Under-21 A championship (all games at 2.00pm)
St Brigid’s v Con Magees Glenravel
This is a first round game as St Brigid’s have been forced to remain behind due to their senior side’s Ulster commitment as they play hosts to Con Magees Glenravel with the winners set to meet up with Cargin.
The home side had an impressive win over St Teresa’s in the grading round whilst the Glensmen had a walk over against Antrim based St Comgall’s at the same juncture.
South Belfast based St Brigid’s had a 5-09 to 0-05 win on the Glen road with minor star Peter Neveney, Michael Cummings, Peter Webb, and Conor O’ Doherty all finding the net whilst Rory Brolly added a handful of points.
It is more than obvious that the Biddies have fire power aplenty within their ranks and they will hope for further progress.
Glenravel will travel up the M2 as outsiders but they will not be found lacking in effort and will look to Jonathan Fyfe (goalkeeper), Eamon Fyfe, Niall Swann, and Conor Carey for leadership.
Rossa v St John’s
This is a meeting of old rivals as Rossa play hosts to the Johnnies at the Shaw’s road and this quarter final affair should attract a good audience to the West Belfast venue.
The home side, who lost out to Aghagallon in the decider at Toome last term entered this year’s competition as firm favourites to go one better and indeed progress thus far has most certainly underlined the obvious potential within the ranks of the blue and gold.
With the county minor title already stowed away Rossa looked like facing a stern test in travelling to Dunloy in the opening, grading round but they were never tested, coming home as 7-11 to 1-01 winners.
They did have to work harder next time when meeting St Gall’s but a strong second half showing saw them cross the line with a nine point advantage, 3-09 to 0-06.
St John’s stepped out in their opening round game on the artificial surface at Crumlin to record a 1-10 to 0-05 win over the Aldergrove men in a feisty encounter to set up this one.
The Johnnies have a sound record in the under-21 grade and will travel up the road meaning business with a side backboned by ‘senior’ players Ross Hannigan, Ryan Mc Nulty, Peter Mc Callin and including the Mc Kenna brothers Odhran and Peter as well as the ever accurate Jude Mc Curdy.
Rossa will include a good portion of their successful minor side to include, Michael Close, Daire Matthews, Cormac Mc Gettigan, Eoghan Mc Menamin and Dominic McEnhill, who recorded a personal haul of 4-05 in the win at Dunloy as well as the likes of Gerard Walsh, Deaglain Murphy and Darren Grego from the senior ranks.
Rossa will start as favourites and they may well gain the verdict.
St Mary’s Aghagallon v St Enda’s
This looks a hard one to call as the reigning under-21 champions St Mary’s Aghagallon cross swords with Glengormley based St Enda’s in what may well prove the game of the round.
St Enda’s proved their worth as they edged home in a clash with the highly fancied Creggan coming home just the better on a 4-10 to 2-15 scoreline following a hum dinger of a contest.
Ruairi Scott, Odhran Eastwood, and James Mc Auley did most of the scoring in that one and they will most likely figure prominently again on Sunday, as will Conal Little but the Glengormley men may be forced to field without several regulars.
Antrim senior Peter Healey has been struggling to regain fitness and both mid-fielders Niall Mc Keown and Joe Maskey look doubtful.
Aghagallon enjoy ground advantage and the St Mary’s side will be looking to retain the title which they collected last term.
Aghagallon have strength in depth having reached the county minor final again this year and they will be keenly anticipating the arrival of the Glengormley men.
The St Mary’s side have a good portion of the successful 2016 side still available for selection including Eunan Walsh, Pat Brannigan, Jack Lenehan, Shane Russell, Paul Mulholland, Robert Haire and Adam Shanks and with a number of the under-18 side on board they look a formidable outfit.
An excellent game looks in prospect but ground advantage may well tip the balance in favour of Aghagallon.
Gort na Mona v Lamh Dhearg
Gort na Mona took a period of extra time to get past Moneyglass in the opening round and they are rewarded with a home assignment in this one as the Hannahstown men come a calling.
The West Belfast side came home with only a point to spare in that thrilling high scoring encounter, 4-13 to 1-21 over the gallant St Ergnat’s and they will look forward to continuing in the same positivity against the under-21 section of the new county senior champs.
The Gorts certainly underlined the ability to find the net in their opening round victory with Brendan Corr, Aodhan Mc Donagh, Jude Reilly, and Jude Meehan all grabbing major scores and together with the likes of Thomas Mc Goran, Chris ‘Cricky’ Carson and top scorer Conor Mc Cabe who raised 8 white flags in that one they look a useful unit.
