With the hurling championship now well underway, it’s the turn of the football championship this weekend with games in Senior, Intermediate and Junior all down for decision.
Friday Night – All Games 7-00pm
Pearse Park Friday SFC: Friday night sees the weekend action get going when Dunloy take on Rossa in the Senior Football Championship in Dunloy and last year’s winners will be hoping to get their group game opener of to a winning start at Pearse Park—700pm.
Rossa will travel in the hop of causing an upset but if the Cuchullian’s are near full strength then the reigning champions can get their 2026 campaign of to a winning start.
SFC Milltown SFC: An improving St. Gall’s will also be hoping for an opening day win when they entertain St. Ergnat’s at Milltown and home advantage should be enough to see them through but they shouldn’t underestimate a Moneyglass side who impressed in their relegation playoff win over Tir na nOg a few weeks back.
Pairc Mhic:Dhomhnall/Dhoctairtigh IFC: St. Teresa’s take on Davitt’s in the Intermediate Championship at Pairc MhicDhomhnall/Dhoctairtigh and this one could be close with only a point separating them when they met in the league at the same venue. St. Teresa’s won that one and with each side already having suffered a defeat in the competition, neither can afford to lose.
Colaiste Feirste JFC: The Junior Football Championship rounds of the Friday night action with Laochra Loch Lao hosting Pearses at Colaiste Feirste and despite conceding home advantage, Pearses can edge this one.
Saturday
2-00pm- Pairc na Gael SFC: Aghagallon and Sarsfields kick off the Saturday action when the St. Mary’s entertain the ‘Paddies’ in Aghagallon. Sarsfields have performed well this year to maintain their division 1 status but Aghagallon have been in good form themselves and home advantage shoud see them kick of this year’s campaign with a win.
2-00pm Woodlands IFC: Last year’s Division 3 and Junior Championship winners, St. Agnes have found the going tough in Division 2 this season and face a tough championship opener against a St. James Aldergrove side who played their football in division 1 in 2025 and finished well up the table in division 2, this season.
The Crumlin side have already recorded an opening day win over Davitt’s in Group 1 and should have too much for the ‘Aggies’ at Woodlands.
4-30pm Kelly Park SFC: Casements Portglenone take on Lamh Dhearg in their opening game in Group 4 and have had a descent season under Matty McGleenan and may have been retaining their best for the championship.
They face a formidable opponent in Lamh Dhearg who always give it everything come championship time but a win for the Casement’s looks the likelier result.
4-30pm Woodlands JFC : Eire Og host new boys, St. Brigid’s Cloughmills at Cherryvale and their greater experience, coupled with league performance would suggest that the Deirraghy side can kick off this year’s campaign with a win but an in form St. Brigid’s could run them close.
4-30pm Cloney 1FC: This could well be the match of the day when St. Mary’s Ahoghill play hosts to St. Joseph’s Glenavy in Cloney. St. Joseph’s have already recorded an opening day win over Naomh Padraig at Kirkwoods Park and are on the road again against a St. Mary’s side who are making their championship debut after stepping down from Senior Championship last year.
Both sides will have their eyes on a place in the later stages of the competition but home advantage could swing it the way of the dual club.
6-45pm Toome SFC: The biggest crowd of the day is likely to be in Toome where championship specialists, Erin’s Own face St. Brigid’s in the SFC Group 3 opener. Last year’s beaten finalists, Erin’s own face a St. Brigid’s side who lost to eventual winners, Dunloy at the semi-final stages in Toome in 2025 and both will have their eyes on championship success this season.
Cargin, by their own standards have had a mixed league campaign but are always a different animal when it comes to the championship and this one could be mighty close but home advantage could swing it the way of the hosts.
Sunday
4-30pm Fr. Maginn Park SFC: Con Magee’s entertain Tir na nOg in an all South West contest and the Glenravel men will fancy their chances of getting this year’s campaign of to a winning start.
The Whitehill side have had a difficult season which ended in relegation but are capable of much better and may see this one as an opportunity for redemption but the home side should collect a valuable opening day win.
4-30pm Slemish Park SFC: All Saints play hosts to St. Paul’s in Ballymena and will hope to improve on their 2025 campaign where they failed to win a group game, following an impressive league campaign.
An opening day win would help the confidence of both sides and home advantage could edge it in favour of Baker Bradley’s side but it could be close.
5-00pm Hightown IFC: Naomh Eanna go into their second game in Group 2 after an opening day win over Naomh Comhghall Antrim. That one was much closer than most pundits had predicted but the Division 2 winners had four to spare and with home advantage should account for Naomh Padraig who lost to Glenavy at Kirkwood Park in their Group 2 opener.
5-30pm Pairc McRuairi JFC: O’Donnell’s play hosts to Kickham’s Ardoyne on the Whiterock Road in what should be a fiercely competitive opening game in Group 2.
Both sides enjoyed strong division 3 league campaigns but home advantage could give O’Donnell’s the edge in a game that could go either way.
5-00pm Cherryvale JFC: St. Malachy’s have struggled this season and face another stiff challenge when they take on St. Mary’s Rasharkin at Cherryvale. The men from Dreen have already the division 3 league title tucked under their belts and will be keen to do a league and championship double and can get their Group 1 campaign of to a winning start.
6-30 Creggan SFC: League winners Kickham’s Creggan will be keen to add a SFC title to their league win but league is league and championship is championship. Never the less the Kickham’s have been the team to beat this season and can begin their Group 2 campaign with a win over visiting St. John’s. The ‘Johnnies’ are always competitive in the championship but it would be a major shock if they were to overturn Creggan on their own ground.