St. Molaise Gaels vs Coolera/Standhill

Saturday 6pm, Monsignor Hynes Park, Grange

In the game of the weekend all eyes will be on Grange to see if St. Molaise Gaels can book a place in this year’s Quarter –Finals when they take on Coolera Standhill who defeated St.Mary’s in their last outing to ensure they remained in this year’s championship.

St. Molaise Gaels will be confident that they can continue their unbeaten record to date in the championship and a win against Coolera/Standhill earlier in the championship should hold them in good stead for the challenge of Tommy Caddock’s side.

Last time out Alan McLoughlin kept Gaels in the match with his frees and then found the winner when substitute Conor Watters netted in the final moments of the match to ensure victory for Molaise Gaels. But Coolera will feel that was a game they left behind them as they had plenty of chances to kill the game off and will feel that a much improved performance is needed this weekend if they are to get the better of the home side. Mark Quinn has been very impressive so far this year at midfield and if he can produce a similar performance this weekend this could lead to plenty of success during the 60 minutes of football.

Meanwhile Coolera will be hoping that Barry O’Mahony and Karol O’Neill can perform like they did last time out against Mary’s as O’Mahony played a massive part in his side winning the last day out.  With the result the last day Mary’s losing to Coolera this group is now wide open with all three teams in with a chance of qualifying for the closing stages of the championship.

All in all its going to go down to the wire in this group of death and this match is very well balance and is very hard to call what way it will go a win for the home side would guarantee a spot in the knockout stages but a win is must for the visitors. Too hard to call but there should be a point or two in it at the end of the match.

Calry/St.Joseph’s vs Curry Preview

Saturday 6pm, Hazelwood

This weekend sees another massive game taking place, a win for Calry/St.Joseph’s would guarantee a spot in the last 8 of the championship at the expense of St.John’s who play Curry in the final group match and with the South Sligo side Curry already in the Quarter-Finals it will between the two North Sligo sides to see who books the second spot in the group. Calry/St.Joseph’s will be boosted by last weekend’s result against Drumcliffe Rosses Point which ensured survival in Division 1 of the league for another season.

Curry have been very impressive to date winning all of their games in impressive fashion but they will be without Jason Marren this weekend through suspension and will hoping to make few changes ahead of this weekend. 

Calry will be hoping dominate the midfield sector with Damien O’Boyle and Barry O’Boyle hoping to get the edge around the middle but Curry will feel that they can dominate this area too as Niall McDonagh was very impressive against St.John’s while Curry’s abundance of experience coming through the team from defence to attack. Kenny Morley is still a massive part of the defence while the ever dependable Sean Davey in attack will sure cause Calry problems.

Eamon Kelly’s Calry will be hoping that Darragh Cummins and Conor Griffin can show similar form which they showed on way to winning the Intermediate Championship last year and if these two men can play a big part it could help the north Sligo side to victory which would book a place in the last 8 for Calry .

All in all with Curry through to the quarter-finals this match gives a great chance to Calry/St.Joseph’s to book a place in knockout stages but Curry won’t want to lose as they will want keep the momentum up ahead of the Quarter-Finals.

Eastern Harps v Drumcliffe/Rosses Point

Sunday 6pm, Fr. Brehony Park, Keash

Eastern Harps welcome Drumcliffe/Rosses Point to Fr Kevin Brehony Park in Keash next Sunday evening (6pm) for a crucial tie in Group Three of the Belfry Senior Championship.

A win for Drumcliffe/Rosses Point would propel them into the quarter-final stage for the second year in succession, and would put Eastern Harps into danger of being relegated to the intermediate grade for 2016. However, a win for the home side would reignite their campaign, and, more than likely ensure a quarter-final spot.

Therefore, the stakes are high for this tie. In what should be ding-dong battle, the expectation is for another close game following the sides earlier meeting in the group stages, when Drumcliffe/Rosses Point snatched a one-point win at Oxfield, 0-12 to 0-11, a month ago.

Without doubt, there is real motivation here for Eastern Harps to avenge last month’s defeat in this tie, and recent games would indicate that the Harps have improved since that early blow.

They ran Tourlestrane – one of the favourites for outright glory – to the pin of their collar when the sides clashed in round three at Keash two weeks ago, and one would argue that, on paper, they should have enough to dispose of Drumcliffe/Rosses Point this weekend given their pedigree in the Sligo Senior Championship over the last decade or so.

Ross Donovan continues to be a key player for the Eastern Harps, but will have his hands full on this occasion with Paul Logan, Drumcliffe/Rosses Point’s marquee forward, in good form for the north Sligo men.

If Eastern Harps can nullify his impact scoring-wise, and quell the running of Niall Collery from centre-forward, they will be in with a good shout of claiming the two points on offer.

However, Drumcliffe/Rosses Point have been impressive in the Senior Championship since they arrived to the top tier in 2014, and with a youthful squad, have the potential to remain there for some time.

They will see this game as season-defining – a win will send them into the final eight – and despite losing to Tourlestrane by eight points last week, they can certainly overturn Eastern Harps on their home patch if they play to their potential.

Geevagh v Coolaney/Mullinabreena

Sunday 1pm, Geevagh Community Park

Geevagh, who have been one of the surprise strugglers of this year’s Belfry Senior Championship, host Coolaney/Mullinabreena on Sunday afternoon at 1pm looking to secure their first win of the campaign.

Many will see this game as a foregone conclusion given Coolaney/Mullinabreena’s status as an outsider for outright glory – although 2015 could be a year or two too early to consider the south Sligo club as potential champions – and Geevagh’s rather disappointing form in the group to date. However, as we know, championship can throw up the odd surprise.

Obviously, Geevagh are seriously depleted in comparison to years gone by but, still, in the likes of Pat Hughes and Kevin Henry, they have players capable of making any other team in the county.

For Coolaney/Mullinabreena, this is their final group game and a win will help them get their campaign back on track following their loss to Tubbercurry in the last round.

Although they are unlikely to top the group, given their neighbours superior scoring difference, they will fancy their chances in the knockout stages should they get over this final hurdle in the group.

Whether Criostoir Davey recovers from an injury sustained against Tubbercurry two weeks ago will have a major bearing on Coolaney/Mullinabreena’s fortunes, but in Raymond Connolly and Kieran Finan there are still players in their ranks capable of picking up the scoring mantle.

Ultimately, many will argue the only question in this tie is how much Coolaney/Mullinabreena will have to spare at the final whistle, but expect Geevagh to put in an improved showing.