Hectic summer ahead as championship shapes up

With spectators allowed to return to watch matches and club fixtures resuming this week the GAA roadmap continued to open up this week with the unveiling of the inter-county championship fixtures for 2021.

Andy McEntee's side will open their Leinster SFC bid with a quarter-final clash against either Carlow or Longford on Sunday 4th July, while Nick Weir's senior hurling team will open their Joe McDonagh Cup bid 24 hours earlier in Ballycran against Down.

If everything goes well for both sides the Meath footballers can look forward to a Leinster SFC final on Sunday 1st August and an All-Ireland SFC final date on Sunday 29th August.

If the Meath senior hurlers manage to go all the way in the McDonagh Cup they can look forward to a final appearance on Saturday 17th July as part of a double-header in Croke Park which will include the Leinster SHC final.

Because of Mayo's Connacht SFC quarter-final against Sligo on Saturday 26th June and Clare's Munster SFC quarter-final meeting with Kerry on the same day there will be no NFL Div 2 final this year, so next Sunday's NFL Div 2 promotion play-off against Kildare will be Meath's last competitive outing before they take on either Carlow or Longford in either Navan or Tullamore.

The Leinster SFC semi-final, which will be drawn after the quarter-finals are played, will be held in Croke Park on Sunday 18th July with the Leinster SFC final two weeks later on Sunday 1st August at 1.30pm.

While managers and coaches still have a few weeks to prepare their teams for championship action, Meath Co Board officials will have to get Pairc Tailteann ship-shape for Saturday 26th June as the Navan venue is set to host Dublin and Antrim in the Leinster SHC quarter-final at 3pm.

Pairc Tailteann could also be the venue for the Leinster SFC quarter-final between Kildare and either Offaly or Louth on Sunday 4th July.

The first Meath team into championship action this summer will be John McCarthy's 2020 minors who are set to take on Offaly in last year's Leinster MFC final in Cusack Park Mullingar on Wednesday 30th June.

The 2020 All-Ireland MFC semi-finals are pencilled in for the weekend of the 10th/11th July with the Leinster championships set to take on their Ulster counterparts, with the final of last year's championship fixed for Saturday or Sunday 17th/18th July.

Meath have been handed a bye to the quarter-finals of the 2021 Leinster MFC. The 2021 All-Ireland MFC semi-finals will be played Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd August with Cathal O Bric hoping to lead his Meath side to a last four clash with the Connacht champions. The All-Ireland minor final will be played on 28th/29th August.

Meath will open their Leinster MHC campaign with an away trip to face Westmeath on Thursday 1st July. The losers of that game will contest the Peadar O Liathain Cup against the losers of the Down against Antrim clash on Wednesday of 7th July, while the winners will face off in round two of the Leinster MHC.

Bernard Flynn will have to wait until after the first rounds of the Leinster u-20 FC are played on 1st July before finding out who his Meath side will face in the quarter-finals, most likely a week later.

The All-Ireland u-20 FC semi-finals will be held on Saturday 31st August or Sunday 1st September with Meath potentially facing the Munster champions if they advance that far. The All-Ireland u-20 FC final is fixed for two weeks later.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Wednesday 30th June - Meath v Offaly, 2020 Leinster MFC final, Mullingar.

Saturday 3rd July - Down v Meath, Joe McDonagh Cup, 3pm, Ballycran.

Sunday 4th July - Meath v Carlow or Longford, Leinster SFC quarter-final, Tullamore or Navan.

Saturday 10th July - Meath v Kerry, Joe McDonagh Cup, 3pm, Navan.

Sat 10th/Sun 11th July - Meath or Offaly v Derry/Tyrone/Fermanagh/Monaghan; Roscommon v Kerry, 2020 All-Ireland MFC semi-finals.

Tuesday 13th July - Meath v Wicklow, All-Ireland u-20 B HC quarter-final.

Saturday 17th July - Joe McDonagh Cup final.

Sat 17th/Sun 18th July - 2020 All-Ireland MFC final.

Sunday 18th July - Leinster SFC semi-finals.

Tuesday 20th July - Meath/Wicklow v Armagh/Antrim/Down, All-Ireland u-20 B HC semi-final.

Sunday 1st August - Leinster SFC final.

Sat 14th/Sun 15th August - Connacht v Leinster, All-Ireland SFC semi-final; All-Ireland u-20 FC final.

Sat 21st/Sun 22nd Aug - Connacht v Leinster, All-Ireland MFC semi-final.

28th/29th August - All-Ireland MFC final.

Sunday 29th August - All-Ireland SFC final.