Senior Championship draw throws up thrilling ties!

Last Monday’s Masonite Senior Football Championship draw has thrown some up some exciting groups, with some teams receiving a significantly more difficult path to the Championship final.

Champions St. Mary’s will be hoping to qualify from Group 4, most likely along with Allen Gaels and ahead of last year’s Senior B winners, Sean O’Heslin’s. Carrigallen will feel that they could cause an upset, but Glenfarne/Kiltyclogher will really struggle to make an impact.

2003 Runners-up St. Caillin’s make their way through to the quarter-finals from Group 1 along with 1999 Champions Glencar/Manorhamilton, with Ballinaglera, Annaduff and Cloone hoping for a shock victory against one of the big two to squeeze through.

Group 2 is arguably the weakest group, with Bornacoola, Aughawillan, Mohill, Kiltubrid and Drumkeerin all in with a fair chance of making it the quarter-finals, where they’ll meet the qualifiers from Group 1.

However, Group 3 will be the Group of Death with Melvin Gaels and Aughavas, Champions from 1998 and 2000 respectively, being thrown in alongside perennial contenders Gortletteragh and League Champions Drumreilly. Indeed, this is third year in a row that Gortletteragh will face Drumreilly. Adding to the tension, Aughavas Manager PJ Carroll was in charge of Gortletteragh last year! One really has to feel sorry for Aughnasheelin who finished pointless at the bottom of their Championship group last year before finishing bottom of Division 1A.

To add to the difficulties on the latter side of the draw, the winners and runners-up of Group 3 and Group 4 will face each other in the quarter-finals. Certainly, any team on this side of the draw will would be deserved Champions should they be lifting the silverware next autumn.

Full details of the draw are available on the Championship section. Dates for al games will be announced shortly.

 

 

28-Feb-04 by Paddy Reilly