Under-21 Football Championship (Quarter-Finals) Sunday 17th Dec
The U21 football championships have reached the quarter-final stage with a full round of games in both A and B competitions scheduled for Sunday morning.
The draw has thrown up a number of mouth-watering fixtures in both grades and the B quarter-final between Aghagallon and St. Enda’s at Pairc na nGael certainly looks an interesting one. Both sides would have been expected to make the A competition but St. Enda’s defeat to St John’s on day one of the grading rounds and Aghagallon’s loss to Dunloy on the same day, ensures they are in the B competition.
The meeting of Kickham’s Creggan and Moneyglass looks another interesting one with both sides looking strong in their opening games and Creggan, despite a loss to St. Brigid’s on day one, with home advantage could edge it but I would expect it to be mighty close.
St. Brigid’s look likely to progress in the A competition when they visit Rossa, who suffered a heavy defeat to Tir na nOg on day two of the qualifiers but I don’t read too much into that result with the Shaw’s Road side at full-strength capable of much better.
Sunday 17th Dec
Under-21 A Football Championship (quarter-finals) all games at 11.00pm
All Saint’s Ballymena v Cuchullian’s Dunloy
Cuchullian’s Dunloy are blessed with a strong panel and the minor champions of a couple of years past may prove contenders in this competition.
They will travel up to Quinn Park for this one and will be provided with a tough test by the Ballymena lads.
All Saints have recorded wins over St. Gall’s and Aldergrove in the qualifiers and they will be raring to go again.
They do enjoy ground advantage and may take the field in a confident mood.
Certain to be fully contested but Dunloy may prove a tad too strong for their hosts.
St John’s v Tir na nOg Randalstown
St John’s progressed to the A section with wins over Lamh Dhearg and St. Enda’s and home advantage here could prove important. The Whiterock road residents will face a strong challenge against an in form Tir na nOg however.
The Whitehill men are strong in this grade as proved when they collected the B title last term.
Tir na nOg impressed with a huge 10-11 to 0-04 win at Rossa last time and will travel up the M2 again in the positive.
This one could be close but Tir nanOg will start as slight favourites and the South West side could gain the day.
Kickham’s Creggan v St Ergnat’s Moneyglass
This looks likely to be billed as ‘match of the day’ as Kickham’s Creggan prepare to cross swords with neighbours Moneyglass.
Moneyglass are blessed with a strong panel akin to their hosts as wins over Portglenone and Gort na Mona last time bears testament.
A close one is in prospect with ground advantage possibly tipping the balance in favour of the Creggan lads.
O’ Donovan Rossa v St Brigid’s 2-00 pm
Rossa have failed to make impression in the competition thus far but are capable of better as they prepare to meet the challenge of St Brigid’s.
St Brigid’s did take the title last term and they will be striving to regain the silverware for another term.
They travelled to Creggan in round one to record a good victory over the Kickham’s and that win marks them down as possible favourites.
Under-21 B Football Championship (quarter-finals)
Casement’s Portglenone v St Gall’s
Casement’s will have the benefit of home terrain in this one and that may well prove the difference as they play hosts to St Gall’s. Portglenone lost on day one away to Moneyglass but with quite a number of Senior panellists in their side are fancied to progress.
Lamh Dhearg v Gort na Mona
This all city affair will see Gort na Mona travel up to Hannahstown to face Lamh Dhearg.
The home side gave the Johnnies a run for their money on day one, only finishing a point in arrears but suffered a heavy defeat to St. Enda’s on day two but will fancy their chances of progressing here.
Con Magees Glenravel v St James Aldergrove
Aldergrove found All Saint’s too hot to handle last time but had a few of their senior panel missing and they face another tough assignment this time as they travel down to Glenravel.
Con Magees made a strong Aghagallon work hard to gain passage last time and could progress to the semi-final.
St Mary’s Aghagallon v St Enda’s
St Mary’s Aghagallon lost to Dunloy on day one of the grading rounds but went on to defeat Glenravel at Fr Maginn Park.
They have been strong in minor competition over the past number of years and may well be the front runners for the B title.
St Enda’s proved too strong for St Paul’s last time out and will give their hosts a run for their money but a win for Aghagallon looks probable.
Winter is upon us with sodden pitches likely to see a number of fixtures rescheduled but with the lack of suitable ‘all weather facilities’ and floodlighting not freely available the envisaged completion date of December 1st may not be a ‘given’.
Sunday mornings remain the favoured time slot and no doubt the CCC will be keeping a close watch on the weather forecasts in the next few days and weeks to ensure completion on schedule.