A busy week-end of Football Championship action with fixtures in all of the grades, senior, Intermediate, and Junior from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th of August to keep the followers of the big ball game more than well catered for.
Friday 16th August
SFC (Group One)
St James Aldergrove v Lamh Dhearg (Aldergrove) at 7.15pm
Friday 16th August
Lamh Dhearg certainly underlined the difference between league and championship in their opening round victory over St. Enda’s.
The Hannahstown men won only three league games but with a number of their star performers back on board they swept aside the challenge of St. Enda’s.
Although some may well have had cause to cast doubt of their championship credentials it was to prove ill-founded when Paddy Cunningham led them to a resounding victory over the Glengormley men.
St James travelled to Dunloy for their opening game in group one and although they looked up against it as they faced last year’s beaten finalists Cuchullian’s, they gave their hosts a run for their money, finishing just seven points in arrears of their hosts at conclusion.
Aldergrove will return to their own base for this one and they may well gain in momentum with home support behind them but Lamh Dhearg will start as firm favourites and anything other than an away win looks difficult to envisage.
Saturday 17th August
SFC (Group 1)
St Enda’s Glengormley v Cuchullian’s Dunloy (Hightown) at 5.00 pm
Last years beaten senior finalists Cuchullian’s Dunloy opened their 2014 campaign with a good win over the visiting Aldergrove and they will hope to continue on the winning trail in this their second assignment when they travel to St Enda’s.
This looks like a tougher game for Dunloy but St. Enda’s were poor in their opening game away to Lamh Dhearg and will need to show improvement.
St Enda’s have lost several players over the past year or two and they have been seen to struggle in their absence and confidence does seem at a low ebb at the minute.
Dunloy will start as firm favourites to gain a victory which may well ensure a place in the next stage of the competition unless the home side can show marked improvement.
SFC (Group 2)
O’ Donovan Rossa v Tir na Nog (Randalstown) at 5.00 pm
Rossa lost to reigning champions Cargin in their opening game in Toome as
Hugh Mc Gettigan’s men failed to hit the ground running in that one and were hit by three early goals.
In the event their hosts gained a big advantage on the score board to gain in confidence and finish with a ten point victory.
Rossa improved in the latter stages of that one and back on their own sod they are likely to be more focused from the start as Tir na nOg visit Shaw’s Road.
Tir na nOg enjoyed a good league campaign but that was not to be replicated in the championship as they lost to the visiting St John’s in their first Group 2 game and better is required in this one as they take the road to West Belfast to meet O’ Donovan Rossa.
Rossa will start as slight favourites and unless Tir na nOg can regain the positivity of their league performances in championship a win for the home side looks probable.
SFC (Group 4)
St Gall’s v St Mary’s Aghagallon (Milltown) at 5.00pm
St Gall’s play hosts to Aghagallon with both the contestants badly in need of a win following opening day defeats.
St Gall’s lost to St Brigid’s at Musgrave in their opening game while St Mary’s men failed to cope with their first round visitors, Creggan who claimed a six point victory.
There will be no holding back by either side as a positive result is required by both contestants if they are to keep respective interest in the championship alive.
St Galls seem to have taken a stride forward this year and if they can produce the form they showed in the second half against St Brigid’s then they should gain the win over a struggling Aghagallon men.
SFC (Group 4)
Kickham’s Creggan v St Brigid’s (Creggan) at 5.00 pm
A contender for ‘match of the day’ as Creggan welcome St Brigid’s in a game that is sure to attract a big crowd to the Staffordstown Road venue.
Both gained opening day victories with Creggan proving winners at Aghagallon whilst St Brigid’s held on to defeat St Gall’s at Musgrave Park.
This one has the making of a real cracker with a close, hard fought contest likely but at conclusion ground advantage may be enough to give the Kickham’s the win over the reigning league champions.
SFC (Group 2)
St John’s v Erin’s Own Cargin (Corrigan Pk) at 2.00pm
Reigning champions Erin’s Own had a big opening day win over Rossa and were in control a few minutes into proceedings with three goals in the opening five minutes.
That blistering start assured them victory but this looks like a tougher one as they travel to Corrigan Park to meet St. John’s.
St John’s failed to figure very prominently in the league but championship is, and always was, the favoured route to follow for the Corrigan men and they were out of the traps smartly in the 2024 edition with an impressive victory over Tir na nOg at Whitehill.
This looks likely to be a close one with St John’s hoping to lower the reigning champion’s colours but the Toome men may well gain the verdict.
SFC (Group 3)
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v Casement’s Portglenone (Moneyglass) at 2.00 pm
Moneyglass, buoyed by their opening day win at Glenravel welcome high riding Casements to Marian Hill and will have taken confidence from that win over Con Magee’s.