Having secured a senior crown a few weeks back Lamh Dhearg will make the short trip with spirits high and led by such as Domnaill Nugent, Pearse Fitzsimmons, Patrick Mervyn, Eoin Mc Keown, Ben Rice, and Paddy Larkin from within the ranks of the championship winners in search of progress at under-21 level.
This looks likely to be a close one which could go either way but the Hannahstown men, who recorded a 1-13 to 0-09 win over a good Tir na Nog side in their opening game may gain the verdict.
Under-21 B championship (all games at 2.00pm)
St Teresa’s v St Paul’s
This all city affair sees Glen road based St Teresa’s play host to their near neighbours as St Pauls make the short journey from the Shaw’s road with both seeking recovery from opening round defeats.
St Teresa’s found the going tough in the grading round against St Brigid’s and the South Belfast side left with passage into the A section assured.
The Glen road residents struggled to get the better of their visitors in that one and although Matthew Mallon and Niall McCann got their proverbial shoulders to the wheel the visitors finished with a 5-09 to 0-05 verdict.
St Paul’s travelled up to Milltown for their round one game and although they gave their best they found St Gall’s too hot to handle with the home side finishing with a 2-11 to 0-06 winning margin.
The red and white hoops will look for better this time and Jim Mc Aulfield, Colm Mc Larnon, Patrick Doyle, and Liam Mc Kenna’ who have gained experience with their senior side will lead their bid for victory.
St Teresa’s will give of their best on their own sod but their visitors may well gain the verdict.
Tir na nOg v Kickham’s Creggan
A local derby affair here as Tir na nOg play hosts to their neighbours, Kickham’s Creggan at Whitehill.
Creggan, having suffered a narrow defeat to St. Enda’s in the grading round look one of the favourites in the B competition but Tir na nOg may have other ideas.
Despite sterling performances from the Small brothers, Conor and Kevin and Liam Quinn Creggan were on the wrong side of a 4-10 to 2-15 result at Hightown after a thrilling encounter.
Tir na nOg lost in their grading round opener to a strong Lamh Dhearg outfit with the Hannahstown men running out 1-13 to 0-09 winners. The Randalstown lads put up quite a fight and were well in contention until late in the game.
The McCormick brothers, Barry and Darren put in a sterling shift as did Ciaran Dobbin, Sean Duffin and Adrian and Michael Tolan and will carry their hopes on Sunday.
Creggan will arrive as firm favourites but although they may well prevail the home side could ask plenty of questions.
Casement’s v St Joseph’s Glenavy
Portglenone based Casement’s found a trip up to Gort na Mona beyond them as the city men recorded a 3-06 to 1-06 win and resigned their visitors to a place in the B section.
The Bannsider’s have home advantage this time as they play hosts to St Joseph’s Glenavy who lost out to Cargin in their grading round test,
Glenavy kept tabs on Cargin for most of the opening half at Chapel Hill but aided by a splendid second half goal from Kyle Johnston Cargin ran out 1-17 to 1-09 winners.
St Joseph’s will be hoping to find some improvement with players like Matthew Hamill, Peter Trainor, who scored a healthy 1-03 from a mid field berth in their opening game, Eoin Henry, Malachy Doherty and Lorcan Heenan aboard in the tangerine and white.
Casement’s will look to Ronan Delargy, Caolan Tierney, Stephen Kelly, and Fearghal O’ Kane who have senior experience as well as the likes of Patrick Graffin and Ryan Convery from the ranks of the minor side to lead them onwards.
Ground advantage may well prove a factor in what looks likely to be a close one with the Casement’s side given the nod.
Cuchullian’s Dunloy v All Saint’s
Having failed to perform in their grading round opener Dunloy really got back into the groove in their impressive victory away to Aldergrove in the opening round of the B competition.
Conal ‘Coby’ Cunning took the scoring plaudits in that 4-08 to 1-07 success recording a personal tally of 2-05 in a man of the match performance.
Callum Scullion, and Oisin Mc Poland also excelled with Deaglan Smith, Keelin Molloy and Ryan Elliot to the fore and the Cuchullain’s will be looking for a similar performance as they host All Saint’s.
All Saint’s lost out to a good Moneyglass team in the grading round and they will look for better this time.
Moneyglass proved ten points the better in that one and the Ballymena boys will need to improve this time if they are to cause an upset. Emmet McAllister, Adrian O’Connell, Ronan Ward, Eoin Campbell, Connell Lemon, Luke O’Rawe and Jack Magill are the men who will lead the All Saints challenge.