Championship Week-End 25th/26th October (Previews)
The knock out phase of the football championships in all grades feature prominently in a week end of activity with the quarter-final stages of the senior grade, and semi-finals of both the Intermediate and Junior down for decision.
The action gets under way on Saturday with a couple of senior quarter-finals set to proceed whilst Sunday features a bumper package of ties, six in all with the remaining senior rounds to proceed together with the semi-finals of both the Intermediate and Junior competitions.
The governing body, the CCC will no doubt be keeping a wary eye on the sky as the week-end approaches hoping for suitable conditions as the bumper programme gets under way.
Sat 25th Oct
Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship (quarter-finals)
Dunsilly (1.00pm)
St Brigid’s v St Mary’s Aghagallon
This one gets the championship show on the road as St Brigid’s and Aghagallon cross swords at Dunsilly with a place in the semi-final the prize for the victors.
St Brigid’s fared well in their round robin travels to the quarter finals with wins over both Casement’s and Ahoghill and a draw at Clooney ensuring they topped the table at conclusion.
The South Belfast side seemed to gain in stride as the season proceeded and they will attempt to go a step further on the championship trail in this quarter-final test.
St Mary’s Aghagallon have been knocking on the championship door in recent years and having gained a first ever Minor title recently they will be striving to make it a double.
They had to dig deep to gain passage into the quarter-final with a 1-13 to 2-08 victory over St Enda’s in their last game in the preliminary series and they will look to continue in similar positivity here.
A good crowd is anticipated at the Antrim ground for this one and a close encounter is anticipated with the St Mary’s side given a tentative vote.
Hightown (3.30)
Erin’s Own Cargin v St Gall’s
Cargin ended a long winning championship sequence by St Gall’s when they claimed a first round victory over the Milltown men at Cloney back in 2015 and the reigning champions will start as favourites when they meet again at Hightown on Saturday.
The Toome men went on to claim the title in 2015 and have followed up with a further five and they must pass the Gall’s test again this term if they are to proceed in defence of their hard earned crown.
St Gall’s, having dominated the Antrim scene for more than a decade have failed to win a championship since 2015 but the Milltown Blues are never far away and are always a threat and signs of revival can be seen in an excellent under-20 side..
They failed to meet the challenge of Creggan on a couple of occasions, home and away in the round robin series, but a last round win at Gort na Mona suggests that they have made progress.
Cargin have already claimed the league title and will start as firm favourites but this could a tougher encounter than some would suggest.
Sunday 26th Oct
Dunsilly (1.00pm)
Lamh Dhearg v Casement’s Portglenone
Lamh Dhearg claimed the title a few years ago when they got the better of the Johnnies in a keenly contested Chapel Hill decider and have looked good in this year’s campaign. The Hannahstown side had an indifferent league campaign and indeed took time to get their championship game up and running as a defeat by St Enda’s suggested but they have finished strongly to top their group.
Casement’s have been knocking on the championship door in the recent past but the Bannsider’s suffered defeats at Ahoghill and St Brigid’s in preliminary games before victory over Ahoghill in their final game assured progress to the last eight.
Niall McKeever had his Red card from that game rescinded but a doubt remains over Dermot McAleese who has been out with a broken jaw and his availability would certainly boost the Port’s chances.
Portglenone face a stern challenge in this one and the Hannahstown men will start as favourites but the South West men are capable of causing an upset.
Hightown (3.30 pm)
St John’s v Kickham’s Creggan
The last quarter-final should attract a big attendance to Hightown as last year’s beaten finalists Creggan face a St. John’s side who raised a few eyebrows by beating Erin’s own in their final group game in Toome to qualify.
Creggan lost to neighbours Cargin in the 2020 final and the Kickham’s will be hoping to go one step further this year and have shown fine form in the round robin series without losing a game.
They recorded home and away wins over St Galls and were not troubled in their meeting with Gort na Mona and will hope to keep that winning run in tact against the Johnnies.
St. John’s last championship win came back in 1998 but they were beaten finalists to Lamh Dhearg in 2018 and will have gained confidence from that recent win in Toome.
Creggan will start as favourites but they will have to be at their best if a last four berth is to be secured.