A busy week-end ahead on the championship front with the semi-finals of the Senior, Intermediate, and Junior grades down for decision.
The action gets under way under the lights at Woodlands on Friday evening with the first junior semi-final and continues on Saturday with Senior, Intermediate and Junior games in Toome and Creggan before a double header at Corrigan on Sunday.
Friday 20th September
The Devenish Junior Football Championship
Woodlands (7.30)
St Patrick’s Lisburn v Cardinal O’Donnell’s (semi-final)
St Patrick’s Lisburn and Cardinal O’ Donnell’s get the championship weekend under way when they line out in opposition under the floodlights at Woodlands and should attract a good attendance to the west Belfast venue.
St Patrick’s, beaten junior finalists in the last two years when they lost out to Glenravel and Sarsfields played division two football this term and although they failed to gain a win they performed admirably in most of their games.
The Lisburn men opened their championship account with a five point win over Laochra Loch Lao but strode forward stylishly in their quarter final game, proving 1-18 to 0-04 winners over Pearses.
Cardinal O’ Donnell’s having tasted second division fare in 2017 found themselves back in the basement this term and the McCrory Park residents looked out of sorts for most of the season.
They improved in the latter stages of the league and a 3-14 to 0-04 win over Mitchells in the opening round of the Junior championship should boost morale.
St Patrick’s will start this one as firm favourites and although O’ Donnell’s are capable of better the Lisburn men are given the nod.
Saturday 21st September
Toome
The Devenish Junior Football Championship (1.00pm)
Mc Quillan’s Ballycastle v Kickham’s Ardoyne (semi-final)
The Action switches to the South West, and Toome on Saturday and the second semi-final of the Junior championship is the opening game on a double bill as Ballycastle McQuillan’s line out against North Belfast based Kickham’s Ardoyne.
The only representatives from North Antrim McQuillan’s, having endured a poor league campaign in which they failed to win, came to life in the championship and they have impressed in their journey thus far.
They really turned the corner in round one of the knock out competition with an eye catching win over a strong St Malachy’s and continued in such positivity next time with a 0-10 to 0-06 victory over St. Agnes and they will travel up to the South West venue in good form.
Ardoyne have already secured promotion and a place in the second division in 2020 following their win over Rasharkin in the promotion play off and they have recorded back to back championship victories over Eire Og, and St Comgall’s respectively.
The North Belfast side look a useful combination and they will arrive back on the ground in which they secured promotion with a place in the decider firmly in their sights.
Ardoyne will start as firm favourites but the city men will need to be at their best if they are to gain passage over a useful McQuillan’s outfit.
Larkin Cassidy Intermediate Football Championship (2.30 pm)
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v Con Magee’s Glenravel (semi-final)
The main event on the double bill at Toome features South West rivals, St Ergnat’s Moneyglass and Con Magees Glenravel in what looks an attractive pairing which will attract a good crowd to the Cargin venue.
Moneyglass, having just missed out on promotion by the minimum margin following two intense play-off games against St Mary’s Ahoghill, will be hoping to go one better in the championship.
The Marion Hill residents have enjoyed a good season in the league and they have emerged as most pundits favourites to go all the way in the championship following back to back championship wins over Dunloy and Tir na nOg .
Moneyglass have a good blend of youth and experience with Jack McCoy, Dermot Mc Erlean, Pat McCormick, Sean and Eamon Kelly and the Duffin brothers, Collum, Seanachain and Tiernan adding power and pace.
Glenravel gained promotion last term as double champions winning both division three and junior championship and have performed admirably in division 2 this year and followed that up with a win over Sarsfield’s in the championship.
The Glensmen will look to the likes of Conleth O’ Loan, Paul McCurry, Niall Swan, Aiden O’ Donnell, Eamon Fyfe, and Eoin Hynds as they go head to head with the St. Ergnat’s side.
A close one is anticipated but experience may well prove the key to success and may well aid Moneyglass to a place in the final.
Creggan
Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship (5.00pm)
Casement’s Portglenone v Lamh Dhearg (semi-final)
The first of the senior championship semi-finals features the 2017 champions Lamh Dhearg who are bidding to advance to another final at the expense of Casement’s Portglenone and is certain to attract a big crowd to Creggan.
The Hannahstown men have been in good form this year both in league and championship.
They lowered the colours of reigning champions Cargin when they crossed swords in the league and following a hard held preliminary round win over Ahoghill in the championship they went on to see off the challenge of last year’s runner’s up Kickham’s Creggan in the quarter final.
