The Football Championship gets under way tonight (Wednesday) with the Intermediate series getting the 2025 campaign up and running and four games scheduled for tonight’s programme.
The Junior and senior follow at the week-end with games on Friday Saturday and Sunday.
Wednesday 30th August
Intermediate Football Championship (Group One)
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v Patrick Sarsfield’s
(Moneyglass) 7.30pm
The opening game in the IFC looks likely to be a close fought affair bringing together the top sides in the second grade with the league winners Sarsfield’s travelling to Moneyglass hoping to build on their last visit in the league where they clinched the title with an away win..
Moneyglass were division two contenders for most of the season but that win for Sarsfields swung it firmly in their direction and St. Ergnat’s will be looking for a different conclusion to this meeting.
The Paddies gained a 1-17 to 1-14 win in that one and with the Division Two league title clinched they will travel to the South West on a quest to get their Intermediate Championship campaign off to a positive start.
This one is certain to attract a good attendance where ground advantage and a vociferous home support may aid St Ergnat’s to an opening day win but it is likely again to be close.
St Enda’s v St Patrick’s Lisburn (Hightown)
IFC Hightown – Wednesday 7-30
Glengormley based St Enda’s improved in the latter stages of their division 2 league campaign and could be running into form just at the right time as the Intermediate Championship gets underway.
St Patrick’s have made forward strides over the past couple of years and having gathered a 12 point haul in the league this term and they do seem set on a forward march at present.
St Patrick’s will travel to Glengormley looking to build on a descent league campaign and this one could be mighty close but home advantage could edge it in the way of the Hightown side.
IFC Group Two
Gort na Mona v St Joseph’s Glenavy
Wednesday – 7.30pm Enright Park
St. Joseph’s Glenavy finished their league campaign with a good win over St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass and could be running into a bit of form as the Champioship gets underway.
The sides played out a 1-14 to 1-14 draw at Enright Park in the league back in March and despite a poor division 2 league campaign Gort na Mona could again put it up to their visitors on Wednesday night and this may well be a close one but Glenavy will enter the fray as favourites on present form and they may well gain the day.
St Teresa’s v St Comgall’s Antrim
7.30 pm – Wednesday – Pairc MihcDhomhnaill/UiDhoctairtigh
Last year’s beaten finalists, St. Teresa’s will be hoping to go one better this year and should open with a win when they entertain Naomh Comhghall Antrim.
Naomh Comhghall gained promotion from Division 3 last season and consolidated their position in division 2 this term and that will have been seen as success for the Antrim town side.
Manager Barry Burns will be hoping to collect a few scalps in the Intermediate championship however and Naomh Comhghall will travel to Belfast hoping to get their campaign off to a winning start but St. Teresa’s greater experience should see them off to a wining start.
Friday 1st August 7-30pm
Junior Football Championship Group 2
Pearses v Wolfe Tones
Pearses recorded a massive victory in the league over Friday night’s opponents back in June and should start their JFC campaign with a win over Wolfe Tones.
JFC Group 2 – Friday 7-30
Laochra Loch Lao v Eire Og
Laochra Loch Lao pushed St. Agnes close in the race for the league title and with home advantage at Colaiste Feirste should prove too good for Eire Og.
SFC Group 3 Ballymena 7-30 Friday
All Saints v Kickham’s Creggan Quinn Park
These sides met last Wednesday night in the division 1 league final at Dunsilly with Creggan emerging winners to claim the title. Only two points separated them on that occasion but Creggan were minus a number of players likely to start at Quinn Park while All Saints will welcome back the suspended Kavan Keenan.
Creggan have a good record over the Ballymena side in recent years and should start their Group 3 campaign with an away win
SFC Group 2 Friday – (August 1st)
Casement’s v Con Magee’s Glenravel – (Kelly Park) 7.30 pm
This all South West encounter sees Portglenone and Glenravel meet at Kelly Park in the opening round of the championship which should attract a good crowd.
Both the contestants enjoyed a positive league campaign with the home side finishing in 5th place but this will count for little in the championship.
Casement’s will start as favourites and ground advantage may well give them the edge but the Glensmen will travel confident of giving it their best shot but home advantage should swing it in favour of Casement’s.
Sat 2nd August
Senior Football Championship (Group 1)
Saturday (Toome) 6.00pm
Cargin v Tir na nOg
Reigning senior champions Erin’s Own Cargin begin their 2025 campaign as they play hosts to the men from Whitehill in a game in which they will start as firm favourites.
Ronan Devlin’s men lost to All Saints in the league semi-final but were short quite a number of regulars and are likely to be stronger for the championship opener.
Tir na nOg struggled in the league this term but with the threat of a relegation play-off out of the way they can now turn their attention to the championship.
