The 2019 Belfry senior club football championship begins this weekend in Sligo. The competition has a new format this year with the 10 senior clubs divided into two groups of five. The top four teams in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals – with the bottom placed team in each group contesting a relegation play-off.
| GROUP 1 | GROUP 2 |
|---|---|
| St Mary's | Calry/St Joseph's |
| St Molaise Gaels | Coolaney/Mullinabreena |
| Shamrock Gaels | Coolera/Strandhill |
| Tourlestrane (holders) | Drumcliffe/Rosses Point |
| Tubbercurry | Eastern Harps |
While the championship structure is different, the team to beat remains unchanged – Tourlestrane.
Club-by-Club Guide:
Group 1
Tourlestrane (holders)
Managers: Eamonn O’Hara & Gerry McGowan
Senior titles: 14 (2018)
Last year: Winners
Having recently won a fifth consecutive league title in Sligo, the key question is: can anybody stop Tourlestrane from completing a championship four-in-a-row this year? They haven’t lost a championship game in Sligo since the 2015 county semi-final. Despite their club dominance, the number of Tourlestrane players involved with the county team this summer was surprisingly small. So many of their marquee players should be relatively fresh. Still the team to beat.
Listen to joint manager Eamonn O’Hara’s interview with Ocean FM Sport last Sunday, following Tourlestrane’s fifth senior league title in a row:
St Molaise Gaels
Manager: Willie Gormley
Senior titles: None
Last year: Quarter-final
With an impressive batch of underage players coming through, the future looks encouraging for Molaise – as underlined by their county minor championship success last October, backed up by a recent minor league title this year. However, on the senior front, the more immediate task for Willie Gormley’s side will be to emerge from a challenging Group 1, which includes both of last year’s county finalists and a resurgent Shamrock Gaels. It’s possible one win might be enough to get out of the group stages.
Shamrock Gaels
Manager: John McPartland (Snr)
Senior titles: 2 (1992)
Last year: Intermediate Winners
The Gaels are back in senior championship football after a memorable intermediate championship success 12 months ago. Their Division 1 league form was encouraging, reaching the final and pushing Tourlestrane to two points. As it happens, their opening championship group game will be against the same opposition on Sunday, August 4th.
St Mary’s
Manager: Aidan Rooney
Senior titles: 11 (2015)
Last year: Quarter-finalists
From the outside looking in, there is an impression that Mary’s may be vulnerable in this year’s championship. But they maintained their Division 1 status with a minimum of fuss. Several players have spent the early part of the Summer in the US. If they come back suitably refreshed, and the injuries don’t mount up, there’s still enough know-how in this St Mary’s panel to have a say in the business end of the championship.
Tubbercurry
Manager: Colm McGee
Senior titles: 20 (2014)
Last year: Beaten finalists
The most decorated team in Sligo senior club championship history – but their malfunction in last year’s county final in Enniscrone will still hurt. Club stalwart Colm McGee takes the helm this year. On paper, they appear to have the players to be one of Tourlestrane’s main challengers. But a good start to a top-heavy group 1 will be key.
This weekend’s Group 1 fixtures:
Sat 27th: St Molaise Gaels v Shamrock Gaels (Tubbercurry, 7:30pm)
Sun 28th: St Mary’s v Tubbercurry (Curry, 1pm)
Group 2
Calry/St Joseph’s
Manager: Keith Farragher
Senior titles: 0
Last year: Quarter-finalists
Winning the Division 2 league title is a timely boost for Dermot Horan’s side. They will feel Group 2 and the new championship format provides a realistic route to the quarter-finals – but this will be a step up in level – so the test for them will be formidable.
Coolera/Strandhill
Manager: John McPartland (Jnr)
Senior titles: 2 (2005)
Last year: Semi-finalists
Coolera/Strandhill took county champions Tourlestrane to a replay in the quarter-finals last year. – and will feel they missed a real opportunity. Cian Smith, brother of Roscommon duo Enda & Donie, is part of the coaching team. The biggest test for the Ransboro club is likely be their strength in depth, which player-wise, is depleted this year.
Eastern Harps
Manager: Keith Carty
Senior titles: 7 (2010)
Last year: Finished bottom of Group 1, won relegation semi-final
County finalists in 2017, Harps ended up in the relegation play-offs last year – but kept their senior championship status. Keith Carty guided Harps under 20s to the county final earlier this year. He succeeds Shane King in the senior banisteoir’s bib. They should have the know-how to reach the last eight.
Coolaney/Mullinabreena
Manager: Kevin Giblin
Senior titles: 1 (1958)
Last year: Semi-finalists
They reached the last four in 2018 before losing an evenful semi-final to Tubbercurry in Curry. Padraig McGourty has joined Terry Hyland’s backroom team with Leitrim so Kevin Giblin has taken over the senior manager’s role this year. They’ve shown glimpses in recent years that they might be the team to bridge the perceived senior championship gap between Tourlestrne, Tubber, St Mary’s and the rest. But to date, it hasn’t quite happened for them.
Drumcliffe/Rosses Point
Manager: Fergal O’Flaherty
Senior titles: 0
Last year: Finished bottom of Group 2, won relegation play-off.
DRP have flirted with relegation from the senior club championship in each of the past four seasons. Each time, they’ve survived. County player Neil Ewing remains the lynchpin of this team – and being in Group 2 – the north Sligo club will feel a place in the knockout stages is achievable.
This weekend’s Group 2 fixtures:
Sat 27th: Calry/St Joseph’s v Coolera/Strandhill (Kent Park, 7:30pm)
Sun 28th: Drumcliffe/Rosses Point v Eastern Harps (Collooney, 12pm)
View the complete 2019 Belfry senior club football championship fixtures here
