Belfry Senior Football Championship

Round 2

St.Mary’s vs Tubbercurry

Saturday 7.30pm Markievicz Park

On Saturday evening 2014 champions Tubbercurry take on current holders St. Mary’s in what is the standout fixture of the weekend in Sligo. Both teams will be confident following very strong showings in round 1 of the Belfry Senior Championship 2016 but current holders Mary’s managed by Glenn Young this year will be confident young guns Kyle Cawley and Nathan Rooney can cause enough trouble for the Tubbercurry defence.

Tubber will be hoping to win the midfield battle with Stephen Gilmartin around that sector and they will also hope that David Kelly is in top form as they won’t want to lose to the current holders in the group stages.

It’s going to be a close game and the teams could cancel each other out and could end up in draw .

Coolera Standhill vs Drumcliffe Rosses Point

Sunday 2pm, Markievicz Park

Also in Group 1 is the meeting of two north Sligo sides hoping to make the knockout stages and with three teams coming out of group 1 both sides will be hopeful of coming out on the right side of the result on Sunday.

Both sides were well beaten in round 1 and will be hoping to get back to winning ways on Sunday as a defeat for either side would almost ensure a relegation battle for their side for the remainder of the Belfry Senior Championship 2016.

Paul Logan should return for Drumcliffe Rosses Point and with that said he is a massive plus for Drumclife coming into this week’s game. The match itself is very close to call after last weekend.

Eastern Harps vs Tourlestrane

Sunday 6pm, Kilcoyne Park Tubbercurry

The battle of South vs East takes place in Tubbercurry on Sunday evening as Eastern Harps will be hoping to make it two wins from two when they take on red hot favourites for this year’s Owen B Hunt Cup Tourlestrane.

Tourlestrane were impressive against Coolaney/Mullinbreena in the last round of the league and they will be hoping to continue that against Harps this weekend.

Talking of Harps they were comfortable winners last weekend against Calry/St.Joseph’s as Ross Donavan dominated the match throughout and Martin Doherty in attack was also in fine form for the Harps men.

Harps won’t be worried playing Tourlestrane and neither will the Tourlestrane management team of Eamonn O’Hara and Gerry McGowan be worried about playing Harps as both sides will be hoping to get the better of one and other.

Tourlestrane will be without Brian Egan who is the states at the moment while Harps will have a fully fit team to pick from, with that all said Tourlestrane should have enough to get over the line.

Coolaney/Mullinabreena vs Easkey

Sunday 2pm, Connolly Park Collooney

It is a novel pairing in Group Two of the Belfry Senior Championship, as Easkey make their return to the top flight after an absence of five years against Coolaney/Mullinabreena on Sunday at 2pm in Collooney.  

Their last campaign ended in relegation in 2011, one year after their 2010 Intermediate triumph, and they will be hoping to avoid a similar sequence of events this time around.

Their opening round task is a difficult one, however, against a Coolaney/Mullinabreena side high on confidence following their win over Curry last weekend.

The south Sligo men will be expected to win here with some ease given their league form and after that defeat of Curry, a win over Easkey would guarantee their progression to the last eight.

All indications would point to a relatively comfortable win for Coolaney/Mullinabreena who have ambitions of going to at least the semi-final stage, but Easkey could provide sticky opposition.

Much will hinge on the influence of senior players such as Noel McGuire and Eugene Mullen, while younger stars Mikey Gordon and Joe McHugh might not get the space they were afforded in the intermediate grade.

Daniel Davey has returned to the Coolaney/Mullinabreena set-up following a stint playing in Dublin, and he along with the likes of Raymond Connolly and Stephen Connolly should help Anthony Brennan’s side to a second win.