Senior Derry teams focus on latter stages of competition

Senior Football Championship Round 3

There are 12 teams still in the hunt to lift the John McLaughlin Cup with the safety net of a second chance now gone.

Glen, Sleacht Néill, Steelstown and Magherafelt are already in a seeded quarter-final draw.

Joining them, in the other pot, will be the winners of this weekend’s four qualifying games from a round that includes reigning champions Newbridge.

Saturday’s first game is a meeting of Bellaghy and Faughanvale.

Ten years ago, Michael Mclaughlin coached Faughanvale on their way to an Ulster Junior final under player/manager Joe Gray.

He is not Damian Cassidy’s right-half man with the Tones who haven’t won the title since Cassidy steered them to glory 20 years ago.

They could be without Derry’s Paul Cassidy who limped out of Bellaghy’s defeat to Slaughtneil just as the Emmet’s were getting back level and Cahal McKaigue’s goal opened the gap.

Bellaghy have Cassidy’s son Peter at midfield, with goalkeeper Peter Stuart continuing his impressive form.

In attack, Eoghan Brown is rolling back the years with Charlie Diamond and Damon Gallagher regular scorers.

The ‘Vale’s league campaign suggests there has been progress being made and they have a puncher’s chance or booking a quarter-final space.

Eoin McElhinney, Jude Bryson and Paddy O’Kane are scoring forwards on their day.

Michael Sweeney is an excellent defender with Jordan Curran a central figure on the middle third, but they go in as underdogs.

Saturday’s second game pits Newbridge against Loughshore rivals Loup.

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After losing to Dungiven, Newbridge looked both hungry and potent in victory over Swatragh, still leaving two goals behind them.

Callum McGrogan limped out with an ankle injury and will be a doubt for his weekend.

Loup will be kicking themselves. After leading by three points, they were hit by a late Steelstown 1-3 salvo.

Manager Declan McVey will have his minor players after they were rested for Saturday’s final, including midfielder Dylan Rocks.

Caolan and Ciaran Devlin will be hoping for a decent supply of ball to ask plenty of questions of the champions.

Sunday’s first game at Owenbeg gives Lavey a chance to bounce back from defeat to Magherafelt but they’ll face a Kilrea team on a high after beating Ballinascreen.

It was the manner of the win. After being taken to extra-time, they finished stronger with James Kielt thumping over two-point scores.

Daithí McLaughlin is having a fine season, with Kielt and Tommy Rogers an strong midfield pairing.

The talking point in their last game was the deployment of goalkeeper Louis Regan to full forward, with Cailean O’Boyle between the posts.

This is a test for Lavey. For Kilrea, they’ll be looking for a repeat performance.

Lavey will hope the knock-out nature will get the juices flowing enough to serve up a performance to excite. And to win.

Banagher and Dungiven’s derby encounter is the showpiece final game of the weekend.

Dungiven have beaten Newbridge. Banagher, who parted company with manager Padraig O’Kane, came from 12 points down to beat Ballinderry.

James McNicholl will have had a tough 10 days building his players back up mentally.

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They’ll need someone to put a lid on scoring ace Tiarnán Moore. Elsewhere, Peter Hagan, Gaivin O’Neill and Eamon Óg Feeney make Banagher tick.

Dungiven face a mental test. Where are they? The team who bossed Newbridge of the team who failed to stop Glen’s surge.

A big game but Dungiven to shade it. Only just.

Saturday (Owenbeg) - 3pm Faughanvale v Bellaghy; 4.45pm Newbridge v Loup

Sunday (Owenbeg) - 3pm Kilrea v Lavey; 4.45pm Banagher v Dungiven

Senior top scorers - Cahir McMonagle Steelstown 1-23; Sean Kearney Swatragh 2-17; Shane McGuigan Slaughtneil 0-21; Tiarnan Moore Banagher 0-20; James Kielt Kilrea 0-19; Ryan Bell Ballinderry 0-18; Ciaran Devlin Loup 1-12; Tiarnán McHugh Drumsurn 2-6