The Intermediate Championship began with a clash of two of the fancied sides and after a closely contested affair at Stabannon it was Mattock Rangers who emerged with a 0 13 to 0-10 win over Cooley.

The teams have plenty of recent history in the senior grade and that familiarity was evident with little to choose between the teams throughout and they were level on six occasions before Mattock put in the stronger finish to secure victory.

The Collon men began well and with David Reid in good form they opened up a three-point gap. However, Michael Rafferty and Fearghal Malone led the Cooley comeback as they went in at the break level at six points apiece.

The lead changed hands a number of times in the second period but it was Mattock who had the better quality in front of the posts and late scores from David and Adrian Reid helped them get over the line.
 
St. Fechins came away with the points in what turned out to be a very tight encounter in Stabannon on Saturday evening as they defeated Young Irelands on a 0-11 to 0-10 scoreline.

Brian Devlin got the seasiders on the scoreboard after a pass from Eoghan Duffy in the 2 nd minute. Dundalk YI were denied a goal opportunity in the seventh minute after a great save from Niall McDonnell and had to wait till the 10 th to get their first point.

Fechins quickly answered with a point from Ronan Holcroft. DYI then clocked up five points in a row as Jordan O’Donoghue took centre stage. However, points from Brian Devlin, Sean Kerrisk and Ronan Holcroft cut the deficit to 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

Fechins came out in the second half and a score from Bevan Duffy levelled the match before Brian Devlin, Joe Corrigan and Ronan Holcroft extended the lead 0-9 to 0-6 going into the last quarter.

The Termonfeckin side maintained that lead until the closing stages and they held out for the win despite two late points from the Young Irelands.

Clan na Gael are another side with ambitions of landing the Seamus Flood Cup and they had to hold off a second half revival from Oliver Plunketts before leaving Stabannon on Saturday evening with a 0-13 to 0-12 win.

The Dundalk men have been in good form in recent league outings and they continued that form with a good first half display. John Byrne had two early points for the Clans before Billy Smith and Conall McKeever took the game to the Plunketts as their side built up a 0-10 to 0-4 half time lead.

The Plunketts were a transformed team in the second half and with substitute Sean Callaghan, Cian Brady and Luke Haggins among those on target, they kicked seven successive points to draw level.

It looked as if the Drogheda men would go on to clinch the win against a deflated Clans side but the Dundalk outfit managed to pull the game out of the fire and a late point from Smith saw them snatch victory.

On Sunday afternoon in Dowdallshill St Brides came out on top by 0-14 to 1-9 in a very entertaining contest thanks to late points from Sean Marry, Michael Keane and Kevin Hearty.

The Knockbridge side were in fine form early on and points from Neil Thornton, Marry, Keane, Andrew Smyth and Conaill Devin saw them lead by 0-5 to 0-1 with Cian Callan opening the Kevins account.

Lee Crosbie and Shane Meade were on target as the Philipstown men fought back to within a point but before the break Marry and Smyth pointed to give their team a 0-9 to 0-6 lead.

The Kevins refused to give up and a Lee Crosbie goal had them a point ahead entering the closing stages but three quick-fire points saw the Brides over the line.

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