1997 Meath Senior Football Championship


The 1997 Meath Senior Football Championship was the 105th edition of the Meath GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded teams in County Meath, Ireland. The tournament consists of 18 teams, with the winner going on to represent Meath in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship starts with a group stage and then progresses to a knock out stage.
Kilmainhamwood were the defending champions after they defeated Seneschalstown in the previous years final.
This was Cortown's first ever year as a senior club after claiming the 1996 IFC title.
The first ever 'Navan El Classico' in the SFC took place this year between Navan O'Mahonys and Simonstown Gaels on 27 September in Páirc Tailteann. O'Mahonys won a dour affair and hence qualified for the final.
On 12 October 1997, Navan O'Mahonys claimed their 16th Senior Championship title with a win over Trim in the final. Alan Reilly raised the Keegan Cup for O'Mahonys while Donal Smyth collected the 'Man of the Match' award.

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 1996 championship season.

To S.F.C.

Promoted from I.F.C.
  • Cortown -

From S.F.C.

Regraded to I.F.C.
  • St. Colmcille's

Participating Teams

The teams competing in the 1997 Meath Senior Championship are:
ClubLocation1996 Championship Position1997 Championship Position
BallinloughBallinlough & KilskyreQuarter-FinalistNon Qualifier
CarnarossCarnarossNon QualifierNon Qualifier
CortownCortownI.F.C ChampionsSemi-Finalist
DunderryDunderry & RobinstownQuarter-FinalistNon Qualifier
Gaeil ColmcilleKellsNon QualifierQuarter-Finalist
KilmainhamwoodKilmainhamwoodChampionsNon Qualifier
MoynalveyMoynalvey & KiltaleSemi-FinalistNon Qualifier
Navan O'MahonysNavanNon QualifierChampions
OldcastleOldcastleNon QualifierNon Qualifier
SeneschalstownKentstown & Yellow FurzeFinalistQuarter-Finalist
Simonstown GaelsNavanNon QualifierSemi-Finalist
SkryneSkryne & TaraNon QualifierNon Qualifier
SlaneSlane & MonknewtownNon QualifierNon Qualifier
St. Michael'sCarlanstown & KilbegNon QualifierNon Qualifier
St. Peter's DunboyneDunboyneSemi-FinalistNon Qualifier
SummerhillSummerhillNon QualifierNon Qualifier
TrimTrimNon QualifierFinalist
WalterstownNavanNon QualifierNon Qualifier

Group stage

Group A

Team
Navan O'Mahonys55004234+810
Cortown53116450+147
Kilmainhamwood53205753+46
Oldcastle52305449+54
Ballinlough51405261-92
St. Michael's50504365-220

Round 1:Navan O'Mahonys 1-9, 1-8 Cortown, Dunderry, 5/4/1997,Kilmainhamwood 0-10, 1-6 St. Michael's, Castletown, 5/4/1997,Oldcastle 1-7, 0-8 Ballinlough, Kells, 5/4/1997,
Round 2:Oldcastle 2-14, 0-9 St. Michael's, Kells, 19/4/1997,Navan O'Mahonys 1-11, 0-10 Kilmainhamwood, Carlanstown, 20/4/1997,
  • Cortown 0–11, 0-11 Ballinlough, Kells, 20/4/2997,
Round 3:Cortown 1-15, 0-10 St. Michael's, Carnaross, 3/5/1997,Navan O'Mahonys 0-7, 0-6 Ballinlough, Kells, 4/5/1997,Kilmainhamwood 0-10, 0-9 Oldcastle, Kells, 18/5/1997,

Round 4:Cortown 0-11, 0-9 Kilmainhamwood, Kells, 14/6/1997,Ballinlough 1-14, 2-9 St. Michael's, Carnaross, 18/6/1997,Navan O'Mahonys 0-9, 0-7 Oldcastle, Athboy, 20/6/1997,
Round 5:Cortown 1-10, 0-8 Oldcastle, Kilskyre, 23/8/1997,Kilmainhamwood 1-15, 1-7 Ballinlough, Kells, 23/8/1997,Navan O'Mahonys w/o, scr St. Michael's,