They gave the Erin’s Own men a run for their money when they visited in the league and are sure to give it a real lash in Toome on Saturday.
Cargin have endured more than a few injuries this term but they do have a strong ‘bench’ at their disposal and should earn an opening victory.
.SFC Group 2 Saturday 7-00pm – Crumlin
St. James v O’Donovan Rossa (Crumlin)
This does look like a close game in prospect as St James Aldergrove play hosts to a Rossa side which has struggled to get it together in the league but should field stronger in the championship and this one could go either way with home advantage possibly edging it St. James way.
IFC Group 2 Round 2
Glenavy v St. Teresa’s
Saturday – 2-00pm – Chapel Hill
The Intermediate Football championship continues at pace with both sides having been involved in an opening round game on Wednesday night and at the time of writing those results were not known.
Glenavy finished their league campaign with a win over Moneyglass and could edge this one.
IFC Saturday Kirkwood Park 6-00pm
Naomh Padraig v Rasharkin
Naomh Padraig will face a St. Mary’s Rasharkin side who finished bottom of division 2 following an injury ravaged season and who will be playing their football in division 3 next year.
The men from Dreen will be keen to finish their season on a positive note but Naomh Padraig should have enough to win this one.
Junior Football Champioship Group 1
Sunday 2-00pm
St. Agnes v Ardoyne
St. Agnes already have a league title under their belts and will start as favourites to complete the double. They face an Ardoyne side who were the only team to beat them in the league when they met at Fennell Park.
Naomh Una reversed that result back in June at Sunday’s venue on their way to the league title and will start as favourites but this one could be close.
JFC Group 1 – 2-00pm Sunday
St. Malachy’s v O’Donnell’s-Cherryvale
This one could be mighty close but St. Malachy’s enjoyed a much stronger league campaign and on that form should get off to a winning start in Group 1
Cuchullian’s Dunloy v St John’s
SFC Group 1 Sunday 4.00pm (Dunloy)
Although it took St John’s a while to get it together in their league campaign the Corrigan side came strong in the latter stages to banish any thoughts of relegation.
Cuchullian’s fared more than well in the league, finishing in mid-table and they have been touted as potential senior championship challengers for a time as they play hosts to the experienced Johnnies.
Ground advantage will ensure Dunloy will start this one as firm favourites but although St John’s did not impress in the league they are more than capable of improvement and they will travel with confidence.
SFC Group 3
Sunday – 2-00pm Hannastown
Group 2
Lamh Dhearg v St. Gall’s
Lamh Dhearg and St. Gall’s cross swords in the opening game in Group 3 in Hannastown in a game that is sure to be keenly contested and could go either way. Only a point separated these sides in the league table with St. Gall’s finishing on 16 and Lamh Dhearg a point behind on 15 and there is likely to be little between them in this one with a draw not to be ruled out.
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St. Mary’s Aghagallon v St. Mary’s Ahoghill
Saturday 6-00pm – SFC Group 4 – Pairc Na Gael
It’s been an extremely difficult season for St. Mary’s Ahoghill and they dropped out of division 1 after a long spell in the top division. With falling numbers the Cloney side have decided to rebuild in division 2 next season but will be keen to give it one final bash in the SFC as they travel to Pairc Na Gael to face their namesakes, St. Mary’s Aghagallon.
The Aghagallon side have struggled this season themselves but looked to be running into a bit of form when they entertained All Saints in their final league game and with home advantage should win this one.
SFC Group 4 – Musgrave Park – Sunday – 4-00pm
St. Brigid’s v St. Paul’s
St. Brigid’s have their sights firmly fixed on a first Senior Championship win and this seemed to have been confirmed when they withdrew from a league semi-final meeting with Creggan last weekend.
They entertain a St. Paul’s side who gained promotion from division 2 last season and have acquitted themselves well in the higher grade, finishing well clear of the relegation zone.
With home advantage St. Brigid’s should have enough to get their Group 4 campaign off to a winning start but they are likely to face a battling challenge from the Shaw’s Road side.
IFC Group 1- Round 2
Sarsfield’s v St. Enda’s – 2-00pm – Sunday -2-00pm – Bear Pit
League winners Sarsfields should have enough to edge this one if they survive Wednesday night’s meeting with Moneyglass without any major setbacks but they will not get it all their own way against an improving St. Enda’s.
IFC Group 2 – Round 2
Naomh Comhghall v Davitt’s
Dunsilly – 2-00pm Sunday
Davitt’s make their championship bow against a Naomh Comhghall side who opened their campaign away to St. Teresa’s on Wednesday night and depending on that result, the Antrim town side look capable of repeating their league win over the Falls Road side at the same venue earlier in the season but it could be close.