Cavan championships head towards the knock-out stages

THIS weekend sees another round of games as the championship heads towards the knock-out stages.

CAVAN SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR

LAVEY V MULLAHORAN
Sunday, Drumalee, 3pm
MULLAHORAN claimed a hugely significant victory over Laragh at the weekend so they have a massive change of reaching the knock-out rounds. Lavey are still in with a shout with last weekend’s draw against Gowna (remarkably, as Anglo Celt Sports Editor Paul Fitzpatrick pointed out, it was their 11th drawn from their last 30 championship matches going back to 2017).
Verdict: Mullahoran

KINGSCOURT V GOWNA
Sunday, Killinkere, 3pm
KINGSCOURT shipped a bad beating to Lacken last Saturday in Ramor, and it looks like they’re out of the running for a knock-out position heading into the final round of group stage clashes. Gowna could only muster a draw against Lavey so they’ll probably need some sort of positive result against the Stars.
Verdict: Gowna

BALLINAGH V BUTERSBRIDGE
Sunday, Annalee Park, 3pm
EFFECTIVELY a dead rubber contest from the bottom two teams. Neither side have picked up a positive result in their three matches to date. Ballinagh will be particularly disappointed with how things have gone and they can avoid the wooden spoon on Sunday.
Verdict: Ballinagh

LACKEN V CAVAN GAELS
Sunday, Pairc Naomh Fionnan, 3pm
CAVAN Gaels can afford to take it easy on Sunday as they’ve already qualified for the last eight. They’ve been the form competition alongside Killygarry. Lacken claimed a rip-roaring win over Kingscourt at the weekend and their need is slightly greater as they may need another positive result of some description.
Verdict: Lacken

CROSSERLOUGH V LARAGH UNITED
Sunday, Edwin Carolan Community Park, 3pm
A BIG match for both teams. Laragh will definitely need a win to stand a chance of reaching the knock-out rounds for the second year running, and Crosserlough may need a result as well (they’re virtually guaranteed of a place in the last eight at this stage, in fairness). Crosserlough have the pedigree to prevail.
Verdict: Crosserlough

RAMOR UNITED V KILLYGARRY
Sunday, Breffni Park, 3pm
HATS off to Killygarry who have qualified one game in advance with some very impressive wins, albeit the draw was fairly kind to them. Reigning champions Ramor need to win this one if they’re to make doubly sure of a place in the last eight.
Verdict: Ramor

CAVAN INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR

KILLINKERE V TEMPLEPORT
Saturday, Ballinagh, 6pm
TEMPLEPORT are in the happy position of having already qualified for the knock-out rounds. They more than held their own in last year’s Intermediate Championship and have carried on in the same vein this season. Killinkere need the win here, so it’s a hard one to predict.
Verdict: Killinkere

BAILIEBOROUGH V KILLESHANDRA
Saturday, Stradone, 6pm
KILLESHANDRA are one of only three teams yet to pick up any points in the Intermediate Championship, a disappointing outcome and their main priority at this stage will be avoiding relegation. Bailieborough aren’t out of the woods yet so they’ll be up for this one.
Verdict: Bailieborough

BALLYHAISE V CASTLERAHAN
Saturday, Lavey, 6pm
TWO of the top teams go head-to-head in Saturday’s fourth round group stage clash, but it mightn’t live up to its billing as both have already qualified for the quarters. Ballyhaise fared brilliantly in Division One this year and they’ll see themselves as having every chance of going all the way.
Verdict: Ballyhaise

CORNAFEAN V SHERCOCK
Saturday, Lavey, 6pm
THIS game is likely to have significant repercussions for both teams. Shercock have four points on the board but aren’t 100 percent guaranteed of progression, while Cornafean desperately need a win here. We’ll go for the team who have shown the better championship form to date.
Verdict: Shercock

BALLYMACHUGH V COOTEHILL
Saturday, Kingspan Breffni, 6pm
IT’S a straightforward proposition for Ballymachugh as they need a win here to advance to the last eight. Cootehill are virtually assured of progression at this stage but they need to be careful. Ballymachugh won by a point when they played Cootehill last year and it’s likely to be another close contest.
Verdict: Ballymachugh

CUCHULAINN’S V BELTURBET
Saturday, Killygarry, 6pm
THIS could be a strange contest as neither side really have anything to play for. Beltburbet have had a disappointing campaign and have had nothing to show for their efforts, while Cuchulainn’s have already qualified.
Verdict: Cuchulainn’s

DRUMGOON V DENN
Saturday, Redhills, 6pm
DRUMGOON are out of the running while barring a strange turn of events, Denn have already made it through to the last eight. Denn won last year’s Ulster Junior title and are very much on the way up.
Verdict: Denn