IT is quarter-final weekend in the Local Women Sport magazine Armagh Senior Camogie Championship with the four games spread over the weekend.
First up is tonight’s tie in Granemore where the home team is tipped to take out visiting Madden.
Granemore were top of the pile before Ballymacnab forced their way into the front row with the last three titles. They have also lost the last two finals to their close neighbours while Madden lost the 2019 final coincidentally played in Granemore.
County team captain Gemma McCann is a key player for Madden at the heart of the defence, but Granemore had three players starting in the All-Ireland Junior final Croke Park, Ciarraí Devlin, Corrina Doyle and Rachel Merry, with a few more on the bench.
Last year, with Merry out through injury, Devlin was effective at full-forward. However, it is expected that she will feature in her usual No 1 jersey for this game.
On Saturday evening newly promoted Cullyhanna are at home to Ahagallon. There was just one player from each club in the county set-up this year and both teams would be considered very much outsiders for the title. Cullyhanna however should make home venue count and reach the last four where they will probably face Ballymacnab.
The holders are chasing a four in a row that they only achieved once during the accumulation of their record 18 titles. That was away back in 1986-89 and the current squad is keen to equal that milestone.
However they need to be careful visiting Oliver Plunkett Park on Sunday evening as Crossmaglen impressed in their preliminary round win over Tullysaran in which Faye Fitzpatrick, Lauren McConville and Aoibheann Bellew played well.
However Shelly McArdle, Eimear Smyth, Ellie McKee and Tiarna Maguire are strong, experienced players and it is hard to see the holders slipping up at the first hurdle.
The earlier game on Sunday is in Blackwatertown where An Port Mór host a Keady side that edged past Middletown in their preliminary round game on Monday evening past.
That game was a bit of an arm wrestle finishing 1-6 to 0-6 with all but two of the scores coming from frees. Catherine Connolly was the goal-scorer for Keady while Orlagh Murray knocked over five points.
One suspects that they will need some variation on the scoring if they are to get past An Port Mór who have strong players in the O’Kane and Forker sisters and Maeve Callaghan.
The home side will be slight favourites but you cannot count Keady out of contention given their history in the competition.
Local Women Sport magazine Armagh senior quarter-finals
Friday
Granemore v Madden (6.30pm)
Saturday
Cullyhanna v Aghagallon (6pm)
Sunday
An Port Mór v Keady (2pm)
Crossmaglen v Ballymacnab (5pm)
