THE Antrim Senior Hurling Championship quarter-finals are fixed to take place this weekend after the group stages came to a conclusion last weekend.

Dunloy Cuchullains and O’Donovan Rossa confirmed their place in the semi-finals by topping their groups. Last weekend, Rossa beat Loughgiel Shamrocks 0-21 to 1-14 which was their third win in the group, after they beat Naomh Éanna and Ballycastle.

The Cuchullains beat Naomh Eoin in a huge result, 2-30 to 1-26. That scoring exhibition was Dunloy’s second win in the competition. They had already drawn against Cushendall and defeated Tír na nÓg.

Tír na nÓg and Ballycastle are out of the running to reach the semi-finals, and this weekend Naomh Éanna take on Cushendall, and Loughgiel play Naomh Eoin. Two city teams taking on two north Antrim teams for a place in the knock-out stages.

A Belfast team hasn’t won the Senior Hurling Championship in Antrim since Rossa beat Cushendall in 1988. Though recent history of the senior hurling championship suggests that there should be plenty more excitement in the remaining five games before we find out if the long drought for the city could come to an end.

St John’s will believe that they can get the result against Loughgiel. They were able to put up 1-26 against a fantastic Dunloy team, so they should be able to muster a good performance against Loughgiel. They will also believe that they are as good as Rossa, who defeated the Shamrocks in the group stages.

If St John’s have any concerns it should be their full-back line. They have conceded seven goals in their three championship matches. Loughgiel have scored four majors in three games.

Naomh Éanna will be big underdogs against Cushendall in their match. They are a club who have risen up from Intermediate ranks and are determined to be competitive at senior level. It was only two years ago that they were managed by Cushenall’s own Terence McNaughton. The win against Ballycastle was a huge step for them, but beating a Cushendall team that held Dunloy to a draw is a step too far.

JOB TO DO… Loughgiel manager Hugh McCann needs a win against St John’s