THERE will be eight teams left standing tomorrow after the Derry senior championship group stages conclude.
Most of the drama will unfold in Group A with the potential of five teams ending up level on six points and three quarter-final places resting on scoring difference.
Champions Glen and Magherafelt are guaranteed to finish top of their groups, earning a quarter-final berth against the teams finishing fourth in the other group.
Slaughtneil’s midweek win over Newbridge secures second spot in Group B. They have a bye this weekend and will meet the third-placed team from Group A in the quarter-finals.
Ballinderry and Coleraine, champions in 2013 and 2018 respectively, are out of contention and face into relegation play-offs.
The other nine teams – with a series of ifs, buts and scoring difference – have something to play for, with the bottom two teams in each group playing off to avoid relegation.
Most eyes on Sunday’s will be on Swatragh’s trip to Lavey, where the home team need a point to secure second spot.
Both teams had mixed fortunes last week. Super-sub Liam Murphy looked to have kicked Lavey to victory until Dungiven replied with two stoppage-time scores to secure a vital win.
Twins Patrick and Francis Kearney scored goals as Swatragh beat Bellaghy, but they need a win in Lavey tomorrow to take them closer to a quarter-final spot than a relegation showdown.
League champions Bellaghy need at least a draw from their visit to Glen to secure a quarter-final place without entering a potential scoring difference minefield.
Coleraine have lost all five games and have nothing to gain at home to Dungiven, who have a slim chance of making the last eight. They’ll need a comfortable win and eyes on the scoring difference from the games in Glen and Lavey.
In Group B, Steelstown, Kilrea and Newbridge are vying for the remaining two quarter-final berths. Newbridge host Magherafelt knowing they need to avoid defeat to keep their hopes alive.
Rossa could use the game to get minutes into returnees who came off the bench against Steelstown last weekend, including All-Star nominee Eoin McEvoy, Conor Kearns and Emmett McGuckin.
Steelstown make the longest journey in the county – from the city to Shamrock Park - knowing a win would also secure a quarter-final place.
Paddy Campbell’s men have been a story of progress this season.
Kilrea currently sit in fifth and will hope they can take some of their form from earlier in the competition to Loup today.
The Pearses need to win to give themselves a chance to make the knock-out stages.
Loup have plenty to play for. A win would see them go into Wednesday’s rescheduled derby with Ballinderry with the chance to avoid a relegation play-off, sending Kilrea into that play-off instead.
