The Ulster Senior League season begins in earnest this week with the first round of games in the Donegal News League Cup.
Holders, Letterkenny Rovers will play in Group B along with League Champions Derry City Reserves and last year’s League runners-up Cockhill Celtic. The line up in Group B is completed with Swilly Rovers who finished in 4th place last season so this is certainly a tough looking group.
Meanwhile over in Group A last year’s Donegal News League Cup runners-up, Drumkeen Utd. are joined by the league’s most successful side, Fanad Utd., Kildrum Tigers, last year’s Knockalla Cup winners and new boys, Finn Harps Reserves.
The games get underway in Group B on Saturday evening at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds in Cockhill with Celtic facing Jason Gibson’s Swilly Rovers at 6:30pm. The home side will be favourites to shade it despite last week’s setback in the Knockalla Caravan’s Cup against Drumkeen.
There are three games down for decision on Sunday afternoon with holders Letterkenny Rovers taking on League Champions Derry City at Leckview Park in the other Group B tie. Rovers had to rely on penalties to get past Donegal League leaders, Glenea Utd. last week in the Knockalla Cup while Derry had a comfortable passage to the quarter-finals after a 4-0 victory over Moville Celtic and they will start favourites in Letterkenny. Fanad Utd. host Bonagee in Group A and Ollie Horgan’s men will look to bounce back from what was for them a down season last year. They have lost several influential players to begin the season and Sean Sandilands will be hopeful that Bonagee can spring a surprise in this one.
The other Group A game down for decision this Sunday see’s last year’s runners-up, Drumkeen play host to Maurice Toland’s Kildrum Tigers. Both teams had good wins in last week’s cup games with Drumkeen overcoming the challenge of Cockhill and the Tigers seeing of a Milford Utd. team that had been in very good form by an impressive score of 3-0. Drumkeen have proven very difficult to beat at home in cup games in recent seasons so a draw would be no surprise here.
Saturday, April 13th at 6:30pm
Group B
Cockhill Celtic v Swill Rovers Ref. P. Duddy
Sunday, April 14th at 2pm
Group A
Drumkeen Utd. v Kildrum Tigers Ref. V. McLaughlin
Group B
Letterkenny Rovers v Derry City Ref. P. Coll
Tuesday, April 16th at 7:30pm
Group A
Fanad Utd. v Bonagee Utd. Ref. T. McAree
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