Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship semi-finals
Cargin v St Brigid’s (Dunsilly, Sunday 4pm)

IT’S semi-final weekend in the Antrim Senior Football Championship with two city vs South West ties to decide the final pairing.

On Sunday at Dunsilly, it is a repeat of last year’s semi-final meeting between Cargin and St Brigid’s.

The Erin’s Own men are bidding for another three-in-a-row and have been flawless throughout their championship campaign, moving through the group phase with minimal fuss and then swatting aside Ahoghill in the last eight.

The emergence of fresh faces in the form of Conhuir Johnston, Pat and Tom Shivers, Benen Kelly, Sean Og O’Neill and Jamie Gribbin have all ensured a smooth transition with some of their older stalwarts moving on, but there seems to be no slowing down from the likes of the McCanns, James Laverty, Justin Crozier and Kevin O’Boyle.

In last year’s meeting, played in horrible conditions, Cargin were certainly tested, but had that know-how to land two haymaker goals that saw them home and that faith in themselves is a big reason why they have been the dominant force for the past decade.

St Brigid’s will arrive with confidence having collected the Division One title this year, beating Cargin in the final no less, and they too have been perfect through four championship games to date.

However, they will not be happy with how they seemed in control against Dunloy in their quarter-final and by the end were hanging on a little, but on the flip side, they arrive having faced some real tests.

Still, it will take the performance of the year to dethrone Cargin and other they can do it will be answered by around 6pm.

Portglenone v Lámh Dhearg (Toome, Saturday, 4pm)

The first of the two senior semi-finals is down for decision in Toome on Saturday afternoon as Lámh Dhearg are set to meet a Portglenone team desperate to get over their last four hump.

A little bit of uncertainty hung over this fixture since the quarter-finals with Creggan appealing the outcome of their extra-time defeat to the Red Hands on the basis of a substitution early in the second half they allege left 16 players on the field for a brief time. 

An initial appeal to Antrim was rejected at the weekend and on Friday afternoon, it emerged a further appeal to Ulster, due to be held this evening, was withdrawn, so it's game on as planned.

The pace of Owen McKeown was crucial for Lámh Dhearg in their quarter-final win over Creggan
2Gallery

The pace of Owen McKeown was crucial for Lámh Dhearg in their quarter-final win over Creggan

After an underwhelming league campaign, there wasn't a lot expected of the Hannahstown men but they proved their championship credentials with a hat-trick of wins in their group and then managed to get over the line in the additional period against Kickham's.

The return of Ryan Murray was boost, while Paddy Cunningham and Conor Murray continue to roll back the years, but it was the pace and direct running of Owen McKeown that caught the eye as with Marc Jordan well marshalled, McKeown was the one to drive at the Creggan defence and their ability to mix it up is important of the are to leave Casement's disappointed on semi-final day for the fourth-straight year.

The Bannsiders went into last year's championship as league winners and plenty of hype that it could be their year to kick on in the championship, but they were caught by Dunloy at the penultimate hurdle, having been denied by Aghagallon in the previous two campaigns.

Motivation will not be in short supply and like their opponents, Portglenone went perfect through their group campaign before defeating St John's in the semi-final.

They are backboned by the Delargy clan but the addition of veteran Enda Lynn has given them further experience in the attack. Dermott McAleese hobbled out of the win against the Johnnies and they will hope the county captain is available to take his place.