GROUP B gets underway this weekend when Portglenone host Glenravel and Rossa head to Crumlin to face Aldergrove in the opening fixture of this season's Senior Football Championship.

Arguably the most unpredictable group, Group B is certainly set to have some keenly contested match-ups.

Portglenone and Aldergrove boasted the best league form out of their group opponents with both placing inside the top half with Portglenone registering a fifth place finish with St James' reaching the mid-way position in eighth place.

Rossa had a less than impressive league campaign, with the Belfast side struggling the entire season resulting in a 15th placed finish, only managing to place above Ahoghill at the foot of the table.

Glenravel also struggled in their Division One campaign stumbling to a 12th placed finish in the top-tier.

The top two qualify for the quarter-finals this season, with each fourth placed side entering a group play-off with the loser of both the semi-final and final being relegated to the second-tier next season.

GROUP B

ROSSA

The Shaws Road men are the third most successful Antrim Senior club side, with a trophy haul of 13 Championships to their name. 

Unfortunately, for the saffron and blue their last celebration of the Padraig McNamee was almost four decades ago, with 1991 being the last time their name was etched into the trophy.

The West Belfast side have struggled this season, but with the return of Dominic McEnhill and Mick Byrne the Jeremiahs will be optimistic that they can improve upon their dismal league campaign as they strive to get past their group opponents.

The bookmakers have priced Rossa at 25/1 to lift this season's Senior Championship Title.

IMPACT: The return of Mick Byrne could be pivotal for Rossa
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IMPACT: The return of Mick Byrne could be pivotal for Rossa

GLENRAVEL (CON MAGEE'S)

Con Magee's struggled to a 12th placed finish in the topflight this season, but did manage five league victories including the scalp of fellow Group B competitor's Rossa earlier in the campaign.

Glenravel do have the luxury of a squad with volumes of youth players that narrowly were defeated by St Gall's in last seasons U-21 equivalent of the Antrim Championship, with Shea O'Brien enjoying a good scoring season for his side and could be one to keep an eye on.

The North Antrim side have earned a senior title on a single previous occasion back in 1966, but they are the furthest from the bookies favourite with their odds sat at an astronomical 90/1.

PORTGLENONE

Portglenone have certainly thrown their weight around in recent seasons as they have become a stalwart in Antrim's topflight finishing fifth place in Division One this year.

Last season was almost an historic one, after they almost clinched their first ever senior title after bringing Cargin the whole way to extra-time where Eunan Quinn and Tomas McCann proved the difference with late scores ending the hopes of Portglenone at Corrigan Park.

The Mid-Antrim side will be hopeful they can go one further and having previously beaten two of their Group B opponents, hammering Rossa and sneaking a single-point victory over Con Magee's during the most recent league campaign.

Last season's nearly-men are priced as second favourites, with a respectable 4/1 odds ahead of their Championship opener.

STAR-MAN: Dominic McEnhill's attacking prowess can spur Rossa on
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STAR-MAN: Dominic McEnhill's attacking prowess can spur Rossa on

ALDERGROVE (ST JAMES')

The Crumlin side enter the group as real underdogs after a good league campaign which saw them secure a top half finish in eighth place.

St James' ended the season on quite a sour note losing their final three games, with heavy defeats to league strugglers St John's and table-toppers Cargin, a leaky defence in recent weeks will be something they hope they can rectify in their championship group campaign.

Aldergrove have bloodied the noses of both Portglenone and Glenravel in the league season, but were on the end of a defeat by Rossa earlier in the campaign.

The bookmakers have priced St James' at 50/1 to etch their name on the Pádraig McNamee cup.

GROUP PREVIEW

Group B boasts the most unpredictable of the four Championship groups, with the sides all evenly matched having taken hits off one another throughout the 2025 season.

On paper Portglenone and Aldergrove would be the pick for spots one and two in Group B, but to underestimate the power of returning duo Mick Byrne and Dominic McEnhill for Rossa would be foolish, not to mention overlooking Con Magee's, which is never an easy trip for any side.

I believe that last year's finalists will clinch top spot, but the battle for second is up in the air for the other three sides but the county prowess of Byrne and McEnhill could prove the difference maker in this group.

FIXTURES

Portglenone v Glenravel – Portglenone – 1st August

Aldergrove v Rossa – Aldergrove – 2nd August

Rossa v Portglenone – Rossa – 16th August

Glenravel v Aldergrove – Glenravel - 17th August

Rossa v Glenravel – NEUTRAL – 31st August

Aldergrove v Portglenone – NEUTRAL – 31st August

Final Table Predictions:

1 - Portglenone
2 - Rossa
3 - Aldergrove
4 - Glenravel