Emphatic wins for Craigbane and Desertmartin as group battles ignite
Intermediate championship round-up
The opening round of the McFeely Group Derry Intermediate Football Championship got underway last weekend, with the second tier of Gaelic football on the Foyleside producing what is arguably the most wide-open championship in recent memory.
The intermediate grade, which consists of four groups of three, will see the top two in each group advance to the quarter-final stages after a round-robin phase that will see four of the 12 clubs eliminated.
The opening game of the championship took place in Group C on Friday evening, as goals proved the difference in Billy Doran Park, with Drumsurn edging St Malachy’s Castledawson 2-14 to 0-14.
St Matthew's, who are entering their centenary year, are one of a number of sides with genuine ambitions of lifting the Sheridan, Bateson and Lee Cup at the end of the year, having suffered relegation from senior football last year.
They had routinely reached the final four of the second tier prior to the championship restructuring ahead of the 2025 season, which saw them parachuted into the top tier for the first time in a generation, and that will certainly be the target once again as they aim to climb their way up the ranks.
Likewise, Castledawson and beaten 2025 finalists Greenlough would be among the strongest teams in the second tier in what has been dubbed by some to be the group of death.
St Malachy’s will have their season on the line next weekend when they entertain Greenlough on Saturday afternoon, while Drumsurn will repay the favour to St Oliver Plunkett’s a week later in the final round of action.
On Saturday afternoon, Desertmartin eased past the challenge of Ballymaguigan to get their campaign off the ground. St Martin’s failed to exit the group phase last year but already have one foot in the final eight thanks to a 2-18 to 1-11 victory over the east Derry men.
They will also be among the favourites in this year’s championship, with Derry sharpshooter Lachlan Murray central to their aspirations.
Desertmartin will hope to seal their place in the quarter-finals next weekend when they take on Foreglen. The sides met in last year’s H&A Group Division Two League and produced a cracking 3-5 to 1-11 stalemate, so there should once again be little to separate them next weekend.
Eoghan Rua of Coleraine survived a scare to grind out a 1-16 to 2-8 victory over junior champions Slaughtmanus in Group A’s opening game on Saturday afternoon. St Mary’s will now hope to bounce back at the weekend when they host John Mitchels in a game that both sides will feel is both a necessity and well within their reach.
The final game of the weekend saw Limavady Wolfhounds succumb to a hefty 3-16 to 1-7 defeat to Craigbane. The Wolfhounds have arguably the youngest squad in the intermediate championship, and that showed as Craigbane outclassed young guns in Páirc na gCúnna on Saturday evening.
Lissan will now take on the victors next weekend, as Craigbane look to book their quarter-final ticket on home soil.
Round 2 Fixtures
Wednesday September 2, Slaughtnmanus vs Claudy, at 7pm in Pairc an Sean O’Gallcobhair.
Saturday September 5, Craigbane vs Lissan at 1pm in Páirc Gheárod Uí Chrosaín.
Saturday September 5, Castledawson vs Greenlough at 2pm in The Brough.
Sunday September 6, Foreglen vs Desertmartin at 3pm in Foreglen.