LADIES FOOTBALL

Paddy Hunter

There are six potential championship semi-finals down for decision this weekend as the Patrick Fahy and Co Solicitors ladies football championships reach a crunch stage. There is certainly no getting away from the fact that the game of the weekend is fixed for Killyclogher on Saturday evening, the senior last four clash between two of the heavyweights of Tyrone club football, Errigal Ciaran and Carrickmore go toe to toe for a place in the final.

That aside though there's also quality through the grades, in the junior grade Edendork emerged from a quarter final win over a fancied Coalisland to set up a meeting with Moy while the Loughmacrory Trillick clash is mouth-watering for followers of the ladies game. There's a derby feel to the Sigersons Clann na nGael intermediate tie while the potential for a North Tyrone derby final is still on the cards as a quality Glenelly face the favourites Ardboe.

CHAMPIONS AT KILLYCLOGHER

The weekend action begins on Thursday night with a senior semi-final at Killyclogher. The reigning champions St Macartans are due to face Omagh, who had a bye to the last four, sadly the 2014 Intermdiate double winners have had a difficult season, they lost well over a handful of players and several more have been unavailable. The St Macartan's hammered Omagh in an early league outing and will be fancied to progress with ease, naturally they will take nothing for granted but the Omagh challenge will be weak, they have quality with Cara McCrossan, Nicola Donnelly and county stalwart Christiane Hunter but they don't have enough to really cause the champions enough trouble.

Macartan's remain unbeaten this season, they top the table and have racked up some big scores on route, in the quarter final they were always too strong for Aodh Ruadh although the Dungannon side did cause them some problems. Chloe McCaffery has had been a big contributor this term and her scores alongside Cathy Donnelly and Joline Donnelly have been pivotal to the Clogher Valley sides challenge. Add to the mix the likes of Paula Donnelly, Seeanen McQuaid and Maura McMenamin the Macs look assured of another final spot and that will leave them very fancied to retain the Jarleth Kerr cup .

ALL EYES ON BIG TWO

A bumper crowd is expected back at Ballinamullan on Saturday evening for what promises to be a cracking double bill , Loughmacrory and Trillick meet in the junior grade at 6pm and then it's the game that has everyone buzzing the meeting of Carrickmore and Errigal Ciaran. The Carmen side have introduced a raft of new faces to their squad this year through the league campaign and while they have rattled a few times the championship is once again very much the target.

Beaten in last year's final Carrickmore are determined to make a quick return to the final and really want to get their hands on the title, the experienced management of Curly McAleer and Plunkett McCallan will be well aware of just what is lurking in the opposite corner, Tiffy Quinn and Neilly McAleer are no slouches themselves while both teams are just bursting with quality.

Carrickmore edged to a 4-16 to 3-6 quarter final win over Cill Iseal with Megan McCann, Ciara Clarke and Etaoine O'Kane among the goals as Gemma Begley shrugged off a poor inter county season to land 0-8.  While Cill Iseal were stubborn to see off Carrickmore were comfortable winners in the end.

Errigal meanwhile were the quarter finals big winners and while youngster Shannon Monaghan racked up 4-3 in a 7-14 tally against Cappagh this was more about the team performance, Shannon Quinn is back to her best while there are threats all over the park, Lycrecia Quinn, Cailan McCann and the Canavans are all playing well and they have an air of confidence with some substance to back it up. We could be in line for a real classic at Killyclogher and the winners will certainly be real contenders for the senior title.

DERBY FEEL ABOUT INTERMEDIATE CLASHES

While Glenelly and Ardboe could hardly be further away from each other across the county on the park this Saturday in Rock there will be little between the sides, some indeed suggest the winners of this semi-final will be fancied to collect the title, now while Sigersons and Clann na nGael may have something to say about that, there is no doubting that the O'Donavan Rossas and St Josephs have impressed this term.

In the quarter finals Ardboe were far too strong for Kildress, young Hannah Lydon hit the net twice while Ally Martin, Clare Muldoon and Eimear Quinn were good performers. Neamh Teague and Niamh Quinn also contributed to the scores and will serve Glenelly with a real test at Rock.