The return of Conor Murray from a long term injury will have aided the Lamh Dhearg cause as will the anticipated return to action of Declan Lynch to add to a formidable panel which includes, Pearse Fitzsimmons, Marc McGarry, Ryan Murray, Kevin Quinn, Terry McCrudden, and the ever green Paddy Cunningham.
Casement’s have shown a lot of improvement this term under the watchful eye of Barry Dillon and such was more than evident in their opening round win over St Brigid’s and supplemented in no uncertain terms in their replay victory over a seasoned St John’s outfit.
The O’ Cahan Park side are well organised and have a side laced with pace. They are strong in defence where Dermot McAleese, Caolan Tierney, and Niall Delargy have impressed in a strong unit.
Niall Mc Keever and Feargal O’ Kane form a more than useful mid-field pairing with the towering Michael Donnelly an excellent target man in an attack which features the impressive Conal Delargy and Ciaran McKenna.
An eagerly inticiapated affair which may well go right to the wire and although the Hannahstown men will start as favourites Casement’s may well gain a narrow verdict.
Sunday 22nd September
Corrigan Park
Larkin Cassidy Solicitors Intermediate Football Championship (4.00 pm)
St James Aldergrove v St Paul’s (semi-final)
The second intermediate semi-final sees St James Aldergrove line out against St Pauls in the opening game in a double header at Corrigan park.
Paddy Nugent’s Aldergrove had a poor start in division two this year but improved as the season progressed.
They staged a great come-back to defeat a fancied All Saints in the quarter-final of the championship with a last gasp Ronan Hanna goal ensuring a 1-13 to 2-06 win in a lively encounter and the Crumlin men will start as favourites in this one.
Aldergrove are involved in team building with several minors including Kian Jones, Oisin Graham, and Connor Morris making the step up to senior and together with the likes of Ferdia Carson, Brian McQuillan, Seamus McGarry, and Ronan Hanna they appear to be peaking just at the right time.
St Paul’s were relegated from division 2 at the end of last term but have made an immediate return following a successful division 3 campaign which saw them promoted as champions.
The West Belfast men gained a place in the semis with an excellent 1-14 to 1-11 victory over Glenavy in the quarter final and will go into this one full of confidence.
Paddy Linden has the reins at Shaw’s road and the red and whites seem to be firing on all cylinders at the moment with a useful blend of youth, to include, Aiden Cavanagh, Niall Ward, and Conor Mc Larnon in the mix along with the likes of established seniors like, Liam Mc Larnon, Patrick Copeland, Niall Peoples and the talented Mickey Joe Cooper.
Aldergrove will start as firm favourites and although they should advance they will have to be at their best to gain the verdict over the in-form Division three champions.
Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship (5.30 pm)
Erin’s Own Cargin v St Gall’s
Possibly a case of the best to last as the much anticipated meeting of old rivals Erin’s Own Cargin line out in defence of their title against St Gall’s.
This duo crossed swords at the same stage of the championship last term with Tomas McCann’s last minute, injury time wonder strike proving the difference at the conclusion of a great game of football.
Cargin beat Rossa in the opening game and whilst failing to impress, Damien Cassidy’s men always seemed to have matters in hand before crossing the line with a late David Johnston goal to win 1-14 to 0-12.
St Gall’s recorded an impressive 1-16 to 1-09 victory over Aghagallon in their opening game, and the Milltown men always looked in control.
Sean Kelly’s side will be well satisfied with that opening win and will be hoping to avenge last year’s defeat to Cargin as the sides meet at Corrigan.
Cargin are expected to be without towering mid-fielder Gerard McCann for this one and his services will certainly be missed but the Toome men have a strong panel at their disposal.
They are strong in defence where Marty Kane, Justin Crozier, James Laverty and Tony Scullion are likely to figure and carry a big threat in attack with the McCann brothers, Michael, Tomas and Paul all seasoned campaigners.
St Gall’s fielded against Aghagallon with more than a few familiar faces in their line up with Mickey Pollock, Aodhan Gallagher, Jackson McGreevey, CJ Mc Gourty, Eoghan Mc Cabe, Kevin Niblock, Colin Brady, and Terry O’ Neill all in harness and Sean Burke making a cameo appearance and their side should start along similar lines.
A big crowd is expected on the Whiterock Road and although St. Gall’s will ask serious questions of the Toome men it has been a while since Cargin lost to their old adversaries in the championship fare and the reigning champions are given the vote.