Redemption on the cards for Duleek-Bellewstown

AFTER the war of attrition that was the Intermediate Football Championship over the last couple of seasons it is back to the status quo for the slimmed down 16 team grade and just one club will drop down to junior ranks at the end of this year.

Over the last two years six clubs were relegated as the competition was reduced from 20 teams and now with less it should make for a much more competitive championship.

However there still remains a sizable gap between it and senior level and whichever club is crowned intermediate champions and promoted to the top tier could find it difficult to establish themselves over the next couple of years.

It is not surprising that the teams with genuine prospects of outright success are those from more densely populated areas, Navan O'Mahonys, Duleek-Bellewstown, St Patrick's and maybe Walterstown.

However it is probably easier to select teams with 'relegation credentials' than those with real prospects of winning the intermediate title.

It is not the first time O'Mahonys have plied their trade at intermediate level, they were also relegated from senior back in 2001, lost the 2002 intermediate final to Ballivor but went one better the following year with an emphatic win over Carnaross.

The 20-times Keegan Cup champions will again be short odds to make a quick return to senior ranks and their credentials will have strengthened off the back of a successful A FL Div 1B league campaign where they won promotion back to the top grade even though they lost out in the final to Ballinabrackey.

That league form suggests that O'Mahonys will make a bold bid for outright honours and it is difficult seeing many teams in the grade having the all round ability to stop them. Galway native Oisin O'Brien has returned to the town club and he could well be their trump card in the months ahead.

If they are to spend a second year in the grade then last year's beaten finalists Duleek-Bellewstown could be the team to stand in their way. Joe Sheridan's outfit were well off the pace in the final against an impressive Dunshaughlin in 2022, but they showed enough to suggest that they will be back senior sooner rather than later.

The east Meath club enjoyed championship success in the reserve competitions as well as at under-20 level and seem to have enough young talent coming through to sustain them at a high level over the next while. They will need Shane Crosby back fit and Robin Clarke and Alan and Tom Bowden at their best if they are to make up for the disappointment of last year.

Duleek-Bellewstown's east Meath neighbours St Patrick's have already been crowned Corn na Boinne winners as well as enjoying a league success so they have to come into consideration. Their mixture of young and not so young will likely prove a handful for a lot of team but they could get caught out at the business end.

Last year's beaten semi-finalists Nobber and Dunderry will do well to make the knockout stages while Rathkenny, who lost a semi-final to Oldcastle in 2021 and were unlucky to go down to Dunshaughlin in a last eight tie last year, have to be considered. However the loss of Caolach Halligan and Robbie Garry are massive while James O'Hare is presently in the US and will miss the opening rounds at least.

Leinster junior champions Castletown will be expected to make an impact and they could well be the dark horses even if their league form was disappointing. They have an abundance of young talent coming through but could face a stiff test getting out of their group.

The same could be said for St Michael's, if they can progress from a group that includes Castletown, Duleek-Bellewstown and Blackhall Gaels they should be in the shake up.

Overall though it is difficult to look beyond Navan O'Mahonys and Duleek-Bellewstown and it is Joe Sheridan's side that get the vote.

The bottom two teams in each group contest the relegation play-off and Drumbaragh and Blackhall Gaels look the most vulnerable.