael. The Meath Championship was just the first of three major titles for Dunboyne as they went on to land the Leinster and All Ireland Junior titles respectively. Coupled with their back to back Division One League victories will ensure their participation in this year’s Intermediate Championship will be one to watch. Ballivor secured a place in Junior A ranks when they saw off the strong challenge of Boardsmill B in the Junior B replay.

The action gets underway on June 28^th as round one of the Senior, Intermediate and Junior A Championships are down for decision, with Junior B and Junior C competitions underway on June 30th. Who knows who’ll have their hands on the Cups in September? Here’s to another successful season! #cocacolachamp16

 

Coca-Cola Championship Round One Fixtures:

 

Senior:

St. Ultans v Simonstown

Boardsmill v Na Fianna

Dee Rangers v Seneschalstown

Oldcastle v Bye

 

Intermediate:

Royal Gaels v Summerhill

Ratoath v Donaghmore/Ashbourne

Blackhall Gaels v St. Michaels

Moynalvey v Dunboyne

Navan O’Mahonys v Bye

 

Junior A:

Clann na nGael v Ballivor

St. Colmcilles v Duleek-Bellewstown

Dunsany v Moylagh

St. Pats v Bye

 

Junior B:

Wolfe Tones v Walterstown

St. Ultans v Dunboyne

Skryne v Trim

Boardsmill v Bye

 

Junior C:

Rathkenny/Slane v Seneschalstown

Simonstown v Na Fianna

Royal Gaels v Oldcastle

Drumbaragh v Bye