Another round of fixtures are scheduled for Sunday 9th April as Geordie McGuckin takes a look at the games and makes his predictions.
There are games in all of the three divisions in the prime time viewing slot.
Sunday 9th April
Division One (2.00pm)
Casement’s Portglenone v St Enda’s Glengormley
Casement’s continued in winning mode on Wednesday evening with a victory over their near neighbours Ahoghill to make it four on the trot.
The Bannsider’s were asked questions aplenty as to their resolve by the Clooney men and they will hope for calmer waters as St Enda’s visit Kelly Park.
St Enda’s had started the present campaign on a positive note found newly promoted Tir na nOg too hot to handle on Wednesday night and will hope for a return to form in the South West.
Casement’s will start as firm favourites however and John McKeever’s men should continue in winning ways.
St Brigid’s v Lamh Dhearg
St Brigid’s gave Cargin a run for their money when they visited Toome last time out but Ronan Devlin’s men nipped across the winning line with a single point advantage.
The City men will return to their Musgrave Park base for this one and they will be hoping for another positive display and a couple of point as the Hannahstown men visit.
Lamh Dear got their first win last time when they hosted the Johnnies and gained the verdict at a wind lashed Hanna town.
Paddy Cunningham’s injury time penalty strike earned them that 2-04 to 1-06 win and having opened their account they may well look to add another brace of points on the road but a tentative vote is awarded to the home side.
St John’s v St Mary’s Aghagallon
St. John’s had enjoyed a good run of results after losing out to the visiting Casement’s in round one but traverlled to Hannahstown last day and suffered defeat when a late penalty strike earned the Lamh’s the points.
A late set back which had arrived when the points looked secured and the Corrigan side will look to regain the positive as they welcome Aghagallon.
St Mary’s made it all the way to a championship decider last term were well beaten by county champions Creggan in Aghagallon last time and they will hope for improvement on their visit to the Whiterock Road.
The home side will be hoping to regain that winning habit and they should take the points.
Gort na Mona v Erin’s Own Cargin
The Gorts have struggled this term and are still without a point as yet despite honest endeavours aplenty.
They lost out to St Gall’s by a wide margin last time and they will return to Enright Park for this one as the Cargin men visit.
Cargin have had an up and down season to date but Ronan Devlin’s charges gained a positive return for their endeavours last time out when a late Ciaran Bradley score earned to points at the expense of St Brigid’s.
The Toome men will take the road to West Belfast again without the services of their ‘county players’ but with their county under-20s back in harness they should add a couple of points as reward for their trip to the City.
Kickham’s Creggan v O’ Donovan Rossa
Creggan recorded a good win last time when they proved too strong for Aghagallon on their own turf and they will look to continue on a similar vein here from the visit of Rossa.
The county champions are looking good in the early stages of their 2022 campaign as they attempt to regain their hard earned title.
Rossa, with just a single win to date are more than capable of improvement but the Shaw’s road men possibly have an eye firmly fixed on another direction.
Having lost out on their efforts to gain a county hurling title last year when Dunloy proved just superior in the decider the focus within the dual club may well be in that direction.
Creggan will start this one as firm favourites and although Hugh Mc Gettigan’s men are more than capable of giving the home side a run for their money the points should stay at home.
Tir an nOog Randalstown v St Gall’s
Tir na nOg lost to the visiting Ahoghill last Sunday but recorded a massive result up at Hightown on Wednesday night.
A victory over St Enda’s should prove a massive confidence booster and Michael O’ Kane’s charges will return to Whitehill in a confident mood for the visit of St Gall’s.
The Milltown men earned a couple of points last time out when they proved far too strong for the visiting Gort na Mona may well take the country road in a positive mode.
The Milltown men had a big win over Gort na Mona last time out and will fancy their chances in this one but although the Galls will enter the fray as slight favourites ground advantage may well swing the pendulum in favour of the Whitehill men.
Division Two (2.00pm)
Michael Davitt’s v St Mary’s Rasharkin
Davitt’s having been a trifle unpredictable over the past few seasons but seem to have found consistency in 2022 under the guidance of Sean McKenna.
They proved as too strong for the visiting All Saint’s last time and retaining ground advantage they will welcome Rasharkin to Davitt’s Park.
Rasharkin opened their account with an opening round victory over Glenravel but have failed to add to those points since.
The Dreen men have been knocking persistently on the door however and they will travel up to Belfast intent on giving this latest assignment a real lash but Davitt’s should retain their unbeaten run.
All Saint’s Ballymena v St Joseph’s Glenavy
This all country affair sees All Saints play hosts to Glenavy at Quinn Park seeking to get back to winning ways following a mid-week reversal at Davitt’s’.
The Ballymena men had earned an excellent win in the city previously when they proved too good for St Pauls before that reversal.
All Saints will start this one as slight favourites but Glenavy have a couple of previous wins to date and this one should be close.
Kickham’s Ardoyne v Con Magees Glenravel
Despite coming close on a couple of occasions this term, Ardoyne have nothing to show for their labours remaining without a point to date. They will return to home base in this one as Glenravel visit.
Con, under the management of Joe Cassidy have steadily improved as the league has progressed having gained another victory at the expense of Dunloy last time
The South West side will travel as firm favourites and although nothing can be taken for granted an away win looks probable.
Patrick Sarsfield’s v St Paul’s
Sarsfield’s have struggled this year with just a single win to date and they will welcome their near neighbours from St Paul’s in this one seeking better.
St Pauls have enjoyed a good return from their endeavours in 2022 and they will cross the fence down to the Bear Pit and may well return with another couple of points in the bag.
St James Aldergrove v St Teresa’s
Aldergrove, have suffered a couple of defeats in the present campaign but are capable of better and still within range of a place at the top and they will be looking for a couple more points here as St Teresa’s visit Crumlin.
St Teresa’s have struggled to gain momentum thus far but a good win gained over Rasharkin last time suggested better to come and although the home side will start as firm favourites their Glen road visitors may give them a run for it.
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v Cuchullian’s Dunloy
Moneyglass lead the way in the division with a perfect record with five victories gained from their five assignments to date.
The Marian Hill side are back home for this one following a goon win over Glenavy as Dunloy visit.
The Cuchullian’s have three wins to date and reigning county hurling champions will travel to Moneyglass with positive intent but a home win looks the most likely result.
Division Three (2.00pm)
Bhulf Ton v Patrick Pearses
North Belfast based Pearses have proved rather disappointing to date but may well earn another couple of points in this one as the cross swords with ’new boys’ Bhulf Ton.
St Gall’s (B) v Eire Og
St Gall’s third string beat St Comgall’s last time and in such form they should add another couple of points at the expense of Eire Og.
Cardinal O’ Donnell’s v St Comgall’s Antrim
St Comgall’s came a cropper last time when they lost to a St Gall’s third string but they should return to winning ways again in this one as they visit Mc Crory Park to meet O’ Donnell’s’.
St Agnes v St Patrick’s Lisburn
The Aggies still await a first victory of the season and they will do well to gain anything from the visit of St Patricks.
St Malachy’s v Laochra Loch Lao
Although St Malachy’s took a time to get going this term they have claimed a couple of victories lately and they may well add another here from the visit of Laochra Loch Lao.