Preview: Weekend's senior club championship action

By John Harrington

A very busy weekend of club championship action beckons.

There is one county final – the Roscommon Senior Hurling Championship showpiece between Four Roads and Oran – while nine other county championships are down to the semi-final stage.

Football

Seven county senior football championships are now down to the semi-final stage – Antrim, Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Laois, Longford, and Meath.

Cargin are gunning for a fourth straight championship in Antrim and come into Sunday’s semi-final against Creggan in impressive form on the back of a convincing quarter-final win over Aghagallon.

Creggan were champions in 2021 and there’s rarely much between these two teams when they clash, but the defending champions will be warm favourites. The other semi-final takes place this evening when last year’s beaten finalists, Portglenone, take on Dunloy.

Reigning champions, Crosserlough, are up against the champions of 2022 and 2023, Gowna, in the first of the Cavan SFC semi-finals on Sunday. That’s followed by the other semi-final showdown between last year’s beaten finalists Ramor United and Kingscourt Stars.

Reigning Clare SFC champions, Éire Óg Ennis, are gunning for a fourth title in five years and will play Lissycasey in the first of the weekend’s semi-finals on Saturday, with 2023 champions Cratloe playing St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield in the second semi-final on Sunday.

There’s a fresh look to the Donegal SFC semi-finals this year with Four Masters playing Naomh Conaill and Gaoth Dobhair up against St. Michael’s.

Naomh Conaill showed all of their famed grit when scoring 1-1 in injury-time to beat Termon in the quarter-final, and their showdown with a young and talented Four Masters side should be a fascinating battle.

Four Masters looked seriously good when beating Dungloe by 10 points, but this is their first semi-final for 13 years and it’ll be interesting to see how their young players handle the occasion.

St. Michael’s bring a lot of momentum into their semi-final having beaten Sean MacCumhaills by 11 points in a quarter-final tie where county midfielder Michael Langan hit 10 points for the winners.

He’ll need to have another big game if St. Michael’s are to get the better of a fancied Gaoth Dobhair.

Reigning Laois SFC champions, Portarlington, will aim to book their place in the county final for the fifth time in six years when they play Gaiguecullen in the first of Sunday’s two semi-finals.

Portarlington go in as warm favourites after a convincing 2-24 to 1-7 win over Ares Killen in the quarter-finals. The second semi-final sees St. Joseph’s play a Courtwood team that caused an upset when getting the better of last year’s beaten finalists, Portlaoise, in the quarters.

Rathcline have made it as far as the Longford SFC semi-finals for the first time in 23 years. They’re up against Killoe Emmet Og on Sunday with the other semi-final between Clonguish and Colmcille taking place on Saturday.

Colmcille beat reigning champions Abbeylara in the previous round so will fancy their chances of also scalping Clonguish who go into the match as slight favourites.

Reigning Meath SFC champions, Dunshaughlin, have had a few wobbles this year but have nevertheless made it to the semi-finals where they will play Summerhill who, like them, have made it this far with as many defeats as victories.

Dunshaughlin look like they have found form at the right time based on their quarter-final win over a strong Wolfe Tones side, but 2023 champions Summerhill will fancy their chances too.

The other semi-final should be another tight battle between champions of 2019, 2020, and 2002, Ratoath, and Skryne.

Meanwhile, the Carlow, Cork, Derry, Fermanagh, Galway, Louth, and Tyrone Senior football championships are all down to the quarter-final rounds.

The full details for all of this weekend’s senior football club championship matches can be viewed and downloaded at the bottom of this article.

Hurling

Four Roads are warm favourites to make it three Roscommon SHC titles in a row when they face and Oran team contesting their first final since 2016. You can read a preview of that match HERE.

Two counties are down to the semi-final stage of their hurling championships – Kildare and Armagh.

Reigning champions Naas are chasing a seventh title in a row and are fancied to get the better of a Coill Dubh team that last won a senior championship in 2015. Coill Dubh proved in the quarter-finals though that they shouldn’t be underestimated when they beat Celbridge.

In the other semi-final an improving Maynooth team will be favourites to get the better of Éire Óg Corra Choill.

Reigning champion Middletown, who are gunning for a seventh Armagh SHC title in a row and 10^th in 11 years, will play Craobh Rua in the first of Saturday’s semi-finals while a Keady team that has lost the last four county finals will play Derrynoose in the second.

Meanwhile, the Tipperary, Wexford, Dublin, and Kilkenny senior hurling championships are all down to the quarter-final rounds this weekend.

The full details for all of this weekend’s senior hurling club championship matches can be viewed and downloaded below.