LAST season’s Junior Championship saw the crowning of St Agnes’ for the first time since the 1970s as the Aggies managed to power through everyone in their path to clinch a League and Championship double and dominate proceedings without too much stress.
This season’s Championship however looks to be a far more competitive one with the teams who compete in Division Three only being clinched by Rasharkin by the slimmest of margins and pipping O’Donnell’s to the title by just the two points.
Even then the top five in the table were separated by six points from first placed Rasharkin to fifth placed and last season’s finalists Pearse’s.
The group phase of the Junior level is often where the favourites thrive, but this season the groups are very evenly matched and could see any reverse ranking for each stage.
The third tier is no doubt a fantastic and competitive Championship, and without a clear winner this season it truly is up in the air as to who will be crowned Junior champions.
JFC Group One
Pearse’s
The finalists in 2025 will no doubt be desperate to repeat that feat and hopefully return to their glory days of four seasons ago where they toughed it out with O'Donnell's and clinched the crown back in 2022.
The North Belfast club have always been a side who know how to adjust their levels when it comes to the Championship, and are no stranger to battling it out for the gold. If the men from north of the city can re-kindle some of their form in last season's competition, and if the the shooting boots of their star-man Liam Deegan can be found, then it is fair to say they have as good a chance as anyone at this level.
Key Player: Liam Deegan
Best Finish: Winners (2022)
Predicted Group Finish: 2nd
Laochra Loch Lao
The Gaeilgeoirí have yet to really break through at Junior level as they had hoped since their inception in 2006, but since they have established the 400 mark for members in the club it feels like it is only a matter of time before they out-do themselves in the men's game.
With the addition of some new stars, 2026 could well prove to be the year which Laochra offer themselves a chance to be successful and establish themselves as a club on the up. The club haven't had the best league campaign but are regularly in the final four of the third tier and I expect, should the stars align, be up for another competitive season.
Key Player: Dubhaltach MacCrabhagain
Best Finish: Semi-Finals (2025)
Predicted Group Finish: 3rd
St Mary’s Rasharkin
For the first time in Rasharkin, the footballers will be competing at a level lower than their small ball compatriots with the 2023 Junior title winners falling into disarray last season when they had succumb to the drop in Division Two after three years at the level.
Since their relegation they made the immediate bounce back to the second-tier and did so with only two defeats all season in Division Three and pipping O'Dee's to the title. One thing is certain, they are undoubtedly favourites and they will be hoping the league celebrations have been capped for now as a double is on the cards if they apply themselves over the next few months.
Key Player: Colm Kennedy
Best Finish: Winners (2023)
Predicted Group Finish: 1st
St Malachy’s
The men from South Belfast are often forgotten when it comes to this level, and for the most part in the 2010's they were a serious force when it came to competing in the Junior Championship and were known for their tough mannered-style of football which brought them success many moons ago.
The past few years have been a struggle for St Malachy's but they did reach the semi-final back in 2024, and all hope is not lost for them, however their group phase is one that is not for the faint-hearted and with just one win all season it's hard to look past an early exit this season for the Malachians.
Key Player: Pearse Quinn
Best Finish: Winners (2014)
Predicted Group Finish: 4th
JFC Group Two
Ardoyne Kickhams
Football has seemed to fall to the wayside in the North of the city for the men from the Cricky and that is no slant on the club after their hurling exploits this season has seen them climb the ranks, but without a doubt the proud men from Ardoyne will look to rectify their recent form at this stage and want to fly the flag in North Belfast once again.
League form is normally hard to gauge whether a side is equipped to deal with the frantic nature of the Championship. Ardoyne will be eyeing up an improved performance on their league campaign and will be hopeful they can reach the knockout phase for another consecutive season.
Key Player: Odhran McKee
Best Finish: Winners (2020)
Predicted Group Finish: 3rd
FAVOURITES: Rasharkin will go in as the favourite to win the big ball
St Brigid’s Cloughmills
The new boys will be hoping they can cause a few bloody noses and they already have with their victories over St Malachy's and Ardoyne earlier in the league campaign which has given them hope that they will not earn the 'whipping boys' trope when it comes the Championship.
A club known for their competitive nature when it comes to the small ball, but this year they took a leap of faith and have been strong in parts throughout their Division Three exploits. It may be a bridge too far to get past the group phase, but they will be eyeing up third spot as their chance to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Key Player: Aiden McNeill
Best Finish: First year entering
Predicted Group Finish: 4th
Éire Óg
What is worse than watching your closest rivals win a Championship? Losing to them in the semi-final and being unable to make much of an attempt to stop them in the Aggies pursuit of the gold.
The Derriaghy club are often in the latter stages and this year looked favourable to win the third tier at one point only for a string of defeats which cost them any real hope of promotion back to the Second Division.
If they can put a run together and get a few bodies back from overseas then it really could be interesting to see if the Óg's can do the damage they've looked destined to do since the century turned.
Key Player: Eoin Dixon
Best Finish: Winners (2001)
Predicted Group Finish: 2nd
O’Donnell’s
The Whiterock Road side have been quietly rebuilding at this level for a few seasons and have managed to blend youth and experience with the squad to find a solid foundation as they look to rise from the ashes after a few seasons on the back-burner in Belfast GAA.
O'Dees are a club steeped in history but since that Championship title win 15 years ago they have struggled to really get too deep in the competition with just one final appearance since Covid coming in 2022 where they lost to Pearse's.
They'll no doubt be confident this year they can run the glory years back after they took Rasharkin to the final meeting between the sides for the league to be decided. Hope is slowly stirring inside the clubrooms of Cardinal O'Donnell's.
Key Player: Padraig McKissock
Best Finish: Winners (2011)
Predicted Group Finish: 1st
Winners: Rasharkin
Dark Horse: O'Donnell's
The Junior Championship begins on Friday July 31st, all games are available with the Antrim GAA pass, available online via the Antrim GAA website.
We will be bringing you Matchday Live, post-match reports and weekly round-ups throughout the campaign, stay tuned for the latest news in Antrim GAA.
