Belfry Senior Championship
St.Mary’s vs Curry
This is a
repeat of last year’s Belfry Senior Championship Semi-Final but this time it’s
a real different kind of fixture for both sides as Curry are fighting for their
life while Mary’s have won one and narrowly lost last time out against
Tubbercurry.
Yet again
Curry will be very dependent on the performance of Adrian Marren who if on song
could cause problems for Glenn Young’s Mary’s side.
But the
Sligo town side should have enough in the tank to get their second win of this
year’s championship.
Tourlestrane vs
Coolaney/Mullinabreena
Perhaps the
most intriguing game of the weekend, the meeting of these south Sligo rivals in
Group Three of the Belfry Senior Championship will tell a lot ahead of the
knockout stages.
Despite the
fact that both teams are already through to the knockout stages having defeated
Drumcliffe/Rosses Point in recent weeks, this game should offer plenty of bite
with both sides hoping to lay down a marker as the competition reaches the
business end.
The fact
that Tourlestrane native Anthony Brennan takes charge of Coolaney/Mullinabreena
adds further spice to this encounter.
He will be
hoping that his side can deliver on recent promise and become a real contender
for glory in 2017, having failed to reach the last four last year after losing
out to this Sunday’s opponents by a single point in the quarter-finals.
Tourlestrane
remain favourites for the title ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, and they will
view this tie as good preparation ahead of the knockout stages. They will be
eager to avoid defeat, while a win would be a major boost to
Coolaney/Mullinabreena.
Expect a
feisty encounter, but Tourlestrane should have enough ammunition to edge it.
Eastern Harps vs Tubbercurry
Tubbercurry
will hope to qualify for the semi-final stage of the Belfry Senior Championship
this Sunday with a win over Eastern Harps at Bunninadden Community Park.
The south
Sligo men will qualify straight to the last four if they top Group One, and few
would bet against them getting the job done here over an Eastern Harps side
likely to reach the quarter-finals, barring an unlikely sequence of results.
Tubbercurry
have been quite impressive in the past six weeks, and should push Tourlestrane
to the pin of their collar in the quest for outright glory in October.
While Eastern
Harps have themselves looked slick at times, this should be another Tubbercurry
win with Pat Kilcoyne’s charges readying themselves for a title challenge.
Coolera Standhill v Calry/St.Joseph’s
Both Sides
are through to the last eight of this year’s championship but the winner of
Sunday’s game will decide who top the group which is important for both sides.
Both sides
were impressive against Molaise Gaels and for Calry Darragh Cummins stood out
on fine performance but Coolera likewise with Niall Murphy and Barry O’Mahony
also looked impressive.
Another win
for John McPartland’s Coolera Standhill side looks likely on Sunday afternoon.
Kennedy’s Intermediate Preview’s
Geevagh vs Enniscrone/Kilglass
On Sunday
afternoon Geevagh will play yet another West Sligo siode after coming through
wins over Easkey and St Farnan’s. Geevagh last year’s finalists will be hoping
to book a semi-final spot when they take on the surprise package of this year’s
Kennedy’s Intermediate championship Enniscrone/Kilglass.
Enniscrone
will be real underdogs but they can take massive heart from their second half performance
against St.John’s and their victory over St.Patrick’s as they held on for one
point victory.
All in all it could be good encounter but
Geevagh who have been playing at higher level all year in Division 2 of the
league might just prove enough to get their third win of the year against West
Sligo opposition.
St John’s vs Castleconnor
St John’s
will have to negotiate another west Sligo challenge this weekend in their quest
to reach the semi-finals of the Kennedy’s Intermediate Championship.
The Carraroe
outfit defeated Enniscrone/Kilglass and St Patrick’s in the group stage, and
now Castleconnor stand in their way at Bunninadden next Sunday.
The west
Sligo men have steadily improved after an opening round defeat to Bunninadden
with last weekend’s draw with Shamrock Gaels evidence of that.
Nonetheless,
they will be up against it here with St John’s amongst the favourites to earn
promotion back to senior level. If Alan Keane can continue his scoring
exploits, St John’s should be capable of getting the win here but Castleconnor
won’t make it too straightforward.
St Farnan’s vs Bunninadden
Perhaps the
least clear-cut quarter-final in the Kennedy’s Intermediate Championship, both
St Farnan’s and Bunninadden will harbour justified hopes of reaching the last
four at Tourlestrane next Saturday evening.
Both sides
have impressed in the group stages, with St Farnan’s overcoming neighbours
Easkey while Bunninadden defeated Castleconnor and St Michael’s en route to the
last eight.
St Farnan’s
– with the likes of Finnian Cawley and Patrick O’Connor influential in the
middle third – have a good mix of youth and experience. Bunninadden are a side
in transition but have showed improvement this year following a poor campaign
in 2016.
Expect a
tight encounter – don’t rule out a draw.
Relegation Semi-Final
St.Michael’s vs St.Patrick’s
On Saturday
evening both sides will be hoping to end a disappointing campaign as they hope
to avoid relegation final.
Michael’s
have had some heavy defeats and be hoping that one big performance could be
enough for them to play Intermediate in 2018.
But Pats
will be hoping that Padraic Clarke can get them over the line on Saturday
evening. The west Sligo side should just have enough to get over the line.
Lola Montez Junior A Championship
Curry v St.John’s
Both teams
will be eager for the win but after heavy defeat last time out for John’s it
would be expected that Curry will get over the line.
Owenmore Gaels v Eastern Harps
It’s must
win game for Owenmore Gaels after a disappointing result against Tourlestrane
last time out but with that pressure it would be expected that they should have
enough for Eastern Harps second team.
Ballymote v St.Mary’s
Ballymote
will be hoping to get another win in the Junior grade as they bid to get back
to Intermediate for 2017 and they should have enough against Mary’s who drew with
Shamrock Gaels last time out.
Lola Montez Junior B Championship
Enniscrone Kilglass v Easkey
The battle
of the west on Saturday evening it would be expected that Easkey who have been
playing in division 3 of the league might just have enough to get over the
line.
Calry/St.Joseph’s vs St.Molaise Gaels
Calry have
had a good season in the league and they be hoping to get over the line against
north Sligo side Molaise Gaels but this game could go either way.
Castleconnor vs Coolera Standhill
Castleconnor
host Coolera on Saturday evening in a game both sides will be eager to win but
with big game on Sunday for Castleconnor could
mean that Coolera might just get over the line.