(Round four) Wed 1st Sept
The next round of the Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship proceeds on Wednesday evening and although the picture is a little clearer as to those in firm contention for the quarter final places nothing is yet set in stone.
The next phase of the Intermediate, and junior competitions are scheduled for Sunday 19th September.
Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship
(Round four) all games at 7.00 pm
Group One
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v Erin’s Own Cargin
With one foot already in the quarter final reigning champions Cargin will make the short journey to Marian Hill to face parish rivals and reigning Intermediate champions Moneyglass.
Damian Cassidy’s side recorded a big win over St Ergnat’s in round 1 but can expect a stronger challenge this time.
Moneyglass have as yet to taste success in this year’s championship but the opposition has been tough and they have certainly improved as the championship progressed and will be better prepared for this one.
Having turned in good performances against both St John’s and Rossa the home side will look for continued improvement against their near neighbours but anything other than a fourth consecutive victory for Cargin is difficult to envisage.
O’ Donovan Rossa v St John’s
Old rivals Rossa and St John’s meet for the second time in this year’s qualifiers with the Johnnies edging the opening day encounter at Corrigan Park.
St. John’s ran out 0-12 to 0-09 winners that day in a game that was tempestuous at times with the introduction of Donal Nugent helping to swing it in their favour and will be hoping for a similar result tomorrow night.
The Whiterock Road men failed to reach the knock out stages of the championship last term but a win here may well open the door to 2021 qualification.
Rossa have improved as the season progressed but they will realise that anything less than a win will almost certainly see their chances of a quarter final berth disappear.
This one looks hard to call with ground advantage possibly tilting the balance on favour of Rossa.
Group Two
St Brigid’s v Casement’s Portglenone
This looks another close one as St Brigid’s welcome Casement’s to Musgrave Park with a place in the quarter finals a probable prize on offer for the winners.
The South Belfast side suffered a heavy defeat against tomorrow night’s opponents on day one in Portglenone, finishing fifteen points adrift and they will be hoping to reverse that result.
Casement’s failed to impress last time out when beaten by a determined Ahoghill in Cloney and will be anxious to put that reversal behind them.
The Casement’s could be without the services of their injured play maker Dermot Mc Aleese but they have a strong panel at disposal and may well return to winning ways in South Belfast.
Group Three
St Mary’s Aghagallon v Lamh Dhearg
This looks another close one as Lamh Dhearg travel to Aghagallon with a win for both sides important to qualification in a tight group. Both have four points at this juncture together with Glengormley based St Enda’s.
Aghagallon have shown improvement from the start of the season with their county contingent back on board and they had a good win over St. Enda’s at Hightown last day out and pushed Lamh Dhearg all the way at Hannastown before losing narrowly.
Lamh Dhearg have proved a trifle hit and miss this year but a 5-13 to 1-07 win at Crumlin last time out will have given them confidence but this is a much stiffer test and with home advantage Aghagallon will push them to the wire and a draw cannot be ruled out.
St Enda’s Glengormley v St James Aldergrove
Aldergrove produced their best performance of the season before losing narrowly to tomorrow night’s opponents in Crumlin in a rearranged round 1 fixture and they will hope for a repeat of that performance as they visit Hightown.
St Enda’s on their day look like championship contenders but too often fail to make the step up against the top sides but they should gain another couple of points in this one and retain hopes of a place in the quarter finals.
Group Four
St Gall’s v Kickham’s Creggan
Last season’s beaten finalists Kickham’s Creggan have started well and are on course for a place in the quarter finals with a full return of points from their two games to date.
The Kickham’s beat St Gall’s at their Staffordstown Road ground in round one and they travel to Milltown hoping for of a similar return.
St Gall’s recorded a big 4-12 to 1-03 win over the visiting Gort na Mona last time and they will hope for a similar performance against the visiting Kickham’s.
This looks another tight one which could go either way and a draw is possible but Creggan might just edge it.