Kilcoo bid for more history in Down while Newbridge and Erne Gaels will hope to retain their crowns in Derry and Fermanagh respectively with Loughgiel and St John’s aiming for hurling supremacy in Antrim
Last weekend threw up a series of massive shocks across Ulster as several leading contenders for the Ulster Club Football Championship fell by the wayside, including defending champions Errigal Ciaran.
Three more county titles are on the line this weekend as well as the Tyrone SFC semi-final replay between local rivals Carrickmore and Loughmacrory.
The final of the Antrim SHC final also takes place this weekend. It will be the first time since 2004 that nether Cushendall or Dunloy have appeared in the final. That was also the last time a team from Belfast lifted the Volunteer Cup after Rossa defeated Loughgiel.
After this weekend’s action, the only county titles at senior level left to be played is the Armagh and Tyrone deciders in football and the Down hurling final.
Here’s a look at five of the top games taking place in Ulster this weekend. . .
Carrickmore vs Loughmacrory
(Tyrone SFC semi-final replay, Friday, 7.30pm, O’Neills Healy Park)
Just three teams remaining standing in the race for the most keenly-contested of all the Championships in Ulster.
Defending champions Errigal Ciaran are out after losing to Trillick last weekend in Omagh. Carrickmore and Loughmacrory couldn’t be separated in the first semi-final in Pomeroy and the rivals will head to O’Neills Healy Park on Friday night for the replay. If they are level after 60 minutes this time, extra-time and penalties come into play.
The action gets under way in Omagh at 7.30pm and Belfast Live sport will be providing score-by-score updates from the game.
Derrygonnelly vs Erne Gaels
(Fermanagh SFC final, Saturday, 6pm, Brewster Park)
Derrygonnelly and Erne Gaels do battle once again in the Fermanagh SFC final at Brewster Park on Saturday night.
The sides already met in the controversial Fermanagh League final back in August and the refixture for that game will depend on how far the winners progress in Ulster.
Belleek are the defending champions and will be hoping to keep new Fermanagh manager Declan Bonner occupied for another few weeks at least.
Derrygonnelly were impressive 17-point winners over Teemore in the semi-final while the holders edged out Ederney in the last four.
Loughgiel vs St John’s
(Antrim SHC final, Sunday, 2pm, Ballycastle)
St John’s are back in the final of the Antrim SHC final for the first time since 1994. After six semi-final defeats in seven years, they now have the chance to win the Volunteer Cup for the first time since 1973. No team from Belfast has won the Antrim hurling Championship since their rivals Rossa in 2004.
The last of Loughgiel’s 20 county titles was back in 2016 and the Shamrocks have lost three finals since then.
This game could very well develop into a shootout between Conor Johnston and James McNaughton, but the elements always come into play at Ballycastle.
Carryduff vs Kilcoo
(Down SFC final, Sunday, 3.30pm, Páirc Esler)
The events of last weekend will surely have sharpened the minds of both Kilcoo and Carryduff ahead of Sunday’s decider in Newry.
The holders are bidding to win a seventh title in succession, a feat never achieved in the history of the Down SFC.
Carryduff will take heart from the exploits of the underdogs around Ulster last weekend as they bid to win the Frank O’Hare Cup for the first time. The South Belfast men were impressive winners over Burren in the last four while the Magpies were pushed all the way against Clonduff.
Newbridge vs Magherafelt
(Derry SFC final, Sunday, 3.30pm, Celtic Park)
After Slaughtneil lost their appeal earlier this week, Sunday’s Derry’s SFC final between Newbridge and Magherafelt will proceed as scheduled.
Conor Doherty’s last-gasp two-pointer gave the holders a dramatic 0-21 to 1-16 win at Owenbeg.
There was no such drama for Magherafelt as they hammered former All-Ireland champions Glen by 10 points.
Like Erne Gaels, Magherafelt’s manager is also waiting to take up a county job, but Louth boss Gavin Devlin will be hoping to sample the Ulster Club Championship prior to that.
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