The Junior Championship will see four teams square off for a tilt at the title. Aghadrumsee will meet Belnaleck while Brookeboro face Coa in the first round of fixtures. There will be a second round of games with the two winning teams facing in the first semi final. The losers this week will meet in a qualifier game with the winner of that meeting the losers of the first semi final in the second semi final!

If it sounds complicated it is because it is but it does afford a decent number of games for each club and by the end the best team of the four are sure to be left standing with the trophy.

These four teams finished in the bottom four places in division two so none will be going into the competition off the back of good form in the league yet they also know that they have a realistic opportunity to win some silverware.

The games this week will take place as a double header in Tempo on Saturday afternoon with Aghadrumsee and Belnaleck first up at 3:00pm.

On paper Belnaleck have a smattering of real top class players. The Cullen twins, Che and Lee along with Kane Connor have all had county senior experience while Ciaran McBrien is a real handful in the full forward line.

Yet for all this talent they have failed to fulfil their potential despite some promising moments upon their initial step up to senior football.

Aghadrumsee meanwhile don’t have the same amount of county experience in their line up but they will none the less fancy their chances. They are without Eddie Courtney through injury but still have the likes of Ryan Boyle, Darren Kearns and Sean McManus who are adept at raising white flags while. They also have the mercurial talent of Liam Og Strain and on their day they are a dangerous side. Belnaleck will need to be at their best for this encounter.

In the second game at Tempo, Brookeboro will face Coa. The O’Dwyers will be able to call on county captain Eoin Donnelly while they also have county panelist Darren McQuade on hand. Both these players are vital to their cause and their ball winning ability, in a number of areas across the pitch should provide a plentiful supply of possession. Leon Carters is another class act for Coa while Lee McQuade is a player who knows where the posts are.

Brookeboro meanwhile will be looking to the likes of Aiden Boyle to provide them with some inspiration in attack while the the youthful Oisin Howell will also be looked upon to provide some cut and thrust to proceedings from his centre field berth.

Gerry Woods at centre half back is an experienced campaigner but Brookeboro will need significant contributions from all over the pitch if they are to capture the Junior Championship this year.

The same could be said for all the teams competing for the trophy however and this race does look particularly wide open with perhaps a bit more clarity to be provided by Saturday evening.