Both the combatants have already made their respective marks on the championship as the home side confounded the pundits with that win in Glenravel while Casement’s emerged from what was expected to be a close game with Ahoghill as winners by 17 points.
The Portglenone men will start as hot favourites but although John McKeever’s side are shaort odds to gain a second win, St Ergnat’s will not go down without a fight.
SFC (group 3)
St Mary’s Ahoghill v Con Magee’s Glenravel (Clooney) at 2.00 pm
St Mary’s Ahoghill were extremely poor in their opening day loss to Casement’s but the Cloney side are capable of much better and like their visitors, are still capable of gaining a place in the knock out stages.
The Con Magee’s failed to cope with the visiting Moneyglass in their opening game and like their hosts, need a win if they are to retain any hope of qualification for the Knock-out stages.
This one could go either way but Ahoghill are never easily beat in Cloney and ground advantage may well tip the balance in their favour with Chris Mc Glone’s charges given the nod
IFC
IFC (group 1)
St Mary’s Rasharkin v St Teresa’s (Dreen) at 5.00 pm
St Teresa’s are amongst the fancied sides to claim the Intermediate title and the city side will start as favourites as they travel to the South West and cross swords with St Mary’s Rasharkin.
The Dreen residents have gained in momentum over the past few years and after a spell in the bottom grade they are striving to step up the ladder again and regain the place they once held in the top grade.
This one could be close and ground advantage will add impetus to the St Mary’s challenge but St Teresa’s may gain the day.
IFC (group 1)
Kickham’s Ardoyne v St Patrick’s Lisburn (Fennel Park) Sunday 2.00 pm
This could be close as Lisburn based St Patrick’s travel to meet Ardoyne at Fennel Park.
Ardoyne have lost their opening two games in the competition while Naomh Padraig fell to group favourites St. Paul’s in their only outing to date.
Those defeats would appear to rule Ardoyne out of a place in the play-offs while a win would leave Naomh Padraig in with an outside chance of qualification and that may be enough to inspire the Lisburn side to victory.
IFC (group 2)
Gort na Mona v St Joseph’s Glenavy
(Pairc Mhic Ionnrachtaigh) Sunday – 2.00 pm
St. Joseph’s Glenavy travel into the city to meet Gort na Mona and despite the Gorts enjoying home advantage, the visitors will start as favourites.
Gort na Mona have failed to gain a win to date, losing at Ballymena and at home to Sarsfield’s whilst Glenavy did had a good opening day win away to Davitts.
The home side have nothing but pride left to play for and St. Joseph’s greater need should inspire them to another win.
IFC (group 2)
Patrick Sarsfield’s v All Saint’s Ballymena (Bear Pit) Saturday – 2.00 pm
This one looks the pick of the round in the Intermediate grade, as Sarsfield’s play hosts to All Saint’s Ballymena at the Bear Pit.
The Paddies have impressed in the championship to date running out winners over Davitt’s and Gort na Mona while All Saints didn’t reach the levels expected in their win over the Gorts, but still had 10 points to spare in the end.
Sarsfield’s pose a serious threat to Baker Bradley’s side and anything less than a strong performance could see them struggle against a Paddies team firing on all cylinders.
Junior Football Championship
Friday 16th August – 7-15
JFC (group 1)
Cardinal O’ Donnell’s v Patrick Pearses (Woodlands) at 7.15 pm
Pearses lost their opening game to St. Agnes finishing seven points in arrears while Cardinal O’ Donnell’s had a good victory over Laochra Loch Lao at MacRory Park.
This is a must win for Pearses but they will have to improve on their last performance if they are overcome the O’Donnell’s challenge.
Laochra Loch Lao v St Agnes (Pairc Mhic Ionnrachtaigh) Friday – 7.15 pm
St Agnes impressed on day one with a resounding victory over Pearses at fennel Park and they may well continue on the winning trail as they take on Laochra Loch Lao at Pairc Mhic Ionnrachtaigh.
Their opponents lost by the minimum to O’Donnell’s at MacRory Park and will pose a serious challenge but St. Agnes can win again if they can produce a performance like last week’s.
Saturday 17th August
JFC (group 2)
St Malachy’s v St Comgall’s Antrim (Hightown) at 5.00 pm
Having claimed the division three title without losing a game, St Comgall’s are amongst the favourites to claim the Junior Championship and can continue with a win over St Malachy’s at Hightown on Saturday.
St Malachy’s did get their championship off on a positive note with a good win over Wolfe Tones but this looks a more difficult task and Naomh Comhghall should gain another win.
Wolfe Tones v Eire Og (Mac Crory Park ) Saturday – 5.00 pm
Both the contestants in this one lost their opening games as Eire og lost out to the competition favourites St Comgall’s while Wolfe Tones were well beaten by St Malachy’s.
A close one is anticipated with Eire Og, who enjoyed a better league performance given the nod.