Errigal and Moortown Ladies out to continue good start

ERRIGAL Ciaran will attempt to continue their impressive start to the Ladies All-County League this Sunday with a home clash against a youthful Aodh Ruadh who have several new faces on board.

Buoyed by their Championship success last season Errigal, under the management of Darren Swift, are keen to press on in the early weeks of this new campaign in Division One.

Moortown are the other early season pacesetters and Fergal Quinn will have the St Malachy’s well primed ahead of their first home game of the season against Omagh. The lough shore girls have two wins from two on the board coming against Dungannon and Fintona, and their free scoring nature could see them emerge as real contenders even at this stage.

Omagh meanwhile have a double weekend of fixtures ahead. Their rearranged round one clash with Trillick is fixed for O’Neills Healy Park tonight (Thursday) followed by that tough trip to high flying Moortown on Sunday.

And it’s a double round too for St Macartans who return to the fray against Dungannon tonight at Augher as they play catch up. On Sunday the Macs have a trip to Fintona while after two losses from two Dromore will look to get a morale boosting derby victory at Donnelly Park against Trillick. Elsewhere Cappagh head to Killeeshil.

In the Intermediate League Clonoe will attempt to pull clear at the top this evening as they face Moy in their rearranged fixture ahead of a trip to Edendork on Sunday.

Orlagh Gavin must be knocking on the door again for the County side as she returned to action registering 1-9 on the opening weekend. The Rahillys will hope to have nine points on the board come Sunday evening.

Sperrin Og return to action after a bye in round two with a home outing against Kildress. The Tones had a five point success at Ardboe while Aghyaran host Donaghmore.

Currently in the Division Two table seven teams sit on three points.

First round victories for Loughmacrory, Tattyreagh, Galbally and Aghaloo kick started the new look Junior campaign while in Junior Two Pomeroy, Drumragh, Rock and Castlederg opened with wins ahead of this weekend’s games.

This evening Loughmacrory host Naomh Eoghan who lost to the Pearses in round one.

In Junior Two there were some big scores in that opening round with a rejuvenated Rock netting nine goals.

Meanwhile Tyrone delegates have broke with tradition and for the first time in their history there will be an admission charge on All County League fixtures. A majority of clubs at this week’s County board meeting approved the £3 charge with all proceeds going back to the host club.

The matter of charging into adult league fixtures had been on the table from the start of the year and has been a subject of debate for some period.

At Monday’s monthly meeting a proposal formulised by several clubs was put to delegates who endorsed the move, although it wasn’t a unanimous decision.

There has been a regular charge to Ladies Championship Finals at all grades with the funding directed back into the LGFA in the County although it was confirmed that any money raised in club games remains with the host club and of course marries the current ACL charge within the GAA in the County. The £3 admission charge comes into force immediately for this weekend’s games.

Meanwhile the Tyrone fixtures committee are considering a round of league games over the free weekend that is to be confirmed once the Tyrone All-Ireland group games are firmed up.

The Red Hands have been drawn in group four alongside Leitrim and Wicklow and officials are waiting on what two dates in June they will be out.