Down Ladies Fixtures/Results and Round-Up

Round-up

In the Junior League, Tullylish had a comprehensive win over visiting St. Michaels to keep the pressure on the top two. Pride of place however goes to Ballymartin who are the first team to pick up silverware in 2009 when they won the U-16 ‘A’ league after completing a league program undefeated. Carryduff were runners-up in what was a very closely contested division. Both these teams will meet in the Q/F of the championship in August in a game which promises to be a thriller. The big game in the ‘B’ division was the meeting of Annaclone and Saul. The South Down side needed to win to remain in contention for honours and in a very clinical display of football they took both points on offer. Both these teams are now sitting joint top and with Clonduff slowly climbing the table it may take a play-off to sort out the winner unless one of these teams slip up on the final run-in.

The week ahead

The Leagues take centre stage with games scheduled midweek and Saturday evening.

Midweek

On Tuesday evening in the Senior League, Clonduff will have met Saval in a much anticipated encounter. Home advantage will give the Hilltown girls a slight advantage but Saval are playing the better football at the moment and an upset cannot be ruled out. Castlewellan entertain Downpatrick and they will be fully expected to take both the points on offer to consolidate 2nd spot in the league. The hoops however have taken a few big scalps of late and are certainly no pushover. The Town to win but they will be pushed all the way. On Wednesday evening Bryansford travel to Annaclone and they should have enough firepower to make it a worthwhile trip. Meanwhile over in Petit park Rostrevor will welcome the league leaders and they are unlikely to make any headway against the Belles who are winning for fun at the moment.

In the Intermediate League, Ballymartin face a re-juvenated Burren side. Games between both these sides are always close and I don’t expect this one to be any different with home advantage swaying the balance in favour of the lilywhites. League leaders, Carryduff make the short trip to Bredagh and they will be fully expected to maintain their 100% league record at the long whistle. Loughinisland entertain Bright. The Blues are still pointless though they have come close on a few occasions to changing this statistic. On paper Bright should advance but with one eye clearly focused on a championship Q/F replay on Saturday evening Loughinisland may be able to take advantage and an upset could be the end result. Kilcoo travel to take on Shamrocks. The magpies will start as favourite’s virtue of their recent championship victory over the same opponents. They will also know that Shamrocks put it up to them on that occasion and they will need to focus for the full sixty minutes to ensure both points return home to Owen Roe Park.

Leagues – Saturday

On Saturday evening Bryansford welcome Saval. The previous encounter between both teams was absolutely enthralling with no shortage of twists and turns before Bryansford scrambled over the finishing line with a narrow victory. Saval will wonder how they lost that game and will be keen to make amends. I expect this game to be as interesting with the Newry girls causing an upset. Clonduff travel to Annaclone and they should have little trouble in securing the win. Annaclone are slowly running out of games and unless they start to pick up a few wins their senior status is looking precarious. League leaders Bredagh face their sternest test to date when they meet Castlewellan. The Town were dumped out of the championship by the Belles and they will know that a victory at Cherryvale will lead to an interesting run-in. Bredagh will start as strong favourites for the points but a Town team up for a match are capable of rattling a few cages.

In the Intermediate league the big game is the meeting of Carryduff and Ballymartin. Carryduff are running away with the league with a 100% record but if any team in this division are capable of changing that statistic then it is the lilywhites. The wide expanses of Carryduff Park may well suit the open football played by both teams but I fancy Ballymartin to lift their game and take the points. A win will throw open the league and a Carryduff wobble at this stage could be fatal to their league aspirations. Loughinisland meet Shamrocks and if the last game is any indicator then we are up for another high scoring affair. Shamrocks will be favourites but if the blues are at full strength then an upset is a distinct possibility.

In the Junior league, Drumgath meet St. Michaels in what is likely to be a close match. I fancy Drumgath to advance but it will be nip and tuck all the way. Aughlisnafin should keep the pressure on the leaders with a win at Saul. The Fin have been playing well lately and their experience should see them safely through. The big game however is the meeting of Teconnaught and Clonduff where there was only a kick of a ball between both teams in the previous round. Clonduff are wily old campaigners and they always manage to lift their game against the big guns. I expect them to make life difficult with a home win a good bet.

