FIVE of the six teams that will play in the knockout stage of the Antrim Senior Hurling Championships are already known with the identity of the sixth and final team to be decided on Saturday evening.

At Corrigan Park, St John’s host Rossa with the winner - or Rossa in the event of a draw due to scoring difference - securing third place in Group Two and will face second in Group One in the quarters.

Both teams have lost out to both Cushendall and Dunloy so far in the competition so it’s very much the last chance to prolong their season when they meet in what is always a keenly contested derby.

They have met twice already this season in the league with the Johnnies coming out on top on both occasions, while Rossa were winners when they met at the same venue 12 months ago in the Championship.

The hosts fell to Dunloy by six in their owner and then by nine to Cushendll in dreadful conditions in Ballymena a fortnight back, while the Shaw’s Road side came up a goal short against the Ruairis before a 10-point reverse against Dunloy in Dunsilly.

Whether come of the walking wounded return for either remains to be seen with Michael Bradley yet to feature for St John’s in the campaign, while for Rossa, Michael Armstrong is also making his way back to fitness.

The other game in the group will decide to spot and a straight path to the last four as the Cuchullains travel to Cushendall on Saturday evening.

Both teams will be relatively happy with how they have opened their challenge with Dunloy faring slightly better on the scoreboard, meaning a draw would be enough for them to top the pile.

Conal Cunning remains an absentee with the fractured arm picked up in July, while Neil McManus is also working his way back into the Cushendall team as he recovers from a thigh injury that has kept him on the sidelines to date.

In Group One, the final make-up of the group is still to be decided and it will be on Sunday afternoon as Loughgiel host Ballycastle.

A draw will be enough for the hosts to win the group and avoid the quarter-final stage, a result that would also confirm Ballycastle as the second-place team, but McQuillan’s still have the opportunity to top the group should they come away with the win.

If the Shamrocks do indeed win, then Naomh Éanna will be hoping it’s an emphatic one as a double-figure margin will see them move into second on scoring difference and that would secure a quarter-final against either St John’s or Rossa, rather than either Cushendall or Dunloy.

The Intermediate Hurling Championship has been bubbling along nicely with a surprise win for Cloughmills at Carey last week blowing Group One wide open again.

St Gall’s have the slightest glimmer of hope to reach the last four by way of a second-place finish despite losing their first two games, but only should they win their last two games - beginning with Friday’s home game against Carey - and then hope the stars align with a host of results falling in their favour.

Cloughmills and Glenarife sit on top with four points, but Oisin’s have played just two games and a victory away from home would confirm their semi-final status and leave Cloughmills then also facing a sweat in terms of other results as their group schedule will be complete.

Group Two loos set to be a four-way fight for those two semi-final places and Clooney Gaels look best placed as it stands with three wins from three to date. The Ahoghill men travel to Tír na nÓg who are one of the three teams tied on four points with the outcome of this one either adding a degree of certainty to the section or leaving it delicately poised going into the final round.

St Paul’s and Sarsfield’s are very much still in the hunt as they also sit on four points along with the Randalstown club and both will be going to bank points against the two teams who are already out of the running having lost their three games.

The Paddies host Glenravel and St Paul’s travel to Cushendun - all games in the group on Saturday - knowing they must not slip up or their hoes of a top-two finish could well fade there and then.

The Junior Hurling Championship is already at the knockout phase with group winners Rasharkin and Armoy able to sit back and await their semi-final opposition which will be decided in two all-city quarters.

Gort na Móna snatched a late draw against Lámh Dhearg in their final Group Two game and this was enough for the Turf Lodge side to claim second and with that, a home quarter-final against Ardoyne who lost both their games in the three-team Group One.

The Red Hands therefore finished third and they will now make the short trip to Davitt’s who were second in the opposite group.

There are also Junior B hurling knockout games on Saturday (both 3pm) with Loch Mór Dál gCais hosting Loughbeg Harps at Mallusk and Belfast Saints travel to Larne.
 
Batchshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship
Group One (Sunday 2pm)
Loughgiel v Ballycastle
 
Group Two (Saturday 6pm)
St John’s v O’Donovan Rossa
Cushendall v Dunloy
 
Andersonstown SC Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship
Group One (Friday 6.45pm)
St Gall’s v Carey
Cloughmills v Glenariffe
 
Group Two (Saturday 5pm unless stated)
Cushendun v St Paul’s (4pm)
Tír na nÓg v Clooney Gaels
Sarsfield’s v Glenravel
 
Casement SC Antrim Junior Hurling Championship
Quarter-finals (Saturday 3pm)
Gort na Móna v Ardoyne
Davitt’s v Lámh Dhearg
 
Junior B Hurling Championship
Both Saturday 3pm
Loch Mór Dál gCais v Loughbeg Harps
Larne v Belfast Saints