Wed 15th March/Sunday 19th March)
Another full list of fixtures in all divisions of the football leagues are scheduled for the week ahead.
The first mid-week game of the season is fixed for Clooney on Wednesday evening as St. Mary’s play hosts to St. John’s whilst the rest of the games are back in the ‘early morning’ slot with a 10-00 am throw-in again set for all the fixtures.
Wed 15th March
Division one (7.15 pm)
St Mary’s Ahoghill v St Johns
The first evening fixture of the current season sees Ahoghill play hosts to St John’s under the floodlights at Clooney and this one will attract a good crowd to the South West venue.
Ahoghill opened their account with a good win over the visiting St Brigid’s on day one and they will be keen to regain winning ways following a narrow defeat up at Rossa last time.
St John’s will travel in a positive mood with back to back wins in their games to date.
The Corrigan men opened account with victory up at Hannahstown before recording a home win over the visiting league champions Creggan last time.
The Johnnies will start this one as favourites but the St Mary’s men are never easily turned over on their own patch and they may well return to winning ways again with ground advantage a vital factor.
Sunday 19th March (all games at 10.00 am)
Division One
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v O’ Donovan Rossa
Moneyglass recorded a fine win on the road last time out with a stylish victory over St Brigid’s up at Musgrave and they return to their own Marian Hill venue for the visit of Rossa with their confidence high.
Rossa emerged winners by the minimum over the visiting Ahoghill last time and they will look for a similar return this time as they visit the South West after losing out by the minimum when they visited Creggan in round one.
This does look like a close one to call with ground advantage possibly the deciding factor with a tentative vote being awarded to the St Ergnat’s men.
Lamh Dhearg v Erin’s Own Cargin
Lamh Dhearg have yet to claim their first points in the league following a couple of disappointing returns at home to St. John’s and away to Portglenone.
They lost heavily last Sunday, 1-14 to 0-03 to John Mc Keever’s Portglenone at Kelly Park with quite a few regulars missing.
The Lamh’s will hope for better here as the county champions visit but the Toome men may prove too strong with an away win suggested in the current climate.
St Enda’s Glengormley v St Brigid’s
St Brigid’s have failed to make any impact as yet, losing in their opening two games to date.
Ahoghill proved too strong in their opening game before being put to the sword by the visiting Moneyglass last week and they will travel to Hightown hoping for improvement.
St Enda’s failed to impress in their opening game away to Aghagallon on Sunday past and lost by nine points to the 2022 beaten championship finalists and they will return to Hightown looking for better.
This one could be close with both sides still missing key player but home advantage could swing it St. Enda’s way.
Kickham’s Creggan v Casement’s Portglenone
Casement’s travel to Staffordstown to cross swords with the holders of the Eddie Fitzsimmons memorial Trophy with a close one anticipated.
Creggan recorded a home win over Rossa on day one but lost to St. John’s at Corrigan last Sunday and they will hope to get back to winning ways in this one.
Casement’s have recorded back to back wins to date over St. Gall’s at Milltown in their opening game before recording a facile win over the visiting Lamh Dhearg last Sunday.
Casement’s will travel with confidence high for a game which could be the match of the day with a share of the points possible.
St Gall’s v Tir na nOg Randalstown
St Gall’s lost out to the visiting Portglenone but were going well against Cargin in Toome before a serious injury brought a premature ending to that game.
Tir na nOg lost to Cargin on day one but had no fixture last week and will travel to Milltown hoping to get their first points on board but may find a St. Gall’s side, who looked to be running into form in Toome last Sunday, a tough hurdle to overcome.
Division Two
Patrick Sarsfield’s v All Saint’s Ballymena
Sarsfield’s have lost to Glenavy and Davitt’s in their opening two games and will welcome All Saints to the Bear Pit for this one hoping to break their duck.
All Saint’s are unbeaten to date with a draw at Glenravel and a narrow home win over Ardoyne on Sunday past.
Sarsfield’s are always difficult to beat at home but if All Saints can continue their recent good form then they may edge this one.
Ardoyne v Gort na Mona
Ardoyne await their first win of the season but looked impressive at Slemish Park last Sunday and were a bit unfortunate not to get anything from that game. They shared the points at Glenavy first time out and pushed All Saint’s all the way last Sunday.
Gort na Mona were relegated from the top grade last term and will be aiming for an immediate return to division 1 and opened their division 2 campaign with a good win over St. Patrick’s Lisburn.
This could be a close one with ground advantage possibly proving the tipping point with a home win possible.
Con Magee’s Glenravel v St Paul’s
Joe Cassidy’s Glenravel had a good 2022 season and the beaten Intermediate championship finalists will hope to build on it in 2023.
They drew with their close rivals All Saint’s last time out and the Glensmen will hope to build on that as St Paul’s pay an early morning visit.
The Shaw’s road side opened with a win over the visiting Lisburn last time but this does look a more difficult assignment with a home win probable.
St Patrick’s Lisburn v Cuchullian’s Dunloy
Dual Club Cuchullian’s have found the going tough this season and have lost both of their games to date.
With some of their missing panel possibly returning for their trip to Lisburn it should ensure improvement and may give them a first win over a St. Patrick’s side who have themselves suffered two defeats but have performed well.
St James Aldergrove v St Teresa’s
St Teresa’s impressed with a first round win over Dunloy and will travel to Crumlin to meet up with an in-form St James’ side.
Aldergrove opened their account with a win at Dunloy last Sunday and with home advantage they may well collect their second win of the season.
St Joseph’s Glenavy v Michael Davitt’s
St Joseph’s Glenavy sit joint top of the table in the division having earned a share of the points with Ardoyne in round one and followed with a win over Sarsfields last day out.
They retain ground advantage in this one for the visit of Davitt’s and will be hoping to build on their early season form.
Davitt’s recorded a win away to Sarsfield’s in round one will travel to Glenavy hoping to build on that result but St Joseph’s can be hard to beat at Chapel Hill and the points may well remain at home.
Division Three
St Mary’s Rasharkin v Patrick Pearses
St Mary’s Rasharkin opened with an emphatic win over the visiting Laochra Loch Lao at Dreen in round one and they will hope for another victory here as the reigning junior champions Pearses visit.
Pearses defeated St. Comgall’s in Antrim on day one and the North Belfast men will lay down a firm challenge to the home side but home advantage could swing it Rasharkin’s way.
Wolfe Tones v Mc Quillan’s Ballycastle
Wolfe Tones failed to cope with the stiff challenge of their North Belfast neighbours Pearses last time but this may well prove a trifle less taxing as Mc Quillan’s visit with a home win a possible outcome.
Eire Og v Laochra Loch Lao
Both sides have recorded wins over St. Malachy’s this year as Eire Og play hosts to Laochra Loch Lao with ground advantage possibly tipping the balance in favour of the hosts.
Under-17 Football League (all games 12.00 noon)
Division One
St Gall’s v Cuchullian’s Dunloy
Con Magee’s Glenravel v St Brigid’s
Erin’s Own Cargin v St Mary’s Aghagallon
St Paul’s v St Enda’s Glengormley
Division Two
Kickham’s Ardoyne v Cardinal O’ Donnell’s
Casement’s Portglenone v Tir na nOg Randalstown
Na Gael Oga v St Joseph’s Glenavy
O’ Donovan Rossa v St James Aldergrove
All Saint’s Ballymena v St Ergnat’s Moneyglass