All County League kicks off 25.03.10
Division 2
Buncrana v Malin (Saturday, 3.30pm)
A large travelling crowd is sure to descend on the
Scarvey on Saturday to see the latest instalment of the
Buncrana-Malin senior football rivalry. This early in
the season, it’s a tough outcome to call. Both sides
competed in the pre-season Ulster Football League, with
Malin notching up a couple of good results. Malin
welcome back Damian Harkin and Gerard Greene to the
senior ranks while Buncrana will expect Ryan Bradley and
Odhran Doherty to lead the way for them.
Sean Kelly, who led the Malin men into the senior ranks,
has returned from Australia for a family wedding and may
make an appearance over the hour.
Home advantage hasn’t always paid off in this fixture,
and with a better pre-season behind them, Malin are
taken to win.
Division 3
Urris v Naomh Mhuire (Sunday, 3pm)
Naomh Mhuire are the visitors to Straid on Sunday.
Promoted from Division 4 and Division 3 in successive
years under manager John Joe Doherty, Naomh Mhuire were
relegated from Division 2 last season and will provide a
stern test for John Friel’s men. However, their home
record at Straid is such that they’ll be confident of
getting a result. County panellist Eddie Kelly should be
available to the home side and will provide the
leadership around the middle, while Barney and Alan
Friel will be a scoring threat up front. Urris to
maintain their proud home record with a win.
Moville v Naomh Bríd (Sunday, 3pm)
Back in Division 3 after a year in Division 4, Moville
will be keen to make home advantage count against
Ballintra at the Carrick Field. Youngster Enda Faulkner
continues to impress with the county minors, while Danny
Murphy is part of the county U21 squad. Oran McDermott
and Seamus Hegarty will play key roles on Sunday against
a team overly dependent on county star David Walsh.
Walsh will take watching for the whole hour, but if
Moville can keep him under wraps, they can mark their
return to Division 3 with a win.
Carndonagh v Milford (Saturday, 3pm)
Promoted from Division 3 alongside Moville last term,
Milford travel to Carndonagh on Saturday but will find
the home side in no mood to roll out the red carpet.
Having established themselves in Division 3 last year,
manager Kieran Canny will hope to push his young team on
to greater things in 2010. They have had a low key start
to the season but Darragh McLaughlin, Kevin Doherty and
Feargal Matthews impressed in last week’s game against
Sligo side Cloonacool, a game played in memory of the
late Joe McLaughlin (Roe). For the visitors, Paddy
Peoples is a competent defender while Christopher
Barrett will provide a real scoring threat up front.
That said, Carndonagh should have enough about them to
prevail.
Division 4
Naomh Pádraig Iskaheen v Naomh Colmcille (Saturday,
3.30pm)
Naomh Pádraig embark on another season in the bottom
tier harbouring hopes of promotion. They face an
up-and-coming Naomh Colmcille side that have been
bolstered by the addition of former Armagh senior
footballer Barry O’Hagan. With Richie Clarke growing in
stature at midfield and PJ McGrath dependable at the
back, the Newtown men are no longer the whipping boys of
old. Muff manager Aiden McAleer will look to Eunan
Keaveney, Oisin McColgan and Aidan Lynch for leadership.
But if there’s to be a shock on the first weekend of the
All County League, Ture could be the place. Naomh
Colmcille to win. |
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