Celtic and Rangers meet this weekend in Scotland after a few years break and the Scottish FA have gone for an early start and likewise Meath CCC have gone for a 5pm Saturday throw in for the clash of Meath Hill and Drumconrath to commence the 2nd weekend of the Meath Football Championships.

Like their Scottish counterparts its has been a while since the Red and Blue have clashed in Championship Football and the whole County plus a few from the North Meath border parishes are expected to turn up for this one.

Both Clubs come from the Parish of Drumconrath. The GAA was originally set up on a one Club per Parish basis but no so in that area as from the Early History of Meath GAA both Drumconrath and Meath Hill entered separate Teams and both battled away with little success as Drumconrath won the JFC in 1928 and 1963 while sandwiched in between the Blue side of the Parish took home the Cup in 1942. One Parish win in per generation.

From 1968 to 1970 the Clubs amalgamated under the United Gaels banner but this lasted only 3 years as Meath Hill GFC was reformed. The Drumconrath side continued as United Gaels until the late 1970's when they reverted back to Drumconrath.

The Drumconrath squad

Championship clashes between the sides in this modern era were few and far between as from the 70's on Meath Hill were a solid force at Junior A level losing a Quarter Final to St Pauls in 1977, a Semi Final to St Marys in 78 and the Donore side again getting the better of the Blues in the Final of 1979. But in 1980 "The Hill" made amends and beat Moynalty to win their 2nd Junior Championship captained by Liam McCabe and powered on by Gary Gunne, Dermot Griffin and Hugh Maguire who were well complemented by the Matthews brothers Pat and Tom, John Cunningham and the Boyle brothers Sean and Tony.

In this Golden Era for the club Meath Hill went on to become one the best sides at Intermediate level during the 80's making the IFC Final in 1986 only to lose narrowly to Gaeil Colmcille, but proudly also played in the All County Football League Division 1 taking on and beating many of the power houses of Meath Football.

Meanwhile Drumconrath played in the old Junior Division 3 (a competition for Clubs with 1 adult team) getting to 2 Finals in 1982 & 84 losing both to Bective and Baconstown.

The Clubs have always played underage as a Parish team wearing the Red and Blue of each Club under the banner Drumconrath/Meath Hill and this has produced good players for both Clubs and none more so than in the early 90's when the old Junior Division 3 Championship was abandoned (excuse the choice of word) so Drumconrath moved with little success to Junior A.

In 1995 Meath Hill after struggling at Intermediate level for a few years opted to be re-graded to Junior A and found themselves drawn in the same Group as an emerging Drumconrath. The sides met in Ludlow Pairc Syddan and after a close game Drumconrath came out on top and following some more good results progressed to the Junior Final that year only to lose to Duleek.

1996 was to prove a watershed again for both Clubs as both redoubled their effort to win the Championship. High profile managers where secured as ex County players Peter Fitzpatrick from Louth and Nudie Hughes from Monaghan took the reins. Both Clubs put in great seasons and come November of that year where the last 2 Clubs standing in the race for the Matthew Ginnity Cup.

The Meath Hill team

In a Sporting and Memorable Final a James Hickey goal was all that separated the teams as a youthful Drumconrath came out on Top led by Captain Shay Durnin as Pete McMahon, Paddy Reilly and Kevin Flanagan starred. Tom Matthews, John Cunningham and Paudge Boyle along with top scorer in the Championship that year Francis Callaghan had brought Meath Hill close but it was not to be their day.

It was a water shed day as Drumconrath competed in Division 2 League and Intermediate Championship for the next 13 years while Meath Hill played at Junior level. Drums biggest Day was the Intermediate Final appearance in 2006 when they lost by a single point to Rathkenny and the chance of Senior Football slipped away just as had happened to Meath Hill 20 years beforehand.

Recent times have seen a few more regular tussles between the sides but no Championship meeting since that Junior Final in 1996. Drumconrath's Golden  Era came to an end with Relegation back to Junior after 13 years in 2009. They slipped down to Division 4 of the Leagues also and Meath Hill beat them in 2012 in the League, although Drumconrath progressed to the Final only to lose to Cortown and but gain promotion. Meath Hill gained promotion the following year and in the past 2 years the Leagues clashes have been close Drums by a point in 2014 in Meath Hill and in 2015 Hill by a point in Drumconrath as The Hill made their way back to Division 2 for 2016.

So where are we now 6 or 7 meetings in Championship and League combined the last 20 years.

Players from the Big Day in 1996 have all now hung up their playing boots. Tom Matthews and Peter O'Halloran worked together at underage level in the past. Younger lads from that Day Kevin Flanagan, Lee Breslin, Shane Byrne and James Kiernan now work with the Minors and Juveniles of today. Players from both sides now actively involved in Club Committee's.

The hard work goes on. The love of the Club goes on from Generation to Generation. The day you are born it is known which Club will be yours.

North Meath Gaels celebrate a MFL success in 2013

People from the outside look on and say "Ye be better off if Ye joined up."

Maybe they are right, maybe through the Golden Years of both Clubs from 1986 to 2006 a Keegan Cup could have been won.

Somehow it never comes up. Ah yeah the talk in the pubs goes on but in the serious places that count it don't form part of the conversion.

The Club is dead. What do you think?

LONG LIVE THE CLUB.

How will it go Saturday?

Hard to say. Recent games between the Clubs have been close.

Will Pairc Tailteann suit Meath Hill or Drumconrath. Both have experienced players.

Meath Hill will look to Barry Kiernan, Keith Ginnity and Donnachda Boyle. Drumconrath have Sean Kane, Thomas Carolan and Alan Byrne.

Dominic Yorke, Conor Marry, Ryan Owens, Shane McCabe and Ian Malone a few months back played U21 with Tomas Conlon, Conor O'Halloran, Robert McEntaggart and Daniel Byrne.

Stephan Crosby and Jason Yorke are highly regarded in Junior Football levels.

Meath Hill have Down Senior  Damien Turley, Drumconrath's Terry Skelly is back home after couple years in Australia.

Add in another half dozen or so each with pride in the jersey. Think this is one €8 well worth spending get there early. May the best team win.

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