The hurling championship Group fixtures are nearing completion and the picture should become clearer after this weekend’s results.
Paddy McIlwaine looks at the hurling championship fixtures
Barring miracles Dunloy have already qualified as winners of Group 1 in the Bathshack SHC. Going into tonight’s game (Friday) between Rossa and Clooney Gael’s, 6.30pm Shaw’s Road, Rossa look favourites to join them but a win for Ahoghill and a heavy defeat for St. John’s in Dunloy, (Saturday 5.00pm in Dunloy) could see the Gaels grab an unlikely place in the quarter-finals.
In Group 2 of the SHC Ruairi Ogs and Loughgiel have already qualified for the play-offs with the game between them on (Sunday, 5-15pm in Loughgiel) deciding who will go straight into the semi-finals while the losers of that one will join the winners of Ballycastle and St. Enda’s (Ballycastle 2-00pm Sunday ) in the quarter-finals.
Saturday all games 5-00pm
On to Saturday and Robert Emmets can secure their place in the quarter finals of the Andersonstown IFC with a game still to play if they can beat Shane O’Neill’s in Glenarm and a win for Tir na nOg at Whitehill over St. Gall’s would go a long way to see them joining them.
Defeat for the Randalstrown side could see Carey join the Emmet’s if they can beat them in Cushendun in the final game of Group 1 but would also put the Milltown Row men back in the mix.
In Group 2 matters are less clear with St. Paul’s win over Sarsfield’s at the Bear Pit on Wednesday night putting the cat amongst the pigeons and it is Glenariffe who top the group on 4 points with the rest of the group on 2.
Sarsfields travel to Glenravel where a win for either would greatly enhance their qualification chance and the ‘Paddies’ may just have enough to shade that one while St. Paul’s and Creggan find themselves in a similar position when they meet at Shaw’s Road.
However nothing is likely to be decided on Saturday with another round of games still to come on the 16th September and this group could go down to the final day.
Things are a bit less complicated in the Casement SC JHC where Glen Rovers, Armoy entertain Lamh Dhearg with the winners earning an automatic semi-final place and the losers joining the winners of Rasharkin and Davitt’s in Dreen in the quarter-final.
Both games should be close but home advantage could swing it in the way of Armoy and Rasharkin but both are likely to be close.
In Group 2 St. Brigid’s Cloughmills look to have matters already wrapped up as they entertain St. Brigid’s Belfast and the Musgrave Park side look unlikely to get anything from this one and are likely make their exit.
The meeting of All Saints and Gort na Mona in Ballymena looks less clear cut. The Ballymena side defeated Gort na Mona in the league earlier in the year at Enright Park but a number of players have returned to the Gorts ranks in recent times and they will fancy their chances of reversing that result.
There has been steady progress for a young All Saints side this year and whatever the result, both sides are likely to qualify for the quarter-final.
The Junior B competition completes a hectic weekend programme with Loch Mor Dal gCais likely to be too strong for new boys Loughbeg Harps at Dunsilly while the meeting of Kickham’s Ardoyne and Belfast Saints at Fennell Park looks harder to predict but home advantage may sway it in favour of Ardoyne
