THE business end of the Antrim Football Championships is now here with the knockout stages on our doorstep.

There are quarter-finals at Senior and Junior with added relegation playoffs in the top grade, while the Intermediate Championship also has a do-or-die fixture despite it still being at the group stage.

Tension and excitement in the Senior Championship is now fully building as the last eight teams have emerged from the pack following the group phase as the Padriag MacNamee Cup comes into view for the remaining challengers.

The first of the quarter-finals takes place at Portglenone on Friday evening as county champions Cargin take on Ahoghill in a game very few will expect the Erin’s Own men to lose.

Ronan Devlin’s men marched through their three games in Group Two in impressive fashion, swatting aside Rossa, St John’s and Tír na nÓg to sound warning they are not in any mood to loosen their grip on the trophy and their know-how at this stage makes them a formidable proposition for every team remaining.

Ahoghill will be happy with how they recovered from an opening defeat to Portglenone to go on and better Glenravel and Moneyglass to get to this stage, but the challenge they face is as tough as they come in Antrim with the St Mary’s men needing something very special to cause the upset.

Portglenone were just as impressive with their three wins in Group Three and will enter Saturday’s game against St John’s at Dunsilly as many people’s tip to return to the last four.

However, the Johnnies enter this with a sling in their step as they got over the line against Rossa to seal second place in their group despite losing Daire King to a straight red which means he misses out, but Aaron Douglas will be going county star Conor Hand can return having missed out against Rossa through injury.

The Corrigan Park outfit will be happy enough to come in under the radar but will need to produce their best performance of the season against Casement’s who have built nicely.

There are two last eight fixtures set for Sunday with the first taking place in Glenavy where Lámh Dhearg take on Creggan in what looks the tie of the round.

The Red Hands had a very underwhelming league campaign, but that mattered little as Championship began as they went three for three in Group One, romping to an opening win over Naomh Éanna and followed up with wins by nine and seven against Aldergrove and Dunloy respectively to suggest they have times their run for 2024 to perfection.

Creggan managed to claim second in the ‘Group of Death’ as they banked wins over Aghagallon and St Gall’s with the 2021 champions build towards a game in which both teams’ credentials will be tested to the fullest.

Later in the day in Toome, it’s an intriguing meeting between league winners St Brigid’s and last year’s finalists, Dunloy.

The Biddies will be delighted with how their year has gone so far with that title followed by three wins in the very tough Group Four that suggests they are real contenders this season, but face a Dunloy team that has proven to any remaining doubters last year was no fluke and this sets up a game which could well steal the show.

Also on Sunday, the four teams that finished bottom of the groups find themselves in relegation semi-finals with St Gall’s and Naomh Éanna bidding to save their Senior status there and then, while Moneyglass and Tír na nÓg also meet to avoid the final.

In Group One of the Intermediate Championship, St Paul’s and St Teresa’s have already sealed the top two spots with all to be decided is which is first and second.

Both have five points so the situation is that St Teresa’s, who have the inferior scoring difference, are hoping to better the result of their neighbours when they travel to Lisburn, but should St Paul’s win against an Ardoyne side already condemned to bottom place, the Glen Road club will need to better the margin of victory by 16 to go top.

In Group Two, it’s a straight shootout as Glenavy host Ballymena with the winner - or Ballymena with a draw on scoring difference - joining Sarsfield’s in the semi-finals.

A Glenavey win will see them go top on head-to-head with the Paddies, while Ballymena can only finish second having lost at the Bear Pit earlier in the competition.

Also in the group, Davitt’s host Gort na Móna with a win required to push the Turf Lodge side into bottom spot.

On Saturday, the two Junior quarter-finals take place with the winners advancing into the semi-finals where St Agnes’ and St Comgall’s already lie in wait.

Perase’s host Éire Óg at The Cricky with the winner earning a crack at the Antrim town side, while the Aggies await the winner of the game at Cherryvale between St Malachy’s and Laochra Loch Lao.
 
Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship
Quarter-finals
Cargin v Ahoghill (Portglenone, Friday, 7.30pm)
Portglenone v St John’s (Dunsilly, Saturday, 4pm)
Lámh Dhearg v Creggan  (Glenavy, Sunday, 1.30pm)
St Brigid’s v Dunloy (Toome, Sunday, 4pm)
 
Relegation semi-finals
Glenravel v Tír na nÓg (Ballymena, Sunday, 2pm)
Naomh Éanna v St Gall’s (Hannahstown, Sunday, 5pm)
 
OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship
Group One (first team at home)
St Paul’s v Ardoyne (Saturday, 2pm)
St Patrick’s, Lisburn v St Teresa’s (Saturday, 2pm)
 
Group Two (first team at home)
Glenavy v All Saints Ballymena (Saturday, 5pm)
Davitt’s v Gort na Móna (Saturday, 5pm)
 
Graham Tarmac Antrim Junior Football Championship
Quarter-finals (first team at home)
Na Piarsaigh v Éire Óg (Saturday, 5pm)
St Malachy’s v Laochra Loch Lao (Saturday, 6pm)