Belfry Senior Football Championship Previews

Back 02/08/2018 @ 11:50 | mainnews | Belfry Senior Football Championship Previews
Belfry Senior Football  Championship Round 1

Coolera/Standhill v St. Molaise Gaels 

On Saturday evening these two local rivals will once again take on each other in the opening round of the championship just like last year when Coolera/Standhill came out on top. 
This year Molaise Gaels are managed by Willie Gormley who previously won the Owen B Hunt Cup as a player with Bunninadden and more recently as manager with Tubbercurry. 

The disappointment of last year will truly be on the minds of the Molaise Gaels players who were very disappointing in last year’s championship but will hope with the likes of Gerard Brady and Johnny Kelly back from injury that this could give a massive boost to the team. 
Meanwhile Coolera/Standhill are always hard to beat in the championship and with Niall Murphy among their ranks, you will always have a chance. Very hard one to call so don’t rule out a draw. 

Tourlestrane v St. John’s 

St. John’s return to senior football on the back of winning last year’s Kennedy's Intermediate championship and they will receive a baptism of fire when they face current Owen B Hunt Champions Tourlestrane. 
Tourlestrane will be without John Francis Carr and Brian Egan for the opening game but they have plenty of talent in the squad as they proved two weeks ago when they won the league title. 
Meanwhile on the John’s side they will be able to recall Brian McGowan and Paul McNamara who have both returned from the states and they will hoping for a big game from David Rooney. 
Hard to look past Tourlestrane. 

Eastern Harps v Tubbercurry 

Two of last year’s semi finalists meet in this year’s first round and both will be eager to start well in this year’s championship. Tubbercurry have being getting results lately as they won the Kiernan Cup but they will be well aware of what Harps will bring to the table on Saturday. 
Harps will be without Ross Donavan for the championship and that alone is a massive blow for the club but they have other players who will be looking step up with Tony Taylor leading by example at midfield and captain Martin Doherty will be hoping to get the better of Tubbercurry. 

The Pat Kilcoyne managed Tubbercurry seem to be moving in the right direction and if David Kelly is on song he might be the key to a Tubbercurry win as he and Conall Ryan looked impressive in the Kiernan Cup Final. But that all said this Harps team reached the Final last year so this could go either way. 

Coolaney/Mullinbreena v St. Mary’s 

Finally on Sunday the last game of the weekend gets underway as both teams will be eager to get off to a good start. Last year Mary’s were too strong for Coolaney/ Mullinbreena in the Quarter Final stages but both sides have two different managers in charge this year. So that shouldn’t matter on Sunday. 

Coolaney/Mullinbreena played in the league final two weeks ago and will learn a lot from that and will take plenty from it. Mary’s started the league well and they will hoping to get off to winning ways and without the injured Stephen Coen they will be hoping Kyle Cawley can hit form. 

Very hard to tell how this will go for the opening game but you just have to go with Mary’s on back of last year’s win.