Club championships get set to intensify as winter looms

ST Gall’s and Portlaoise are the only two clubs in contention to retain their provincial titles as the action in this year’s AIB All-Ireland Club Championships gets cranked up a few notches in the coming weeks.

Reigning football champions St Gall’s begin the defence of their provincial and national crowns when they face Crossmaglen in the Ulster quarter-final on Sunday week, while Portlaoise face Moorefield next Sunday in their Leinster first round tie. In Munster, last year’s victors Kilmurry-Ibrickane were dumped out of the Clare championship by Doonbeg while Connacht champions Corofin were defeated in last Sunday’s Galway county final by Killererin.

In hurling, last year’s provincial winners Ballyhale Shamrocks, Portumna, Newtownshandrum and Dunloy all failed to claim county titles this season. Antrim club Loughgiel Shamrocks are the only team still in contention that have previously won the All-Ireland Club SHC when they claimed honours in 1982.

2010 AIB CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

Connacht SFC: Nov 7th: Semi-Finals: Killererin (Galway) v Castlebar Mitchels/Ballintubber (Mayo), Venue TBC; Glencar-Manorhamilton (Leitrim) v St Brigid’s (Roscommon), Venue TBC. Nov 21st: Final.

Munster SFC: Nov 7th: Quarter-Finals: 1. Stradbally (Waterford) v Doonbeg (Clare), Waterford venue; 2. Dr Crokes (Kerry) v Monaleen (Limerick), Kerry venue. Nov 21st: Semi-Finals: Nemo Rangers/St Finbarr’s (Cork) v 1, Cork/Clare venue; Tipperary champions v 2, Tipperary/Limerick venue. Dec 5th: Final.

Munster SHC: Oct 31st: Quarter-Final: 1. Crusheen (Clare) v Kilmallock (Limerick), Clare venue. Nov 14th: Semi-Finals: Sarsfields (Cork) v De La Salle/Ballygunner (Waterford), Cork venue; Thurles Sarsfield/Clonoulty Rossmore v 1, Clare/Limerick venue. Nov 28th: Final.

Leinster SFC: Oct 24th: First Round: 1. Portlaoise (Laois) v Moorefield (Kildare), Portlaoise; 2. Garrycastle (Westmeath) v Longford Slashers (Longford), Mullingar; 3. Skyrne (Meath) v Rathnew (Wicklow), Navan. Nov 7th: Quarter-Finals: 4. Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) v 1, Portlaoise/Newbridge; 5. Mattock Rangers (Louth) v 2, Mullingar/Longford; 6. Castletown (Wexford) v 3, Navan/Aughrim; 7. Old Leighlin/Rathvilly (Carlow) v Rhode (Offaly), Carlow venue. Nov 21st: Semi-Finals: 4 v 5; 6 v 7. Dec 5th: Final.

Leinster SHC: Oct 31st: Quarter-Finals: 1. Rathdowney/Errill (Laois) v O’Loughlin Gaels/Carrickshock (Kilkenny), Portlaoise; 2. Raharney (Westmeath) v Coolderry (Offaly), Mullingar. Nov 14th: Semi-Finals: 1 v Dublin champions, Portlaoise/Kilkenny; 2 v Oulart-the-Ballagh (Wexford). Nov 28th: Final.

Ulster SFC: Oct 31st: Quarter-Finals: 1. Clontibret (Monaghan) v Naomh Conáil (Donegal), Venue TBC; 2. Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh) v St Gall’s (Antrim), Crossmaglen; 3. Burren (Down) v Coleraine Owen Roe (Derry), Páirc Esler, Newry; 4. Coalisland/Carrickmore (Tyrone) v Roslea Shamrocks (Fermanagh), Omagh. Nov 14th: Semi-Finals: 1 v 2; 3 v 4. Nov 28th: Final.

Ulster SHC: Oct 24th: Final: Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim) v Keady (Armagh), Casement Park, 3.30pm.

2011 CONNACHT CHAMPIONSHIPS:

SFC: May 1st: First Round: New York v Roscommon, Gaelic Park. May 29th: First Round: London v Mayo, Ruislip. June 4th/5th: First Round: Sligo v Leitrim, Markievicz Park. June 18th/19th: Semi-Final: Sligo/Leitrim v New York/Roscommon, Sligo/Leitrim venue. June 25th/26th: Semi-Final: London/Mayo v Galway, McHale Park. July 17th: Final.

JFC: April 29th: First Round: Mayo v Leitrim, Mayo venue. May 13th: Semi-Finals: Roscommon v Mayo/Leitrim, Mayo/Leitrim venue; Galway v Sligo, Galway venue. June 5th: Final.

U21FC: March 12th: First Round: Mayo v Roscommon, Mayo venue. March 19th: Semi-Finals: Mayo/Roscommon v Leitrim, Venue TBC; Sligo v Galway, Sligo venue. April 2nd: Final.

MFC: April 23rd: First Round: Roscommon v New York, Roscommon venue. June 25th: First Round: Sligo v Galway, Sligo venue. June 26th: Semi-Final: Roscommon/New York v Mayo, Venue TBC. July 2nd: Semi-Final: Sligo/Galway v Leitrim, Venue TBC. July 17th: Final.