U-16 League

Bryansford meet Teconnaught and this match is likely to be a lot closer than first expected with Teconnaught possibly just shading it. Annaclone fresh from their win over challengers Saul are unlikely to slip up at Rostrevor and I fully expect them to continue their push for the title. Shamrocks and Carryduff ‘B’ is really too close to call and a draw is a possibility. Saval and Castlewellan are both sitting mid-table and play a similar style of football, on this occasion I fancy the Town to come through with both points in the bag. Clonduff entertain Bright and the yellows will be expected to win and keep the pressure on as they are still potentially in the mix for the title along with Annaclone and Saul.

Championship Q/F’s

Bright and Burren meet in a much anticipated Intermediate Championship Q/F replay on Saturday evening in Bright. The last encounter went to the wire with the East Down side claiming a draw with the very last kick of the leather. Bright have stuttered of late and the short break as the County team made preparations for their Championship debut may have been just the tonic to re-group. Burren on the other hand have found a rich vein of form and this may justify the favourite’s tag that they will carry into this game. They will wonder how they didn’t put this game away in St. Mary’s Park and provided they don’t carry any doubts into the match then I think they might just have enough in the tank to advance. I don’t expect there to be much in this game and it may take the extra time to sort it out.

St. Johns travel to Tullylish in the Junior championship and it is hard to see anything but a win for Tullylish. Tullylish have put an impressive series of wins behind them in the league against the top teams and have slowly crept up into third place and it is this kind of form that makes them real contenders for the championship title. St. Johns haven’t played in a few weeks and this lack of match play will certainly hamper any chance of an upset.

Other News

All clubs are reminded that tickets and monies for the County Draw should be returned to Paul Kelly asap.

The name and contact information of every clubs children’s officer needs to be returned to Irene Fitzsimmons asap Irene.Fitzsimons@btinternet.com

The next County Board meeting is scheduled for Monday 27th July at 8pm in the Thierafurth Inn.

Fixtures

Monday 22nd June @ 700pm
Junior League
Teconnaught v Drumgath (Charlie McAlinden)

Tuesday 23rd June @ 7:00pm
Senior League
Clonduff v Saval (M. O’Rourke)
Castlewellan v Downpatrick (O. Burke)

Wednesday 24th June @ 7:00pm
Senior League
Annaclone v Bryansford (B. Andrews)
Rostrevor v Bredagh (P. McDaid)

Intermediate League @ 7:00pm
Ballymartin v Burren (G. Brannigan)
Bredagh v Carryduff (F. McMullan)
Loughinisland v Bright (P. Gelston)
Shamrocks v Kilcoo (G. Corrigan)

U-16 League @ 7:00pm
Carryduff v Clonduff (C. Reynolds)

Saturday 27th June @ 7:00pm
Senior League
Bryansford v Saval (G. Brannigan)
Annaclone v Clonduff (E. O’Hare)
Bredagh v Castlewellan (G. Tumelty)
Downpatrick v Rostrevor (E. McElroy)

Intermediate League
Carryduff v Ballymartin (O. Burke)
Bredagh v Burren OFF
Loughinisland v Shamrocks (C. McAlinden)
Kilcoo v Bright OFF

Junior League
St. Johns v Mayobridge OFF
St. Michael’s v Drumgath (R. Barry)
Saul v Aughlisnafin (A. Grant)
Teconnaught v Clonduff (J. McMullan)

Intermediate Ch’ship Q/F Replay
Extra Time if necessary
Bright v Burren (G. Corrigan)

Junior Ch’ship Q/F
Extra Time if necessary
Tullylish v St. Johns (M. Devlin)

Sunday June 28th: U-16 League @ 12:30pm

Bryansford v Teconnaught (P. Cairns)
Annaclone v Rostrevor (D. Kearns)
Shamrocks v Carryduff B (P. McClorey)
Saval v Castlewellan (P. McDaid)
Bright v Clonduff (J. Magennis)

Results

Junior League
Clonduff v St. Johns OFF
Tullylish 2-24 St. Michaels 0-05
Mayobridge v Aughlisnafin no result

U-16 League
Teconnaught D/F Bosco W/O
Bredagh 0-07 Ballymartin 2-12
Carryduff W/O Downpatrick D/F
Burren v Bryansford OFF
Annaclone 6-09 Saul 1-02
Bright 5-06 Carryduff B 4-07
Shamrocks v Rostrevor no result
Clonduff 5-04 Castlewellan 3-06