The 2018 Galway Senior Football Championship is the 123rd edition of

Galway GAA The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) ( ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae na Gaillimhe) or Galway GAA are one of the 32 county boards in Ireland; they are responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway, and f ...

's premier

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...

tournament for senior graded clubs in

County Galway, Ireland "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

. The winners receive the Frank Fox Cup and represent Galway in the

Connacht Senior Club Football Championship The Connacht Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between senior clubs in Connacht, with one qualifying from each of the five individual county championships. The winners of the Connacht football champ ...

. Twenty teams compete. This year there will be a new format. With the previous years 4 semi finalists being seeded and separated into 4 groups of 5 Corofin were the defending champions after they defeated Mountbellew/Moylough in the 2017 final. This was Claregalways's return the senior grade after a 4 year exodus (they were relegated from the S.F.C. in 2013) when claiming the 2017 I.F.C. title. Corofin retained their title with a win in a final replay over Mountbellew/Moylough. This was Corofin's sixth title in a row. Caltra, Cortoon Shamrocks and Kilconly were relegated to the 2020 I.F.C. after 22, 15 and 7 years in the top-flight.

Team Changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2017 championship season.

To S.F.C.

Promoted from 2017 Galway Intermediate Football Championship * Claregalway - (Intermediate Champions)

From S.F.C.

Relegated to 2018 Galway Intermediate Football Championship * Micheál Breathnachs

Format

Group Stage

2018 brings about a new format for the competition where there is 4 groups of 5 teams. The 2017 Semi-finalists, Corofin, Mountbellew/Moylough, Annaghdown and Monivea/Abbey will be Seeded and placed in each Group. The remaining group places made up from the remaining 16 teams in an open draw. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the Knockout stage Quarter-finals. The third placed team in each group retains Senior Status for 2019. The Bottom two teams in the group enter the Relegation Playoff. If teams are level on points, the first deciding factor will be the head-to-head result between the sides; the second will be the points difference; and the third will be the scoring average.

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals will be an open draw where top placed group teams will play 2nd Placed group teams. However teams cannot be paired with the other team who qualified from their group. Extra Time will be played in these games if required. Semi-finals will be an open draw Replays to be played in the Semi-finals & final if required. No Extra Time will be played in these games.

Relegation Playoff

The four fourth placed teams are placed in an open draw, where the two winners will retain senior status for 2019. The two losers will join the four bottom placed teams in the groups for the final series of play-off relegation games. Two Groups of Three
Rd 1: 1 v 2
Rd 2: Loser of 1 v 2 plays 3
Rd 3: Winner of 1 v 2 plays 3 The top teams in the groups retains their Senior Status for the following year. The two bottom teams in the groups are relegated to Intermediate for the following year. The two second placed teams in the Relegation groups play-off with the loser being the third team to be relegated to Intermediate for 2019 and the winner retaining Senior status.

Group Stages

Group 1

Round 1 ---- Round 2 ---- Round 3 ---- Round 4 ---- Round 5 ----

Group 2

Round 1 ---- Round 2 ---- Round 3 ---- Round 4 ---- Round 5 ----

Group 3

Round 1 ---- Round 2 ---- Round 3 ---- Round 4 ---- Round 5 ----

Group 4

Round 1 ---- Round 2 ---- Round 3 ---- Round 4 ---- Round 5

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals

QF 1 QF 2 QF 3 QF 3 - Replay QF 4

Semi-finals

Semi-final 1 Semi-final 2

Final

Final - Replay

Relegation playoffs

4th Placed Group Teams Playoff

Open Draw to take place between the 4 groups 4th placed teams. The two winners retaining Senior status for next years competition, and the losers then competing in the Relegation Group Stage. * Group 1 4th Placed Team - An Cheathrú Rua * Group 2 4th Placed Team - Tuam Stars * Group 3 4th Placed Team - Kilconly * Group 4 4th Placed Team - St Michael's Game 1 Game 2 Victories for both St Michael's and An Cheathrú Rua means that they retain their Senior status. Tuam Stars and Kilconly enter the relegation group stage

Relegation Group Stage

Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir and Tuam Stars top their groups and retain their Senior status. Kilconly and Caltra finished bottom of their groups and will be relegated to compete in next years Intermediate competition. The two groups second placed teams, Cortoon Shamrocks and Barna, go into a relegation playoff game.

Group A

Game 1 ---- Game 2 ---- Game 3 ----

Group B

Game 1 ---- Game 2 ---- Game 3 ----

2nd Place Relegation Group Playoff

Relegation Playoff game played between the two 2nd placed Relegation group teams. Winner to retain Senior status for next years competition, and the loser relegated to next years Intermediate competition *Group A 2nd Placed Team - Cortoon Shamrocks *Group B 2nd Placed Team - Barna

2nd Place Relegation Group Playoff Replay

References

External links

{{Galway Senior Football Championship

Galway Senior Football Championship The Galway Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition between the top Gaelic football clubs in Galway. The winners of the Galway Championship qualify to represent their county in the Connacht Senior Club ...

Galway Senior Football Championship Galway SFC