by THESAFFRONGAEL

Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship Draw

Last season’s semi-final of the Senior Football Championship between eventual winners Cargin and former champions St Gall’s was regarded by many as the game of the year, and indeed game of the decade.

A game in which Cargin snatched victory with the last kick of the game, a wonder strike from Tomas McCann. Well we could be on for a repeat, and who knows maybe a repeat of the other semi-final between Creggan and St John’s after the four seeded teams came out of the hat in Monday night’s draw at the Dunsilly Hotel.

Cargin joined St Galls, Creggan and St John’s as the seeded teams, progressing to the quarter-final. They will face the winners of Rossa or Division One newcomers, Gort na Mona.

The Erin’s Own manager Damian Cassidy told us they will be taking nothing for granted: “When it comes to the championship you have to beat all comers but no matter the opposition.

“In my experience of football, you can never make assumptions. That can have massive repercussions and we’ll be avoiding that.

“We will be fully prepared. We will prepare for that Quarter-Final match just like we did for the championship final.”

Last year’s beaten finalists Creggan will have an eye on the Lámh Dhearg and Ahoghill match as they face the winner of that last eight tie. 2017 beaten finalists St John’s will face the winners of Portglenone and St Brigid’s in their quarter-final.

Naomh Éanna’s award for claiming the Intermediate championship last year is a preliminary round tie against Aghagallon with the winners to face St Teresa’s in the last eight. The winner of that tie will take on St Galls, making up the quarter-final draw.

A few mouth-watering ties in prospect and it’s never easy to predict but we could have a repeat of last years all south-west final on our hands once again and the possibility of another Cargin and St Galls semi-final.

There’s plenty of football to be played between now and then however with plenty of sides fancying their chances of taking a scalp in the 2019 championship.

Preliminary Round

St Mary’s Aghagallon vs Naomh Éanna

Last 8

Lámh Dhearg vs Ahoghill Game 2

Prelim vs St Teresa’s Game 3

Gort na Mona vs Rossa Game 4

Portglenone vs St Brigid’s Game 5

Quarter-Final

Naomh Gall vs Game 3 winners QF1

Creggan vs Game 2 winners QF2

St John’s vs Game 5 winners QF 3

Cargin vs Game 4 winners QF4 Semi-Final

QF2 winner vs QF3 winner

QF1 winner vs QF4 winner