The Glenelly defence have impressed this term , they remain unbeaten in the league while in their quarter final outing against they also signalled their championship intentions when they beat a strong, experienced Sperrin Og 5-11 to 3-8. That performance certainly underscored this Glenelly side, they have plenty of quality and this semi-final could well be an entertaining affair.

In Grace Donnelly they have a focused and determined captain and can call on the likes of  Fiona Marie Devlin, Ellen McCullagh and Nicola Bradley to produce scores, many feel Ardboe will progress to back to back finals, Glenelly will have other ideas.

There is of course a derby in the other semi-final, surprise packets Strabane Sigersons have refocused and have emerged as real challengers, they face the unbeaten Clann na nGael who in Mairead Conwell have one of the finest finishers, 3-5 she scored against a battling Aghyaran last time out.

Clann were pushed all the way by St Davogs and that tie will stand them in good stead against the Sigersons who have put behind them poor league form to find themselves in the last four. Another Conwell, Lorraine was among the goals as Dromore were brushed aside, that result against the fancied St Dympna's raised a few eyebrows and brought Strabane into the championship spotlight.

The Strabane club have lost six of their nine outings in the league but the championship serves as a real lesson that league form will matter little. This game is a standalone tie at Aghyaran on Thursday night.

EAST V WEST FINAL TEED UP

The classic East V West Tyrone final is set for this year's junior football championship with the two semi-finals pitting Edendork against Moy and Loughmacrory against Trillick. The St Malachy's emerged from the last of the quarter finals at the weekend at the expense of many peoples favourites Coalsiland. The Fianna clinched the junior B crown last year but minus Neamh McKernan at the weekend they lacked a critical sharpness up front and it's Edendork who go toe to toe with The Moy.

The Tir na nOgs have been in the lower reaches of football for some time but are emerging again as a force to reckoned with and will be real contenders, in the quarter final Moy saw off Castlederg and that was a very good result for them. The semi-final clash with Edendork is fixed for Rock on Saturday at 3pm.

The all West Tyrone last four clash at Killyclogher is the perfect precursor to the senior semi-final between Errigal and Carmen with Loughmacrory facing Trillick.

Only St Macartans have scored more than Trillick this season as the Reds sit top and unbeaten in division three, their opponents are a good championship team and have been real contenders over the past decade, the junior grade of course is special for the Lough club too with the trophy on offer named after young club player Brenda Logue.

In the quarter finals Drumragh were derailed by the Lough in a low scoring affair while Trillick powered to a big win over Pomeroy, Bernie McCann and Fiona McCarney were among the goals, two apiece they scored with McCarney also adding five points. They certainly have the potential to progress and indeed are currently one of the favourites, another great rise from a club that endured some difficult times in the recent past.

So a bumper weekend of championship fayre on offer with the finals pencilled in for the start of next month.

 

Patrick Fahy & Co Solicitors Senior Championship Semi Finals

Thursday 20th Aug - In Killyclogher

St Macartans v Omagh St Endas- 7.15pm

Saturday 22nd Aug - In Killyclogher

Errigal Ciaran v Carrickmore - 7.30pm

Patrick Fahy & Co Solicitors Intermediate Championship Semi Finals

Thursday 20th Aug - In Aghyaran

Strabane Sigersons v Clann Na Gael - 7.15pm

Saturday 22nd Aug - In Rock

Ardboe v Glenelly - 4.30pm

Patrick Fahy & Co Solicitors Junior Championship Semi Finals

Saturday 22nd Aug - In Rock

Moy v Edendork - 3pm

Saturday 22nd Aug - In Killyclogher

Loughmacrory v Trillick - 6pm

 

 

REFIXTURES

Division One

Monday 24th August - 7.30pm

Aodh Ruadh v Killeeshil

 

Friday 28th August - 7.30pm

Killeeshil v St Macartans

Aodh Ruadh v Cappagh

 

Division three

Thursday 20th August - 7.30pm

Drumragh v Beragh

 

Friday 21st August - 7.30pm

Fintona v Mna Na Deirge

Mon 24th August - 7.30pm

Moy v Mna Na Deirge

 

Thurs 27th August - 7.30pm

Drumragh v Rock

Pomeroy v Fintona

Coalisland v Mna Na Deirge

Beragh v Trillick

 

Friday 28th August - 7.30pm

Edendork v Galbally

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