Eighteen teams compete. This year there will be a new format once again. With the previous years 4 semi finalists being seeded and separated into 3 groups of 6(With one group having 2 seeded teams)[1]
Corofin were the defending champions after they defeated Mountbellew/Moylough in the 2018 final.
This was An Spidéal's return the senior grade for the first time in 13 seasons (since their relegation from the S.F.C. in 2006) after they claimed to 2018 I.F.C. title.
Team changes
The following teams have changed division since the 2018 championship season.
To S.F.C.
Promoted from 2018 Galway Intermediate Football Championship
An Spidéal - (Intermediate Champions)
From S.F.C.
Relegated to 2019 Galway Intermediate Football Championship
Caltra
Cortoon Shamrocks
Kilconly
Format
Group stage
2019 brings about a new format for the competition where there is 3 groups of 6 teams.
The 2018 Semi-finalists, Corofin, Mountbellew/Moylough, Annaghdown and Salthill/Knocknacarra will be Seeded and placed in each Group, with one group having two seeded teams. The remaining group places made up from the remaining 14 teams in an open draw.
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.[2]
Knockout stage
Relegation playoff
Group stages
Group 1
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
PF
PA
PD
Pts
1
Salthill/Knocknacarra
5
4
1
0
76
62
+14
9
2
St Michael's
5
3
1
1
70
61
+9
7
3
An Spidéal
5
3
0
2
74
64
+10
6
4
Milltown
5
1
1
3
77
88
−11
3
5
Killererin
5
1
1
3
74
87
−13
3
6
Barna
5
0
2
3
57
66
−9
2
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [citation needed]
Round 1
Milltown
4-10 - 3-13
Killererin
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Richard Mc Nicholas
Salthill-Knocknacarra
0-11 - 1-8
Barna
Moycullen
Referee: Martin Flaherty
St Michael's
1-9 - 0-10
An Spidéal
Moycullen
Referee: Anthony Coyne
Round 2
An Spidéal
2-15 - 0-12
Milltown
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Kieran Quinn
Salthill-Knocknacarra
0-11 - 0-09
Killererin
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Martin Flaherty
Barna
0-10 - 0-07
St Michael's
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Gerry Daly
Round 3
An Spidéal
0-15 - 1-09
Killererin
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Martin Flaherty
St Michael's
1-06 - 2-11
Salthill-Knocknacarra
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Thomas Murphy
Barna
0-10 - 1-09
Milltown
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Christopher Ryan
Round 4
Killererin
2-14 - 1-12
Barna
St Michael's
1-12 - 1-10
Milltown
Salthill/Knocknacarra
1-14 - 1-12
An Spidéal
Round 5
Salthill/Knocknacarra
2-14 - 3-9
Milltown
St Michael's
3-15 - 0-11
Killererin
An Spidéal
0-13 - 0-11
Barna
Group 2
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
PF
PA
PD
Pts
1
Corofin
5
5
0
0
118
61
+57
10
2
Tuam Stars
5
4
0
1
86
61
+25
8
3
Claregalway
5
3
0
2
87
74
+13
6
4
Annaghdown
5
2
0
3
65
72
−7
4
5
St James'
5
1
0
4
74
102
−28
2
6
Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir
5
0
0
5
48
108
−60
0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [citation needed]
Round 1
Annaghdown
0-12 - 3-11
Claregalway
Kenny Park
Referee: Ronan McNulty
Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir
0-8 - 3-14
St James'
Clonbur
Referee: Austin O Connell
Corofin
1-14 - 0-13
Tuam Stars
Kenny Park
Referee: Kieran Quinn
Round 2
Claregalway
3-16 - 0-6
Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Christopher Ryan
St James'
0-11 - 5-21
Corofin
Tuam Stadium
Referee: P. J. Rabbitte
Tuam Stars
1-9 - 0-7
Annaghdown
Corofin
Referee: Anthony Coyne
Round 3
Corofin
2-11 - 1-11
Annaghdown
Tuam Stars
2-12 - 1-11
Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir
Claregalway
1-14 - 1-13
St James'
Round 4
Tuam Stars
4-15 - 2-9
St James'
Annaghdown
1-15 - 1-11
Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir
Corofin
2-18 - 2-11
Claregalway
Round 5
Corofin
5-9 - 0-6
Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir
Annaghdown
0-14 - 0-9
St James'
Tuam Stars
1-13 - 0-8
Claregalway
Group 3
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
PF
PA
PD
Pts
1
Moycullen
5
4
0
1
98
62
+36
8
2
Mountbellew/Moylough
5
4
0
1
82
45
+37
8
3
Kilannin
5
3
0
2
76
70
+6
6
4
Monivea/Abbeyknockmoy
5
3
0
2
69
66
+3
6
5
An Cheathrú Rua
5
1
0
4
59
106
−47
2
6
Caherlistrane
5
0
0
5
44
79
−35
0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [citation needed]
Round 1
Mountbellew/Moylough
1-12 - 1-5
Monivea-Abbey
Duggan Park
Referee: Gearoid O Conamha
An Cheathrú Rua
2-7 - 1-7
Caherlistrane
Clonbur
Referee: Frank Kinneen
Moycullen
4-6 - 1-14
Killannin
Oughterard
Referee: James Molloy
Round 2
Caherlistrane
1-2 - 1-13
Mountbellew/Moylough
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Ronan McNulty
Kilannin
3-11 - 2-11
An Cheathrú Rua
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Thomas Murphy
Monivea-Abbey
0-14 - 1-9
Moycullen
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Frank Kinneen
Round 3
Moycullen
0-11 - 0-10
Mountbellew/Moylough
Monivea-Abbey
0-17 - 2-6
An Cheathrú Rua
Kilannin
0-11 - 0-5
Caherlistrane
Round 4
Moycullen
4-23 - 1-6
An Cheathrú Rua
Mountbellew/Moylough
1-14 - 0-13
Kilannin
Monivea-Abbey
0-17 - 1-9
Caherlistrane
Round 5
Moycullen
2-16 - 1-9
Caherlistrane
Mountbellew/Moylough
2-18 - 1-5
An Cheathrú Rua
Monivea-Abbey
2-16 - 1-9
Caherlistrane
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
QF 1
Corofin
1-16
SF 1
Mountbellew/Moylough
1-10
Corofin
1-16
QF 2
Salthill-Knocknacarra
1-10
Salthill-Knocknacarra
0-13
Final
Claregalway
1-09
Corofin
0-11
QF 3
Tuam Stars
0-08
Moycullen
1-13
SF 2
St Michael's
0-11
Tuam Stars
3-11
QF 4
Moycullen
1-12
Tuam Stars
0-11
An Spidéal
0-08
Quarter-finals
QF 1
Corofin
1-16 - 1-10
Mountbellew/Moylough
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Gearoid O Conamha
QF 2
Salthill-Knocknacarra
0-13 - 1-09
Claregalway
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Gerald Anthony Lohan
QF 3
Moycullen
1-13 - 0-11
St Michael's
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Richard McNicholas
QF 4
Tuam Stars
0-11 - 0-08
An Spidéal
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Ronan McNulty
Semi-finals
Semi-final 1
Corofin
1-16 - 2-9
Salthill-Knocknacarra
Tuam Stadium
Referee: Austin O Connell
Semi-final 2
Tuam Stars
3-11 - 1-12
Moycullen
Pearse Stadium
Referee: Frank Kinneen
Final
Corofin
0-15 - 2-9
Tuam Stars
Jason Leonard 0-4 (2f), Gary Sice 0-4 (3f), Liam Silke 0-2, Michael Farragher 0-2, Kieran Molloy 0-2, Martin Farragher 0-1,
This year, two teams will be relegated.
The bottom two teams in each group will playoff, with the winner retaining Senior status, and the loser moving into a round robin group.
The bottom two team in the round robin group will be relegated
Playoff Games
An Cheathrú Rua
2-13 - 0-10
Naomh Anna Leitir Móir
St James'
2-18 - 2-12 (a.e.t.)
Barna
Caherlistrane
3-5 - 0-8
Killererin
Relegation Group stage
The bottom two teams in the table will be relegated.
Relegation Group
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
PF
PA
PD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1
Barna
2
2
0
0
43
24
+19
4
Retains Senior Status
2
Killererin
2
1
0
1
30
36
−6
2
Relegated
3
Naomh Anna Leitir Móir
2
0
0
2
26
39
−13
0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [citation needed]