Derry Senior Football Championship preview: Quarter final spots on the line

Derry’s Senior Football Championship enters its final round of the group stage with plenty to play for as the teams fight it out for quarter final qualification.

Slaughtneil v Dungiven

Slaughtneil - 2:30 pm - Sunday

Slaughtneil have impressed this championship, as they started with a statement win against current holders Glen before kicking on to demonstrate their quality, winning every game of the competition with relative ease and control. 

Little would expect anything different in their final group game with the opportunity to maintain their perfect record. 

Their opponents secured their progress to the next round of the championship after two victories over Bellaghy and Kilrea, respectively.

Dungiven will take confidence from their narrow defeat to Glen last round ahead of this fixture to cause an upset this weekend as they look to secure their third position in the group. 

In order to achieve this, they will need another defensive display against a side that has found scoring an easy proposition in each of their previous four games, as Shane McGuigan has hit top form this championship. 

Slaughtneil will be favourites, but with the top spot and qualification to the quarterfinals already wrapped up, Dungiven may hope for some complacency.

Glen v Kilrea

Glen - 2:30 pm - Sunday

Both sides come into this fixture knowing their fate already. 

Glen have secured their qualification to the knockout phases in second position, while the senior league champions Kilrea have been eliminated.

However, Malachy O’Rourke’s All Ireland club champions have not looked convincing in their defence of their titles. 

Narrow wins over Dungiven and Bellaghy, and while they got the job done, they have not looked as convincing as they have done in their previous Derry championship victories over the last three years. 

This weekend could be the perfect chance to put a marker down and make everyone sit up again and fear the imposing proposition of Glen.

Meanwhile, Kilrea will sign off their season this year at the weekend, and they will be looking at doing so with a win.

They have not managed that feat in this year’s championship, and this will disappoint them, so to restore some pride in the team after a fine league campaign, a win against the current senior championship holders would be a great way to end the season.

Glen will be favourites, but like every other game they have played in this competition, expect it to be close.

Swatragh v Bellaghy

Swatragh - 2:30 pm - Sunday

A winner takes all fixture.

Neither side has won in the competition since the first round, and so they will need to rediscover their ability to do so to progress to the knockout stage.

The game sees the lowest scores of the group travel to the side with the leakiest defence in this final round fixture. 

Nothing but a win for Bellaghy will see them progress as they travel to Swatragh, and they will have to loosen the shackles and release their attackers to do so.

Meanwhile, Swatragh know if they shut up shop and avoid defeat, they will progress.

Bellaghy could not live with Slaughtneil last time out and will look to put this behind them.

Swatragh will be slight favourites with home advantage in this affair, but Bellaghy know they have all the ability and quality to grab the vital victory to extend their championship.

Loup v Magherafelt

Loup - 2:30 pm - Sunday

Loup have everything to play for, meanwhile Magherafelt have already discovered their fate within the group. 

Magherafelt secured their progress to the quarterfinals with a victory over Ballinascreen last weekend and second place in the group. 

Meanwhile, Loup were outclassed by Lavey as the intermediate league champions hit top gear as they hosted Loup.

Loup are still in control of their fate, and a win will qualify them for the knockout phase.

However, to ensure this happens, they will need to improve defensively, as they currently have the worst record in the competition for conceding scores. While their opponents, Magherafelt, may not be the highest point takers, they are a clinical machine that can edge sides out in a narrow game. 

Magherafelt would be considered favourites, but they are only playing to continue their form, while Loup need the victory, and so this may spur them on to a decisive win.

Lavey v Steelstown

Lavey - 2:30 pm - Sunday

The intermediate league champions have not missed a beat since returning to senior level after a year in the division below. 

It took Lavey until the third game of the competition to secure their first win after two narrow defeats, yet in every match they held their own and looked impressive.

One more win and Lavey will have secured their qualification for the next phase of the competition, but it may not be needed if results elsewhere go their way.

However, they would not want that to be the case.

A win over Steelstown will secure their progress while knocking out the city side.

Steelstown have struggled at times in this year’s championship, as witnessed in their opening fixture against Magherafelt. 

Since then they have given a good account of themselves but will need to find a higher gear to qualify for the quarterfinals. 

Lavey will be favourites as they have impressed many this campaign, and Steelstown will need to win for the first time in a month.

Ballinascreen v Newbridge

Ballinascreen - 2:30 pm - Sunday

A game many may consider a dud.

Both clubs know their fate.

Newbridge have impressed and will look for a win to continue their perfect record in the competition, as they have qualified for the quarterfinals at the at the top of the group.

Meanwhile, the hosts' defeat to Magherafelt last time out eliminated them from the competition.

Oisin Doherty will look to carry on his fine form after he scored over half of Newbridge’s scores last time out in the championship with six points in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Steelstown.

Ballinascreen will be looking to gain their first win of the championship as they exit the competition, as their wait for a senior championship stretches to 52 years.