O’ Cahan Cup Fixtures
The opening round of the South West premier competition, the O’ Cahan Cup is set to commence this week-end with three ties scheduled.
The timing of the games has been subject to change with the Moneyglass v Rasharkin game to move to Friday evening and moved to Dreen whilst the Casement’s All Saint’s meeting will go ahead at 5.00pm instead of the original 2.00pm setting.
It is as you were with the game involving Aghagallon and Cargin, which proceeds at the St Mary’s venue at 2.00pm.
Friday 8th March
St Mary’s Rasharkin v St Ergnat’s Moneyglass (8.00pm)
Meetings of Moneyglass and Rasharkin are usually close affairs and this one may well follow in such a recent trend.
Moneyglass did fare better than Rasharkin in terms of league placing and championship last term and having finished 2018 as under-21 B champions the St Ergnat’s men will look to improvement this term.
They have been working hard in pre-season and will look for a good start to their 2019 season.
Rasharkin have taken part in the Ulster league this term and although the St Mary’s men failed to reach the latter stages of the competition they are certain to be ready for action, and will possibly benefit from the change of venue.
This looks likely to be a close affair with little in it at conclusion with the new setting and ground advantage possible tipping the balance in favour of the Dreen residents.
The eventual winners will meet Tir na Nog in the quarter final stages.
Sunday 10th March
St Mary’s Aghagallon v Erin’s Own Cargin (2.00pm)
St Mary’s Aghagallon entertain the reigning county champions as Damien Cassidy’s Erin’s Own Cargin visit.
The Toome men are more than familiar with the South West’s premier competition with the silverware proving a regular visitor to the Shore road over the years.
They lost out to their neighbours from Creggan in last year’s final and although they may well not be fully focused on the destination of this trophy in 2019, Cargin will not be travelling up to the Antrim, Armagh border just to take the air.
Aghagallon have struggled to get to grips with Cargin in recent meetings but they will be more than keen to change that trend in this one.
St Mary’s are not easily beat on their own patch and will await the arrival of the Erin’s Own outfit as a measure of current wellbeing.
The home side will be giving this their all but although Cargin have just been in pre-season activity for a few weeks a couple of recent ‘challenge’ games may well have added an edge and they may well gain passage.
The eventual winners will play hosts to St Joseph’s Glenavy in the next round.
Casement’s Portglenone v All Saint’s Ballymena (5.00pm)
Casement’s under new management have been working hard in preseason and the Bannsider’s will be looking forward to this first assignment in domestic competition 2019 as they play hosts to near neighbours All Saint’s
The O’ Cahan Park residents have seen action in the Ulster League and were only denied by the new ‘penalty rule’ in making the semi-final after finishing level with Derry side Glenullin last time out with what was a depleted squad.
Ballymena based All Saints were slow in the extreme into stride last term and a poor opening half of the season saw the dark spectre of possible relegation overhead.
Such lethargy was eventually brushed aside however and a strong finish to the season saw them ascend the rankings into a safe mid table berth and they will be looking to start in 2019 as they concluded the past season.
Casement’s will start this one as firm favourites and although their visitors will not go under without a struggle a home win looks the likely conclusion.
The winners will pay a visit to the holders of the trophy as they visit Creggan in the quarter finals.
Quarter Finals
A St Mary’s Ahoghill v St James Aldergrove
B St Mary’s Aghagallon or Erin’s Own Cargin v St Joseph’s Glenavy
C Kickham’s Creggan v Casement’s Portglenone or All Saint’s Ballymena
D Tir na Nog Randalstown v St Ergnat’s Moneyglass or St Mary’s Rasharkin
Semi Finals
B v C
D v A