THE battle for places in the knockout round of the majority of the Antrim Hurling Championships conclude this weekend as teams bid to reach the knockout stages.

The Intermediate Championship groups are at the penultimate stage are getting set for a round of games with Glenarm hosting Cunshendun and St Gall's at Tír na nÓg in Group One, while in Group Two, St Paul's have home advantage over Creggan and Sarsfield's are at Glenravel.

The battle for the top two and therefore, semi-final places will be a little clearer by full-time in those games, but elsewhere, the end of the weekend will see the knockout fixtures confirmed.

In the Senior Hurling Championship, Dunloy have been in mean form in their opening two games, demolishing Clooney Gales and then powering past Rossa, so they will have high hopes of making it three wins from three to seal top spot and the direct route to the semi-finals when they host St John's.

The Johnnies bounced back from their opening round loss to Rossa with a win against Clooney, but were forced to fend off a fightback with the margin of victory just one.
Conor Hand was sent-off in that game and will miss out on Saturday, but in better news for the Corrigan Park club, Shea Shannon is back from his travels and could feature this weekend.

The other game takes place on Friday (note earlier starting time of 6.30pm) with Rossa enjoying home advantage over Clooney Gaels and they will know a victory will seal second place in the group, and possibly top with a huge win that would just edge what St John's could score at Dunloy to force a three-way tie and bring in scoring difference.

However, the Cuchullains have a difference of +40 with both city sides on -5 and it would take a jaw-dropping serious of events for that to be the way, especially when its considered Dunloy are hot favourites to win, yet a shock St John's win and Rossa defeat will see the Johnnycakes its top the group on head-to-head.

Clooney are not out of things just yet but will need to win at Rossa by 13 to move off the bottom and reach the quarters.

In Group Two, it's much less complicated with two games on Sunday that are straight shootouts.

First up in Ballycastle, the McQuillan men play host to Naomh Éanna and the winner will advance in third place to meet the second placed team in the other group.

A draw will be enough for Ballycastle also as they hold the better scoring difference and they will be greatly encouraged by their display against Loughgiel where they fell by the minimum and showed big improvements from their opening round loss to Cushendall.

Naomh Éanna also asked the questions of Loughgiel and will have felt a little disappointed they didn't take something from that game, but were then to suffer a heavy loss against Cushendall a fortnight back to leave them reassessing matters before they make the trip to the north coast on Sunday.

The remaining game takes place on Sunday evening with Loughgiel holding home advantage as Cushendall come calling.

The winner will seal to of the group and a semi-final with the other looking at the quarter-finals, but due to scoring difference, Cushendall would go the direct route on scoring difference.

It's a similar scenario in Group One of the Junior Hurling Championship as Lámh Dhearg hit to road to Armoy on Saturday with both teams bidding for first place.

The Red Hands have a better scoring difference heading in, so again, a draw will suffice for a straight run to the last four, but both teams will certainly play knockout hurling.

Just who will join them will be decided in the other game in the group as third place and a quarter-final is the prize when Rasharkin host Davitt's.

Scoring difference is on the side of the South West club so again, a draw will be enough for them to advance.

In Group Two, owing to their defeats to All Saints and Gort na Móna, St Brigid's are out as even a win at top of the pile Cloughmills will at best leave them tied with one of the aforementioned teams and miss out on head-to-head.

The battle of the Biddies is something of a dead rubber as by the same token, should the North Antrim club side be shocked by the Musgrave Park outfit, only one of the sides they have already beaten can join them on four points and be pipped on head-to-head.

The other game in Ballymena is therefore a matter of jockeying for position in the quarter-finals as both the hosts and the Gorts are certain to be involved in that round.

In the Junior B Championship, Ardoyne host Belfast Gaels with the ambition of getting back to winning ways after a draw last time out against Loch Mór Dál gCais who travel to Loughbeg Harps.
 
Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship
Group One
O’Donovan Rossa v Clooney Gaels (Friday, 6.30pm)
Dunloy v St John’s (Saturday, 5pm)
 
Group Two
Ballycastle v Naomh Éanna (Sunday, 2pm)
Loughgiel v Cushendall  (Sunday, 5.15pm)
 
Andersonstown SC Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship
Group One
Glenarm v Cushendun (Saturday, 5pm)
Tír na nÓg v St Gall’s (Saturday, 5pm)
 
Group Two
Glenravel v Sarsfield’s (Saturday, 5pm)
St Pauls v Creggan (Saturday, 5pm)
 
Casement SC Antrim Junior Hurling Championship
Group One
Armoy v Lámh Dhearg (Saturday, 5pm)
Rasharkin v Davitt’s (Saturday, 5pm)
 
Group Two
Ballymena v Gort na Móna (Saturday, 5pm)
Cloughmills v St Brigid’s (Saturday, 5pm)
 
Antrim Junior B Hurling Championship
Loughbeg Harps v Loch Mór Dál gCais (Saturday, 5pm)
Ardoyne v Belfast Saints (Saturday, 5pm)