Gaelic Games: St Brigid’s host Cargin in top-of-the-table clash

THE battle to gain a top for or avoid a bottom four playoff in football’s Division One is heating up as both ends of the table are finely balanced.

Cargin’s win over Creggan in midweek means the four-way tie at the to is reduced to three, and that will likely change again this Sunday evening when they visit Musgrave Park.

St Brigid’s are the hosts and with the Biddies also back to winning ways during the week, the two sides, along with Portglenone, are all level on 18 points. Therefore, unless there is a draw in the south of the city, the leading group will thin out even further.

That could mean just one team at the top should Portglenone come unstuck on their travels to Creggan who will be bidding to ensure they don’t lose further ground and potentially drop out of the top four.

St Gall’s will be disappointed by the manner of their defeat in Ballymena on Wednesday that leaves them with little wriggle room if they are to break into the top four and they host a Naomh Éanna side who are sitting in mid-table.

At the other end, there are three teams locked on as many points and two of them meet in the Glens as Glenravel host Aldergrove with victory required to give any chance of moving away from the relegation playoff zone. Moneyglass is the other side in that bottom group and they are at Rossa who will go a long way to avoiding the bottom playoffs with a win.

St John’s are fourth from bottom as it stands, so they too need to start banking a few wins and they host a Tír na nÓg side with ambitions at the other end as the Randalstown side are in fifth, just one behind Creggan in fourth.

Aghagallon are just one point above the Johnnies and they host Lámh Dhearg who are not out of the woods either, just two points above St John’s.

The other fixture will see a resurgent Ballymena travel to Ahoghill hoping to bank another win that would give them a shot at the top four.

It’s just as fascinating in Division Two that will its second round of post-split games.
In the top half, St Paul’s have the bye, so it afford St Teresa’s – currently one point above at the top – the opportunity to put the pressure on by extending their lead at the top when they travel to Glenavy.

Davitt’s sat out midweek and they host St Patrick’s, Lisburn, with the opportunity to stay in the hunt for the title should they win as they are four off the top with a game in hand.
In the bottom section, it’s not looking good for Ardoyne who have yet to get off the mark despite going close against Gort na Móna on Wednesday and they have a trip to Dunloy on Sunday. The Gorts travel to Rasharkin with Sarsfield’s enjoying the day off.

There are just three games in Division Three set for Sunday.

It doesn’t seem there will be any stoping St Comgall’s who are still perfect this season and the Antrim town side are at home to Laochra Loch Lao who are part of a three-way tie of teams six adrift on 12 points.

O’Donnell’s lost further ground during the week with defeat to St Agnes’ and they will bid to get back in the winning column against bottom side, Wolfe Tone’s, while the Aggies are at Pearse’s who also lost in the week.

Weekend football fixtures
(Sunday 6pm unless stated, subject to change)
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
St John’s v Tír na nÓg 
Rossa v Moneyglass
Ahoghill v Ballymena
St Gall’s v Naomh Éanna
Creggan v Portglenone (5.30pm)
Glenravel v Aldergrove 
St Brigid’s v Cargin
Aghagallon v Lámh Dhearg
 
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division 2A
Davitt’s v St Patrick’s, Lisburn
Glenavy v St Teresa’s 
 
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division 2B
Dunloy v Ardoyne
Rasharkin v Gort na Móna 
 
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Three
St Comgall’s v Laochra Loch Lao
Wolfe Tones v O’Donnell’s 
Na Piarsaigh v St Agnes’