THE Antrim Club Championships may have started last weekend, but there is a sense that things are fully into gear this weekend with action across all grades in football.
It’s the first action in the senior competition, which is surrounded by plenty of debate after the leagues.
Dunloy were the surprise package last year, going all the way to the final, so can the Cuchullains go deep once again and even win it? Or will Cargin’s dominance continue?
The Erin’s Own men came up short in the recent Division One final against St Brigid’s, but can the Biddies translate leave form into championship success? Will Portglenone finally make the breakthrough, or will Creggan rediscover the form that brought them to the 2021 title? Indeed, will a new contender emerge? All questions that will be answered in the coming weeks.
It all gets underway on Friday evening with Dunloy hosting Aldergrove in Group One where, like all groups, the top two advance into the quarter-finals.
The Cuchullains had a solid if unspectacular Division Two campaign, whereas Aldergrove found themselves in the relegation playoffs in Division One but survived thanks to a semi-final win over Glenravel to secure their top flight status.
The other game in the group takes place on Saturday at Hannahtown where Lámh Dhearg host Naomh Éanna.
They met in the group stage last year with the Red Hands finding the answers to claim a draw that saw them through and the Glengormley side out.
Just one point separated them when they met in the league this year as Lámh Dhearg squeezed home in a low-scoring affair, but neither team were pulling up trees in the first phase of the season. It could well be another tight game with the outcome perhaps crucial by the end of the group stage.
Both games in Group Two take place on Saturday and as luck would have it, the same four teams have been drawn together as this time last year.
Cargin are seeking a third consecutive title this year and are most people’s favourites to do just that. They open at home to Rossa who finished mid-table in the league and who lost on their trip to Toome and will need a huge performance to throw the group wide open.
At Randalstown, the improving Tír na nÓg host St John’s whose league didn’t go to plan as they were forced to win a relegation playoff, whereas the Whitehill men secured a top four finish but were unable to play in the league semi-final.
This is an intriguing game as with most predicting the group will be a three-way fight to see who finishes behind Cargin, defeat for either will leave them in a tricky spot.
ST Brigid's will hope to take their league-winning form into the championship 
Group Three will see Portglenone host Ahoghill on Friday evening with the Casement’s again entering the championship full of hope they can make that long-awaited breakthrough. A local derby against Ahoghill ought to ficus minds and a handsome win over the same opposition in the league should give them confidence.
The other game takes place on Sunday and it is a repeat of the recent relegation final that saw Glenravel send Moneyglass down into Division Two. That was their second win over the St Ergnat’s men who will be keen to make it third time lucky this time.
In Group Four, the league champions St Brigid’s have a home opener against St Gall’s. They met at Musgrave Park earlier this year with the Biddies claiming the win, but the stakes are higher at this stage and it will be a big test of their credentials after winning the league which will put something of a target on their back.
The other game takes place later in the day and it’s a repeat of the 2021 final with Aghagallon hosting Creggan. Both will have been disappointed how things went last year, so they will both be eager to lay down a marker in what is being touted as the ‘group of death’.
The Intermediate Championship began on Wednesday evening with St Teresa’s defeating Ardoyne and Rasharkin falling to St Paul’s in Group One. That meant St Patrick’s, Lisburn had the bye and they begin at St Paul’s on Saturday afternoon. The other game in the group is at The Cricky with Ardoyne hosting Rasharkin.
Group Two will see Glenavy enter the fray for the first time and they do so at Davitt’s on Saturday, with a West Belfast derby between Gort na Móna and Sarsfield’s on Friday. Ballymena have the bye this weekend.
The Junior Football Championship comprises of two groups of four with the winner going straight to the semi-final while second plays third in the corresponding group at the quarter-final stage.
All of the games are set for Friday evening and in Group One, there is a local derby as O’Donnell’s welcome Laochra Loch Lao.
The Gaeilgeoirí will have been much happier with their league campaign as they finished second as O’Dees faded down the stretch, but they shared a win apiece in their earlier meetings.
Pearse’s seemed to find a little more form towards the end of the league and they host St Agnes’ in the other game.
In Group Two, St Comgall’s will seek to maintain their impressive form that had seen them win all of their games in 2024 and they open their championship campaign with a trip to Éire Óg, while Wolfe Tone’s will seek the opposite as they look for an improvement when hosting St Malachy’s.
Antrim Senior Football Championship
Group One
Dunloy v Aldergrove (Friday 7.30pm)
Lámh Dhearg v Naomh Éanna (Saturday 5pm)
Group Two
Tír na nÓg v St John’s (Saturday 5pm)
Cargin v O’Donovan Rossa (Saturday 5pm)
Group Three
Portglenone v Ahoghill (Friday 7.30pm)
Glenravel v Moneyglass (Sunday 2pm)
Group Four
St Brigid’s v St Gall’s (Sunday 2pm)
Aghagallon v Creggan (Sunday 5pm)
Antrim Intermediate Football Championship
Group One
Ardoyne v Rasharkin (Saturday 2pm)
St Paul’s v St Patrick’s, Lisburn (Saturday 2pm)
Group Two
Gort na Móna v Sarsfield’s (Friday 7.15pm)
Davitt’s v Glenavy (Saturday 5pm)
Antrim Junior Football Championship
Group One
O’Donnell’s v Laochra Loch Lao (Friday 7.30pm)
Na Piarsaigh v St Agnes’ (Friday 7.30pm)
Group Two
Éire Óg v St Comgall’s (Friday 7.30pm)
Wolfe Tone’s v St Malachy’s (Friday 7.30pm)
