GOWNA’S stuttering start will have provided encouragement for the challengers eager to relieve them of their crown this year.
Aaron Shekleton’s goal in added time gave Kingscourt Stars a well-merited 2-13 to 1-16 draw on Thursday and suggested that the three-in-a-row hunting defending champions may be ripe for toppling.
Crosserlough ended decades of frustration by claiming the title in 2020 by beating the aforementioned Kingscourt and they will go into Saturday evening’s tie with Lavey as red-hot favourites to get off on the right foot.
Lavey gained promotion back to the top league this year but it’s unlikely that they’ll show the tough teeth and sharp claws that SFC demands.
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And yet, Lavey can garner maybe even more optimism about this evening’s clash by dint of the absence from the Crosserlough line-up of injured county attacker Paddy Lynch.
However, even without Lynch, the ‘lough should prove much too potent for the Lavey lads.
Earlier, Ballinagh, the team that beat Lavey to win Division Two, will have it all to do to overcome Division One veterans and seasoned SFC campaigners Laragh Utd.
Both sides like to play swashbuckling, assertive football so punters in place at Headquarters can expect a high-scoring, open and fluid affair.
Evan Finnegan and Cormac Timoney are both Ballinagh boys with recent senior inter-county experience and it will take a five-star show for Laragh’s celebrated attacking duo of Jack McKenna and Paul Smith to amass a winning tally.
Ultimately, it may come down to which of Thomas Smith (Ballinagh) and his aforementioned namesake from Laragh are the most successful from frees. Laragh’s Smith et al gets the nod.
Sunday’s double-bill at Kingspan Breffni looks most intriguing with a fancied Cavan Gaels side crossing swords with their old nemesis Mullahoran, followed by Ramor Utd versus Ballyhaise.
Cavan Gaels will look to come under the radar in this year’s championship under the tutelage of former county star Seanie Johnston but Mullahoran are nobody’s fools despite the fact that they are likely to field one of the youngest teams in this year’s competition.
The Gaels haven’t been a force in the SFC since their current manager was in his pomp when the county town outfit hit the high notes in 2017 but they’ve regrouped over the past couple of years and are tipped to at least make the quarter-finals.
Their opponents have endured a yo-yo type relationship with the championship since they last triumphed in the SFC in 2012.
Their current side has county defender Killian Brady in their ranks as well as his county team-mate Cormac O’Reilly up front but their team is all about the collective. Ditto the Gaels. A draw cannot be ruled out.
In the last of Sunday’s fixtures, recently crowned Division One champions Ramor Utd are expected to continue their winning ways against an enigmatic Ballyhaise side.
Ramor won the title as recently as 2021. Their opponents won the IFC last year. The former have much more quality in depth and it will be a major surprise if they don’t build on their league title win with an opening round SFC victory.
On Friday night, Killygarry defeated Castlerahan with a scoreline of 4-12 to 2-08, however Cavan’s Oisin Brady was dismissed with a straight red.
Round one (all games at Kingspan Breffni)
Saturday Ballinagh v Laragh (5pm)
Crosserlough v Lavey (7pm)
Sunday Mullahoran v Cavan Gaels (5pm)
Ballyhaise v Ramor Utd (7pm)
