Preview: Weekend's senior club championship action

It's the biggest weekend yet in the senior club championships around the country.

The bill is topped by the Wicklow SHC Final between Carnew Emmets and Glenealy, and 17 other championships are down to the semi-final stage.

Antrim

It’s semi-final weekend in the Northern Switchgear Antrim SFC as Dunloy play St. Brigid’s on Saturday and O’Donovan Rossa play Erin’s Own, Cargin on Sunday. Dunloy are reigning champions and go into their match as slight favourites but they only narrowly beat a wasteful St. Brigid’s in last year’s quarter-final so this is likely to be a game of very fine margins.

Cargin have been the dominant force in Antrim football in recent times, winning eight titles in the last 11 years, and are the form team so far in this year’s championship too.

Rossa caused an upset when beating Portglenone in the quarter-finals though, and will be believe they can repeat the trick.

Armagh

The Cormac Leonard Commercials Armagh SFC have thrown up two heavyweight semi-finals this weekend. On Saturday Killeavy play Dromintee and on Sunday Crossmaglen play Clann Éireann. The first semi-final is a clash of sleeping giants with Killeavy hoping to reach a first final since 1988 and Dromintee their first since 2010. Both are unbeaten to date in the championship and have been racking up big scores. Dromintee are arguably slight favourites considering they topped a very strong group that also included Crossmaglen and Madden.

The other semi-final should also be a fascinating tie. Clann Éireann have won all their matches thus far in the competition, but after a poor group phase Crossmaglen have shot the lights out in the knock-out stages, scoring a whopping 7-48 in their last two matches. That firepower could give them the edge.

Carlow

The Carlow semi-final line-up will see Rathvilly play Palatine on Saturday and Old Leighlin play Éire Óg on Sunday. Saturday’s game should be a tight affair, but Rathvilly might have a little bit more quality thanks to the influence of players like Brandon Kelly, Colin Byrne, Dara Curran, Conor Doyle and Liam Gavin.

Reigning champions Old Leighlin haven’t quite yet hit the heights they did last year whereas Éire Óg are a team reborn having come so close to relegation last year. The champions are capable of turning it on if the likes of Mikey Bambrick, James Dowling, and Aaron Amond play to their potential, but Éire Óg’s form has been more convincing.

Cavan

The Kyte Powertech Cavan SFC semi-finals will pit Gowna against Crosserlough on Saturday and Kingscourt against Cuchulainns on Sunday. Gowna are the only undefeated team in the competition this year and were five-point winners when they played Crosserlough in Round 2. Both teams were very impressive in their quarter-final victories, but Gowna’s rugged defence could give them an edge.

Reigning champions Kingscourt Gaels are fancied to have too much firepower for Cuchulainns in the second semi-final.

Clare

Éire Óg Ennis are on the hunt for a third Clare SFC title in a row and fifth in sixth years. They play St. Joseph’s in the semi-finals this Sunday with Kildysart playing Kilmurry-Ibrickane on the other side of the draw. Éire Óg are on a 16 match winning streak over the course of the last three championship campaigns and it would be a big shock if St. Joseph’s ended that sequence. The other semi-final is harder to call. Kilmurry-Ibrickane have greater big-match experience, but an in-form Kildysart look like the coming force in Clare.

Cork

The Cork SHC semi-final line-up will see Midleton play Glen Rovers and Kanturk play St. Finbarr’s. It’s Midleton’s first game in almost a month whereas Glen Rovers were in action two weeks ago so the Magpies might be a little ring-rusty. You’d still fancy them to get the job done though as they’re the only unbeaten team in Cork this year and are defensively very solid. Kanturk have been the story of the championship so far but are very reliant on Brian O’Sullivan to do the bulk of their scoring. St. Finbarr’s have a great spread of attacking threats and quality finishers like William Buckley, Brian Hayes, and Ben Cunningham should give them the edge.

Donegal

The Donegal SFC semi-final line-up sees Gaoth Dobhair play St Eunan’s on Saturday and Naomh Conaill play Glenswilly on Sunday. There’s never much between Gaoth Dobhair and St. Eunan’s and that first semi-final is likely to be a tight affair. A fit again Niall O’Donnell is getting sharper all the time and could be the difference maker for St. Eunan’s.

Defending champions Naomh Conaill are fancied in Sunday’s game thanks to their rampaging young half-back line of Daithi Molloy, Finbarr Roarty, and Max Campbell and the goal-scoring form of Shea Malone.

Down

Portaferry play Liatroim and Ballygalget play Ballycran in the Morgan Fuels Down SHC semi-finals on Sunday. Portaferry are gunning for a fifth title in a row and sixth in seven years, and should be too strong for Liatroim. Ballygalget beat Ballycran by six points when they met in the group phase and are fancied to come out on top again.

Dublin

It’s semi-final weekend in the PTSB Dublin Senior Football Championship with Thomas Davis playing Castleknock on Saturday and Ballyboden St. Enda’s playing Cuala on Sunday. Castleknock produced the result of the quarter-finals when beating Kilmacud Crokes in the quarter-final but Thomas Davis were arguably just as impressive when beating Ballymun Kickhams. Castleknock are very strong in the middle third thanks to their powerful half-backs and midfield, and that could give them the edge.

The other semi-final is a heavyweight clash of the 2025 champions (Ballyboden) and 2024 champions (Cuala). Ballyboden have a greater spread of prolific scorers in their attack than a Cuala side reliant on Con O’Callaghan and without his brother Niall, and that could prove decisive.

Laois

Three-in-a-row chasing Clough Ballacolla take on The Harps in the last four of the Laois SHC with Camross and Rosenallis duking it out in the other semi-final. It’s the first time in 14 years that The Harps have made it to this stage of the championship, and they’ll have their hands full against a prolific Clough Ballacolla attack featuring Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher, Willie Dunphy, and Joe Corby that hit 5-31 in their quarter-final win over Portlaoise.

The other semi-final is harder to call but 2023 champions and last year’s beaten finalists, Camross, are a more proven outfit than a Rosenallis side in their first semi-final for six years.

Longford

Clonguish and Dromard do battle again in their Longford SFC semi-final replay to decide who plays Killoe in the final. Dromard were the better team for much of the drawn game but a stoppage time Cormac Flynn goal saved Clonguish.

Louth

It’s semi-final weekend in the Louth SFC as Newtown Blues face St. Mary’s Ardee and St. Mochta’s play St. Joseph’s.

Ardee won three in-a-row from 2022 to 2024 but they’ve looked somewhat vulnerable this year, losing unexpectedly to Hunterstown Rovers in the group phase and struggling at times against St. Fechin’s in the quarter-finals. Newtown Blues were more assured in their quarter-final win over St. Patrick’s so look slight favourites to advance.

St. Joseph’s are the only unbeaten team left in the competition and showed a lot of grit to beat Cooley Kickhams in the quarter-final. St. Mochta’s are slight underdogs but if they can reproduce the scintillating football they produced in their quarter-final win over Dundalk Gaels when they outscored them by eight points in the last 12 minutes they can come out on top.

Mayo

It’s Breaffy against Castlebar and Belmullet against Garrymore in the Mayo SFC semi-finals this weekend.

Garrymore have arguably been the story of the championship so far, winning a series of matches against the head. They go into this semi-final as underdogs once more, but if the tenacious Eoin McGreal can do a similar job on Ryan O’Donoghue than the one he did against Crossmolina’s Kobe McDonald in the quarter-final they could pull off another upset.

The clash of neighbours Castlebar and Breaffy will be a game of tight margins that could be decided by Castlebar’s defensive solidity.

Monaghan

It’s Scotstown against Inniskeen and Clontibret against Truagh in the Monaghan SFC semi-finals this weekend. Reigning county and Ulster champions, Scotstown, have won every match they’ve played this year, including a big win over Inniskeen in the group phase, and you’d expect them to repeat the dose. The other semi-final is harder to call. Clontibret narrowly defeated Truagh in the group phase, but there’s little between the teams.

Offaly

Kilcormac-Killoughey’s quest for a fourth Offaly SHC title in a row will face a searching test from St. Rynagh’s in the first of the Offaly SHC semi-finals this Saturday. When the teams met in the group phase on August 23, KK came out on top, but only by two points. With their two best forwards – Adam Screeney and Charlie Mitchell – sidelined the champions have looked vulnerable. There’s a good chance though that Screeney will play some part on Saturday after recovering from shoulder surgery. St. Rynagh’s should benefit from a hard-fought win over Shinrone in the quarter-final two weeks ago and will fancy their chances of causing an upset, but if KK can hurl to their full potential they should come out on top.

The other semi-final sees Ballinamere go up against Belmont. An in-form Ballinamere are the only unbeaten team in the competition and fancied to come out on top here.

Tipperary

The Tipperary SFC semi-finals will see Clonmel Commercials play Moyle Rovers and Loughmore-Castleiney play Kilsheelan Kilcash. Reigning champions Commericals look like the strongest team in the competition on paper, but their fierce local rivals Moyle Rovers always make it difficult for them and it’s likely to be a typically tight affair. 2024 champions Loughmore will be fancied on the other side of the draw, but last year’s beaten finalists Kilsheelan-Kilcash are a club on the up and will push them all the way.

Tyrone

The always ferociously contested Tyrone SFC has thrown up two cracking semi-finals this weekend as defending champions Loughmacrory play Errigal Ciaran and Edendork play Donaghmore. Loughmacrory are dealing from an even stronger hand this year than they were when winning last year’s title now that Antoin Fox and Eoin Donaghy have recovered from cruciate injuries, but they’ll still probably go into this game as slight underdogs. Errigal Ciaran looked seriously impressive when beating bogey team Trillick in the quarter-final and have arguably shown better form than anyone else in the competition this year.

The other semi-final features two teams unaccustomed to the limelight. Edendork have never played in a final and it’s 66 years since Donaghmore did. It’s hard to pick a winner, but if Donaghmore can reproduce the form that saw them hammer Carrickmore in the quarter-final they’ll be hard to beat.

Wexford

The four teams that many predicted would make the last four of the Wexford SFC will contest this weekend’s semi-finals as reigning champions Castletown play St. Martin’s and Shelmaliers play Kilanerin.

Castletown and Shelmaliers have won seven of the last eight Wexford titles and will fancy their chances of going toe to toe in another final like they did last year.

Wicklow

Carnew Emmets will look to make it back to back Wicklow SHC titles when they play Genealy in Sunday’s Final. They come into the match has favourites after a very impressive semi-final victory over a Bray Emmets team that won six-in-a-row from 2019 to 2024.

Glenealy are appearing in their first final since 2022 but they’re a club with great tradition and are entitled to feel quietly confident given that an unbeaten campaign to date included a win over Carnew in the group phase.

Talented forward Michael O’Neill was their talisman on that day and they’ll need another big performance from him on Sunday if they’re to take down the defending champions.

It should be a great battle, but if Carnew can reproduce the level they showed against Bray then you’d fancy them to come out on top.