St Patrick’s have the honour in championship

ST PATRICK’S and Ratoath will get this year’s SFC under way when they clash at Ashbourne on Friday April 4th at 8pm.

Dates and venues for the opening round of the various grades have been finalised and it sees the local derby between Curraha, newly-promoted to the senior grade, and Skryne going ahead at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday April 7th (6.30). The curtain-raiser to that game is Bective and Oldcastle in the Intermediate grade at 5pm.

The Group A pairing of Seneschalstown and Donaghmore/ Ashbourne in the SFC will be on the Saturday in Duleek at 6.30, while St Colmcille’s first outing against Rathkenny is at the same time in Donore.

The other senior ties are on the Sunday. Champions Simonstown take on Dunshaughlin in Pairc Tailteann at 3.30pm and St Peter’s Dunboyne and Blackhall Gaels - another local derby - is in Dunshaughlin at 6.30. O’Mahonys and Na Fianna - who met in the 2015 final - clash in Trim at 2pm and the remaining game between Moynalvey and Wolfe Tones is in Skryne at 2.30pm.

All of the Intermediate ties will be played on the Saturday and Sunday. Syddan and Drumbaragh will be on the Saturday in Simonstown at 4pm. Also on the Saturday is the meeting of last year’s Junior champions Meath Hill and Kilmainham in Carlanstown at 6pm.

The remaining ties in the grade are on the Sunday - Duleek-Bellewstown against Castletown in Rathkenny, St Michael’s against Nobber in Drumconrath, Longwood versus Dunderry in Pairc Tailteann, Trim against Ballinabrackey in Clonard and Donaghmore-Ashbourne’s second string against Ballinlough in Walterstown.

ST COLMCILLE’S: