Division 1 (football) Fixtures & Previews Wed 1st June
The opening phase of league fixtures will reach completion on Wednesday evening and the top six in finishing order will be decided on the mid week programme.
The division two has reached the end of their first phase and the top six in finishing order has been decided.
Division One (all games at 7.30)
St Brigid’s v St Mary’s Ahoghill
No doubting the character of the Cloney men as they travel to Belfast with a date against St Brigid’s in a confident mood following a win over the visiting Rossa on Sunday.
That win over an in form Shaw’s road side ensured an eight point total and a grip on the ladder to retain status.
St Brigid’s have endured a mediocre campaign to date but the Musgrave Park side have a strong panel and are more than capable of better.
The South Belfast side recorded a victory last time at the expense of Gort na Mona and this may have lifted confidence.
The home side will start this one as firm favourites but they will need to be at their best if they are to take a full return of points at the expense of St. Mary’s.
St John’s v St Enda’s
This meeting of the Johnnies and St Enda’s is the only fixture in the evening programme that has consequences for both sides.
The Corrigan men and their visitors have both accrued a ten point total and with a superior score difference to their visitors a win or a draw will ensure St John’s will conclude with a place in the top six secured.
Glengormley based St Enda’s are more than capable when in a positive mood and the Hightown residents will travel to the Whiterock road hoping to gain the points required.
They did give Lamh Dhearg a run for their money last time and this one looks hard to call
but St John’s having gained an impressive win last time the Corrigan side may well secure a place in the top six.
O’ Donovan Rossa v Erin’s Own Cargin
Rossa were going well but lost at Ahoghill last time and that 0-14 to 0-10 defeat was not anticipated by many and Hugh Mc Gettigan’s men will have been stung by that defeat as Cargin visit.
The Toome men may well have eyes fixed on the championship, but they have earned a prominent position in the league and they will travel for their penultimate away game with a positive return possible.
Gort na Mona v Casements Portglenone
Although they have only managed one win in the league there is no doubting the character within the ranks of the Gorts.
The Enright Park side have shown improvement in recent weeks and would like to finish the first phase of league proceedings with a positive return as the Bannsider’s visit but that may well prove beyond them.
Casement’s have impressed in this year’s league campaign and went through the early stages without dropping a single point.
It wasn’t until late April and the visit of Cargin to Kelly Park before the Bannsider’s were to lose their unbeaten record and despite losing at Rossa and drawing with Creggan last time out, they remain in second place in the ratings and another positive return here will cement such standing.
Kickham’s Creggan v St Gall’s
Creggan top the table at this stage of the season and the Kickham’s should remain there following the visit of St. Gall’s.
The reigning county champions dropped a point last time out when a late Ruairi Mc Cann score ensured they finished on terms with Casements but they will await this visit of the Milltown men in a confident mood.
St Gall’s earned a share of the points on their last visit to the South West when they finished on terms with Cargin.
Paddy McShane’s side have shown steady improvement this term but they lost last time out to Lamh Dhearg at Milltown. Creggan will start as firm favourites and they should secure the points.
St Mary’s Aghagallon v Lamh Dhearg
Last year’s county finalist St Mary’s Aghagallon have struggled to cope with a long lengthy injury list and consequently a win has been hard to achieve.
They have secured four wins to date and looked in a better place last time out when they gave St Enda’s a run for their money before losing out by a few points.
Lamh Dhearg have had a good league campaign as a fourth place in the ratings pays full testament and they will travel to Aghagallon in a positive mode.
St Mary’s are certainly capable of gaining a home win if they can field at strength but the present climate would suggest a win for the Hannahstown men.
ACFL Division 2 All Games (7-45pm)
Davitt’s v Moneyglass
Moneyglass won the corresponding game between these two at Marian Hill three days ago and another win here would put them 7 points clear of second place Davitt’s. Only a point separated these sides on Sunday and Davitt’s will hope to reverse that result to keep the division 2 race alive.
St. Paul’s v Ardoyne
Both sides won their final game before the split last Sunday to qualify for the top six with Ardoyne making it six wins on the trot while St. Paul’s put a run of poor results behind them with a win over Aldergrove.
Both sides will hope to carry that form into this one but Ardoyne’s recent excellent good form suggests that they can win this one.
All Saints v Glenravel
Con Magee’s recorded their first win over neighbours All Saints for some time in the corresponding fixture at Fr. Maginn Park and the home side will be keen to avenge that defeat but this one could go either way though home advantage may swing it the Ballymena side’s way.
Division 2B
Aldergrove v Glenavy
Glenavy had a good win at Glenravel on Sunday while Aldergrove lost to St. Paul’s in Crumlin and so missed out on a top six place. This local derby will be keenly contested with Aldergrove keen to get back to winning ways and a draw cannot be ruled out.
St. Teresa’s v Sarsfield’s
Both sides are too close to the bottom of the table for comfort but Sarsfield’s win over Rasharkin at Dreen on Sunday suggests they are capable of taking another brace of points from their visit to St. Teresa’s.
Dunloy v Rasharkin
Only a point separated these neighbour early in the season at Dreen and there will not be too much between them here with Rasharkin’s need for points possibly pushing them on to a rare win over their neighbours while a draw cannot be ruled out.
Division 3 (a) (all games at 7.45pm)
A C League Division Three (June 1st)
Division 3 is ahead of the rest in progress and with their opening phase completed the teams have been divided according to places in the ratings achieved following the first round.
They will complete divided into sections A and B with the top finisher in A gaining promotion and the second placed going forward to earn an opportunity to follow meeting the second from bottom in division two with the ultimate winner gaining a berth in the second grade.
St Patrick’s Lisburn v Cardinal O’ Donnell’s
St Patricks top the table following the first phase of the league and they will hope to resume the second phase on a positive note as they play hosts to Cardinal O’ Donnell’s.
O’ Donnell’s sit in a creditable third place following completion of the first phase and only a single point separated the sides when they hosted the Lisburn lads in that opening round.
Another close one looks in prospect but St Patrick’s will start as favourites and they may well gain the points.
St Comgall’s Antrim v St Gall’s (3)
The St Gall’s third string defeated the Antrim men early in the first phase of the competition when they recorded a 2-14 to 2-12 victory at Milltown back in early April and they will hope to complete the double as they visit Dunsilly for this second meeting.
St Comgall’s started this competition as strong favourites to win the league and the bigger prize of promotion and if such is to be a realistic target a win in this one is required.
Division 3 (b)
St Malachy’s v St Agnes
St Agnes struggled in the first phase of this competition finishing without a win despite honest endeavour throughout.
They will hope for improvement in phase 2 but they will start as underdogs against a St Malachy’s side who came close to making the cut and gaining a place in the (a) section and who will start as strong favourites.
Eire Og v Wolfe Tones
Eire Og have been going well this term just missing out on a place in section A and they will hope to continue that form when they host Wolfe Tones. Wolfe Tones have recorded a couple of wins but improvement may well be a necessity here if they are to gain the win.