Sat 5th November at 1.00pm
The semi-finals of the under-20 football championship in the A and B grade are scheduled for Saturday with the organising body likely to be keeping a watchful eye on the weather forecast to ensure the last competition of the season moves closer to completion.
The respective final of both the categories is fixed for the following week, Saturday 12th November.
Under-20 Football Championship A semi-finals
All games at 1.00pm
St Brigid’s v Erin’s Own Cargin
St Brigid’s have already secured the minor title with an excellent victory over Con Magee’s and will play hosts to Cargin in this one with an eye on another title.
St. Brigid’s have looked at ease in the competition and despite falling in arrears in the quarter final at Milltown they came back strongly and goals from the excellent Conan Mc Nicholl, Liam Finnegan, Ronan Boyle and late replacement Thomas Lloyd gave them an eye catching 4-08 to 1-05 victory over St Gall’s.
Cargin had only a handful of games in the league and in the event that lack of action was noticeable when they faced All Saints in their first championship outing.
The Ballymena lads led the opposition a merry dance in the opening quarter and they had earned a fully warranted advantage before Cargin warmed to the task.
Cargin did not hit the front until late in the opening period but got on top at mid-field after Odhran Molloy and Benen Kelly had taken the initiative and Tom Shivers had found the net.
Erin’s Own got on top in the second half with Eunan Quinn and Tom Shivers in sparkling form but this trip to Musgrave may well prove a tougher assignment.
St Brigid’s have already recorded a Minor semi-final win over Cargin in Toome and will endeavour to follow suit again in the under-20 grade, and although this should be a close one ground advantage may well tip the balance in favour of St Brigid’s but Cargin will ensure a place in the decider will have to be earned.
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v St Mary’s Aghagallon
Moneyglass did well in the league games they played including a win over Cargin in Toome and although they lost out to St Brigid’s in what was a league decider the St Ergnat’s lads were under-strength in that one up in Belfast.
They recorded a fine quarter final 4-13 to 2-09 victory over Rossa at Shaw’s Road with Seannie McIntoish, Aiden McErlaine, Connlaodh McCann, and minor players, Tiernan Mc Cormick and Kevin McCann excelling and welcome South West rivals Aghagallon to Marian Hill for the semi-final.
Aghagallon picked up their first ever minor title last term with a victory over St Paul’s in a hugely entertaining decider at Dunsilly.
St Mary’s opened their account in this competition with a preliminary round win over Glenravel before defeating Aldergrove 3-09 to 1-06 in Crumlin and have excellent performers in Ciaran Maginnis, Michael McStravick, Paddy Gowdy and Johnny Hannon who have all experienced Senior Championship this season.
This looks like a close one to call but ground advantage may well prove important with a tentative vote awarded to St Ergnat’s.
Under-20 Football Championship B (all games at 1.00pm)
Tir na nOg Randalstown v Kickham’s Creggan
Tir na nOg recorded a fine 5-11 to 0-07 quarter-final win over Lamh Dhearg in Creggan last weekend but face a stiffer task when they take on neighbours Creggan in this Saturday’s semi-final.
Mid-fielder, Josh Higgins dislocated a finger in the opening minute of that quarter-final and it is unclear if he will be available for Saturday’s semi-final but Brandon McLarnon, Shane Martin, Colla McDonnell, Joe McCormick and Conor Hastings impressed in that one and the men from the Hill will look for a similar performance from the aforementioned as they face Kickham’s.
Creggan recorded a fine 1-16 to 4-01 win in their under-20 quarter-final over the visiting Cuchullian’s a number of weeks ago and they will go into this one with confidence.
Sean Duffin, Joe McAteer, Lee Johnston, Sean McAuley, and Dylan Hinphey are all members of the senior panel and will be vital to the Creggan challenge.
The Whitehill pitch was closed last weekend, necessitating the switch to Creggan for the Tir na nOg v Lamh Dhearg game and this one is again fixed for Creggan and the home side may just have enough to progress to the final.
Casement’s Portglenone v Patrick Sarsfield’s
This looks like another close one as Casement’s, who recorded a fine 6-13 to 4-08 victory over Naomh Padraig in Lisburn welcome Sarsfield’s to Kelly Park.
The McAleese brothers Ciaran and Aiden, Ruairi McGuigan, Sean Byrne and Ruairi Hagan were to the fore in that semi-final win over St Patrick’s and the Bannsider’s will look to similar positivity from those individuals to plot a course into the final.
Sarsfield’s had a good minor side in 2020 and gave the eventual winners Cargin a real run for their money in a close semi-final before losing by two points. Sarsfield’s recorded a fine 3-11 to 0-07 victory over Glenavy at Colaiste Feriste last weekend and they will travel to Portglenone with confidence.
This may well prove to be a close one with ground advantage possible the key for the home side to gain a place in the final but they will have to be at their best.
