With the Division One senior football league title already in the bag and a first round SFC victory over 2021 champions Ramor Utd chalked up last weekend, Crosserlough are shaping up as the top team in Cavan this year.
The Kilnaleck-based side last won the blue riband title in 2020. Last Sunday, they beat Ramor much more easily than the 2-13 to 0-13 final scoreline suggests and they will head to Lavey for this evening’s (5pm) second round clash with Laragh Utd as odds-on favourites to take home the bacon.
Laragh Utd will relish the tag of raging hot underdogs though and they will be buoyed by their facile derby win (4-14 to 0-10) over Lavey last Saturday. However, it will be a major surprise if current positions on the table aren’t reversed come the final whistle this evening.
Meanwhile, Ballinagh and Kingscourt Stars both boast maximum points after opening round victories and they clash this evening at Kingspan Breffni (7pm).
Ballinagh played for all but five minutes of the game against Castlerahan with a man extra so their 1-14 to 0-10 victory must be seen in that context. Kingscourt is a team packed with experience and in former Cavan star Joe Dillon and current Meath ace Jordan Morris have two proven match winners
Their 1-14 to 2-10 first round win over Cavan Gaels also points to a comfortable Stars' victory this evening.
New Cavan senior manager Raymond Galligan scored 2-6 (5f) for Lacken Celtic in their (3-8 to 1-18) defeat to reigning champions Gowna in their first round tilt last weekend but it’s hard to see a single Lavey player causing such damage tomorrow (3pm) in Kilnaleck.
Gowna possess a major physical presence at the back, a consistent midfield and a clutch of score-getters up front. Lavey have no such embarrassment of riches. Gowna to win pulling up.
In the last of the SFC second round games this weekend, Ramor Utd and Mullahoran will both be anxious to break their duck in this year’s competition when they meet tomorrow at Kingspan Breffni (7pm).
Mullahoran went down (1-11 to 2-10) last weekend to 2022 beaten finalists Killygarry and they’re likely to test Ramor to the full. However, Ramor have the potential to reclaim the SFC title they won in 2021 and while an upset is possible tomorrow it's unlikely.
