The Meath Minor Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition organised by the Meath Minor County Board for minor (under-17) Gaelic football clubs in County Meath, Ireland. The current (2023) MFC Division 1 champions of Meath are St PeterâÂÂs Dunboyne . Lower-level teams play in Divisions 2-6.
2017 was the final year of this competition with an under 18 age limit for minor grades â an under 17 championship replaced it after a vote at the GAA congress on 26 February 2016.
The trophy awarded to the winners is the Delaney Cup.
At the adjourned Meath GAA Annual Convention in the Pavilion at the Showgrounds, Navan on 13 April 1924, a dual proposal from Dulane F.C. and Kilcarn H.C. suggested the formation of a Minor Football competition, with the medals to be provided for the competition if five or more clubs compete. The proposal was intended to persuade the younger generation from engaging in foreign sports such as cricket. The motion was amended to set an age limit of 16 years for the first installment of the competition.
The draw for the inaugural Meath M.F.C. (conducted on Tuesday 13 May 1924) was as follows: A Division - Navan Harps -vs- De la Salle; Dulane -vs- Bohermeen; Commons -vs- Athlumney. B Division - Salesian College Warrenstown -vs- Curraha; Painestown -vs- Ardcath; Longwood -vs- Donaghmore; Duleek -vs- Walterstown.
The Delany Cup was first presented in 1956 to Navan De la Salle by Mr. Eamon Delany of Laytown.
This competition was known as the (Minor Football League) M.F.L. Division 2 before 2010.
2017 was the final year of an under 18 age limit for minor grades. In 2017 the inaugural under 17 championship (which from 2018 onwards was known as Minor) was also held along with the Meath M.F.C.