Aghaloo set for stiffer summer tests

IT DIDN’T look a lot like summer at Aghaloo on Friday evening when the home side narrowly denied Drumragh but a short interval now affords all clubs time for a spot of mid-season stocktaking.

Aghaloo won Friday’s league encounter by 1-10 to 1-8 and the two teams are due to meet again down the line for a championship first round encounter. The win means Aghaloo reached the summer holiday break in third place with seven wins on 14 points, two behind joint table toppers Strabane and Stewartstown.

The mid-point of the 2022 campaign provides opportunity for some reflections on what has gone before and thoughts too regarding upcoming fixtures in July, August and beyond.

Trying to get back on terms at table top will be among Aghaloo ambitions once play resumes in mid-July. Stephen Donnelly from the management team and the O’Neill’s squad as a whole are well aware of the hurdles ahead:

‘’ We would be happy enough with seven wins from eight games so far. But we were fortunate to come out on top there against Drumragh and two weeks before we were beaten by Strabane who deserved their victory.

‘’ It was important for us to get back into the winning habit after a tough year in 2021 and during the first half of this year’s campaign we have used a high number of panel members. It is important to give players experience at this level.

‘’ There are tough ties to come for us in the second half of the league but the team have put themselves in a decent position. We also know that improvement is going to be required on our behalf for an important period’’, stressed the former Aghaloo player.

Aghaloo came down to Division Three alongside Strabane, Stewartstown and Augher after some league restructuring heading into 2022. It’s a long seventeen match campaign in this division and a championship programme to be factored in too, so there’s not much time for breathing space as the action unfolds at a steady pace.

Four teams dropping down from intermediate ranks to join several sides with sights set on pushing for promotion make for a competitive junior scene all told, something Stephen Donnelly and the Aghaloo camp can testify to:

‘’ Strabane and Stewartstown are blazing a trail at the top of the table and are setting the pace for the rest of us to follow.

“A lot of teams will still fancy their chances come championship time but there is still plenty to play for in the league as well.

‘’ We have a challenging championship opener later on with Drumragh and they are a very decent side, having shown good consistency in the top section of the table for two seasons. There is certainly a testing few months ahead on league and championship fronts but we are looking forward to it’’, added Donnelly.

Aghaloo will face a trip to Castlederg when league action starts again on July 15th; the St Eugene’s having performed with credit in their opening eight games as well. It signals the launch of a busy summer spell that leads into the business end of the season.