U20 Football Championship continues tomorrow
The U20 Football championship continues tomorrow, not so much at pace as at a slow crawl. There doesn’t appear to be a big appetite for the competition amongst some clubs though the games that have been played have produced some entertaining games.
Several reasons have been offered for the lack of appetite and quite a few of the earlier fixtures were postponed because the relevant clubs were involved in senior or intermediate championship with clubs not wanting to risk players.
To date some clubs have played three games with others having fulfilled two fixtures and the rest only one. Saturday afternoons have been cited as another reason why clubs are finding it difficult to fulfil fixtures but whatever the reasons it is something that is likely to be reviewed for next season
One club who have embraced the competition is St. Gall’s who are going through a rebuilding programme at present and the U20 championship has provided them with the ideal platform for the rebuilding process.
The Milltown Row side travelled to Cargin in Round 1 to face an Erin’s Own team who would have been regarded as favourites for the U20 title, having won the Minor Championship at U18 level two years ago and followed up with a second title in a row last year, this time at U17.
Darra McCaffery in action for St. Gall’s against Cargin
St. Gall’s caused a major upset when they defeated the Toome side but it was a win that was fully merited with St. Gall’s running out 5-11 to 1-11 winners in a very impressive performance that augers well for the clubs future.
Last week St. Gall’s entertained All Saints and produced another goal fest, hitting 6-20 against an All Saints side who travelled with just 15 players, including a number of U17 players.
Tomorrow Sean Burn’s side are in action again when they entertain St. Brigid’s at Milltown and they may face a tougher challenge against a Naomh Brid side who lost the 2019 Minor final to Cargin and were again beaten finalists to the Toome side in last year’s minor decider.
St. Brigid’s have played only one game in Group 1 to date when they defeated St. James’ Aldergrove by four points in Crumlin and the Musgrave Park side will be severely tested against a St Gall’s side who they defeated in the recent Reserve Cup final and the home side may gain revenge for that defeat.
St. James Aldergrove have three games under their belts and while they have only won one of them, at home to Rossa they have been competitive in their other two games against St. Brigid’s and away last week to Cargin where they pushed the Erin’s Own all the way before losing 2-17 to 3-10.
The Aldergrove side, who like St. Gall’s have been rebuilding at senior level, travel to Ballymena and should have too much for an All Saints side who have had only one game to date. The Slemish Park side should be competitive if they can field at anything like full strength but St. James should still claim the win.
Action from Creggan’s opening day win over Tir na nOg
All the above games in Group 1 are scheduled for 3pm on Saturday with another in Group 2 fixed for 2pm on Sunday where Creggan travel to the Bear Pit to face Sarsfields. Creggan won their only game to date when they defeated neighbours Tir na nOg while Sarsfields were beaten by Glenravel last week and have lost their three games to date.
Creggan looked useful against the Whitehill side when I saw them in action a few weeks ago but they haven’t played since but they should have too much for a Sarsfields side who have been finding life difficult in this competition.