New club season set for early start
It seems like only yesterday that Dunboyne were lifting the Keegan Cup and it was only a couple of weeks before Christmas that they also added the u-21 FC to their burgeoning trophy cabinet, but already the dawning of a new season is on the horizon.
The A FLs are due to get underway on Sunday 27th January with the Keegan Cup winners Dunboyne set to open the new year with a tough first round clash against defending A FL Div 1 champions Skryne.
Newly promoted Oldcastle and Syddan will begin life in the top flight of the league with tough away trips as Oldcastle take on Navan O'Mahonys in Paddy O'Brien Park, while Syddan make the journey to take on Moynalvey.
Beaten SFC finalists Summerhill will open their campaign at home to near neighbours Na Fianna, while Simonstown will take on Gaeil Colmcille who lost out to Skryne in the A FL Div 1 final last year.
The clash of local rivals Trim and Dunderry is the eye-catching fixture of the opening round in Div 2, while St Colmcille's and St Patrick's, who were both relegated from Div 1, face tough openers in their bid to bounce back when they face senior opposition in Seneschalstown and Curraha respectively.
Newly promoted Bective will host Tailtean Cup winners Carnaross in their first game out while fellow promoted side Meath Hill will welcome Duleek/Bellewstown to north Meath.
Following their victory in the IFC last year Longwood are the only senior club in Div 3 and they will be strongly fancied to secure promotion, although they managed only three wins from their 11 league games last year.
The gulf in class between them and their JFC opponents in the first round, Dunsany, should be too much and Longwood are expected to get off to a winning start.
The two relegated teams from Div 2 will face off in the first round of fixtures in Div 3 with Walterstown hosting Castletown, while the two promoted sides from Div 4 will see Moynalty take on Kilmainham and Ballivor travel to St Ultan's.
Blackhall Gaels first game since returning to the intermediate ranks will see them begin their rehabilitation away to beaten IFC finalists Ballinlough.
Clann na nGael and Cortown will hope to bounce back from being relegated from Div 3 when they take on Slane and Boardsmill respectively in their A FL Div 4 first round clashes. The meeting of Moylagh and St Brigid's is another intriguing tie in the opening round.
All first round games in the A FL on Sunday 27th January are scheduled to start at 11am, but as always they are subject to change and up-to-date fixtures can be found on the Meath GAA website.
A FL FIRST ROUND TIES
SUNDAY 27th JANUARY (11AM)
Div 1 - Ratoath v Wolfe Tones; Dunboyne v Skryne; Navan O'Mahonys v Oldcastle; Summerhill v Na Fianna; Dunshaughlin v Donaghmore Ashbourne; Moynalvey v Syddan; Simonstown v Gaeil Colmcille.
Div 2 - Bective v Carnaross; Rathkenny v Nobber; St Michael's v Ballinabrackey; St Patrick's v Curraha; Dunderry v Trim; Meath Hill v Duleek/Bellewstown; Seneschalstown v St Colmcille.
Div 3 - St Ultan's v Ballivor; Ballinlough v Blackhall Gaels; Walterstown v Castletown; St Vincent's v Drumbaragh; Kilmainham v Moynalty; Dunsany v Longwood.
Div 4 - Kilmainhamwood v Kilbride; Clann na nGael v Slane; Cortown v Boardsmill; Drumconrath v St Mary's; Moylagh v St Brigid's; Clonard bye.