Group B

Team
Trim54106956+138
Seneschalstown53207766+116
Walterstown532039*39*+0*6
Summerhill52216059+15
Dunderry52215963-45
Carnaross505048*69*-21*0

Round 1:Summerhill 1-15, 1-9 Seneschalstown, Skryne, 5/4/1997,Dunderry 3-11, 1-11 Carnaross, Kells, 6/4/1997,Walterstown 0-11, 0-10 Trim, Kilmessan, 6/4/1997,
Round 2:Trim 0-13, 0-5 Dunderry, Pairc Tailteann, 20/4/1997,Summerhill 0-13, 1-8 Carnaross, Athboy, 20/4/1997,Seneschalstown 0-10, 1-3 Walterstown, Pairc Tailteann, 20/4/1997,
Round 3:Seneschalstown 4-9, 0-10 Carnaross, Pairc Tailteann, 4/5/1997,Dunderry 0-10, 1-6 Walterstown, Pairc Tailteann, 18/5/1997,Trim 0-13, 1-7 Summerhill, Longwood, 21/5/1997,

Round 4:Walterstown w, l Carnaross, Martry, 23/8/1997,
Round 5:Walterstown 1-10, 0-9 Summerhill, Dunshaughlin, 31/8/1997,Seneschalstown 0-17, 2-8 Dunderry, Pairc Tailteann, 7/9/1997,Trim 1-12, 1-10 Carnaross, Athboy, 7/9/1997,
Quarter-Final Playoff:Seneschalstown1-14, 0-8 Walterstown, Pairc Tailteann, 14/9/1997,

Group C

Team
Gaeil Colmcille54106947+228
Simonstown Gaels54106853+158
Skryne531140*40*+0*7
St. Peter's Dunboyne52304150-94
Slane51403746-92
Moynalvey505019*38*-19*0

Round 1:St. Peter's Dunboyne 0-11, 1-6 Slane, Walterstown, 5/4/1997,Simonstown Gaels 1-10, 1-9 Skryne, Seneschalstown, 6/4/1997,Gaeil Colmcille 0-11, 0-3 Moynalvey, Trim, 6/4/1997,
Round 2:Simonstown Gaels 3-9, 0-8 St. Peter's Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, 19/4/1997,Skryne 2-9, 1-11 Gaeil Colmcille, Pairc Tailteann, 20/4/1997,Slane 0-10, 1-6 Moynalvey, Walterstown, 6/4/1997,
Round 3:Gaeil Colmcille 1-7, 0-9 St. Peter's Dunboyne, Pairc Tailteann, 4/5/1997,Simonstown Gaels 1-7, 0-8 Slane, Rathkenny, 17/5/1997,Skryne w, l Moynalvey, Dunboyne, 17/5/1997,

Round 4:Simonstown Gaels 0-17, 0-7 Moynalvey, Skryne, 20/6/1997,Gaeil Colmcille 2-10, 0-10 Slane, Castletown, 28/6/1997,
  • Skryne 1–10, 2-7 St. Peter's Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, 23/8/1997,
Round 5:Gaeil Colmcille 1-15, 0-10 Simonstown Gaels, Athboy, 24/8/1997,St. Peter's Dunboyne w/o, scr Moynalvey,Skryne w/o, scr Slane,

Knock-out Stage

Finals

Quarter-Final:Cortown 0-8, 1-4 Gaeil Colmcille, Pairc Tailteann, 31/8/1997,Simonstown Gaels 0-15, 0-6 Seneschalstown, Pairc Tailteann, 21/9/1997,
Semi-Final:Trim 0-17, 0-13 Cortown, Pairc Tailteann, 21/9/1997,Navan O'Mahonys 1-8, 0-9 Simonstown Gaels, Pairc Tailteann, 27/9/1997,
Final:Navan O'Mahonys 1-10, 0-7 Trim, Pairc Tailteann, 12/10/1997,

Leinster Senior Club Football Championship

Quarter Final: