Derry hurling championship throws-in this weekend

Leadon Timber Frame Hurling Championship

It is the turn of the hurlers to enter the championship this weekend as the Leadon Timber Frame Championship throws-in with all eight teams in action over the two groups.

Reigning champions Slaughtneil will begin the campaign yet again as hot favourites to land the Fr Collins Cup and make it 12 in-a-row. They cruised to the title last year with Brendan Rogers hitting 3-2 in a final won by 20 points. The outcome was all but decided by the break as they had opened up a 0-13 to 0-1 advantage.

They began this season under new management after Michael McShane ended his nine year stint with the champions following their defeat in the Ulster club to Cushendall. First up in their defence of the crown will be a home clash with Ballinascreen on Sunday at 2:30pm in Group B.

It was ‘Screen that the Emmets defeated to begin their dominance of Derry hurling in the 2013 final. They were also placed in the same group last year with Slaughtneil coming out on top 3-20 to 0-10. Ballinascreen claimed the Intermediate title last year when they overcame Eoghan Rua in the final. It was an emphatic victory with Ciaran Doyle, Ronan O’Kane and Cormac Gough finding the net.

Banagher and Lavey are the other sides in this group and they will come face-to-face also on Sunday at 2:30pm. Lavey had a disappointing championship in 2023 as they finished bottom of their group and failing to advance to any of the three finals. They entered their last group game against Eoghan Rua in a very good position, knowing a win would all but certainly see them reach the senior decider but they tasted a shock defeat that was to end their championship.

When both these sides met at this same stage last year Banagher edged the clash by two points and it is expected to be another closely fought meeting this time. Banagher lost out in the junior final to Swatragh with the concession of three goals letting them down on the day.

In Group A, it will be a double header in Owenbeg on Saturday evening with Kevin Lynch’s facing Swatragh at 4pm to get the action underway. Lynch’s have been defeated in the last five finals while Swatragh were the last winners back in 2012 before Slaughtneil took control. This could be one of the games of the weekend and may well decide who could be ending up in the senior decider, which would be Swatragh’s first since 2015.

The other game, which throws in at 5:45pm, will see Eoghan Rua face Na Magha. The Coleraine side will be fancied to open their campaign with a win.

They recorded two superb results during the group games last season defeating both Banagher and Lavey before a disappointing display against Ballinascreen in the Intermediate final. Na Magha failed to win a game during the league but only lost by the narrowest of margins to Eoghan Rua so this may be another close one.

FIXTURES

Leadon Timber Frame Senior Hurling Championship

Saturday, August 10 - Group A (both in Owenbeg) - Kevin Lynch v Swatragh, 4pm; Eoghan Rua v NaMagha, 5:45pm

Sunday, August 11 - Group B (First named at home) - Slaughtneil v Ballinascreen, 2:30pm; Banagher v Lavey, 2:30pm