Eoghan Rua ready for kick off

Eoghan Rua, Coleraine will get their campaign under way with a home game against Magherafelt. Since Eoghan Rua came up to senior football in 2009 games between these sides have always been close, with only a couple of points separating the sides each time they have met.

It is always difficult to gauge where teams are at the start of any season. While Eoghan Rua tuned up with a series of challenge games Magherafelt competed in the Ulster league.

The Rossas had five competitive games, beating Ardboe, drawing with Ardara of Donegal, but losing to Glen, Donaghmore of Tyrone and narrowly to county champions Ballinderry. Meanwhile Coleraine had victories over Ballymena, Dunloy and Lissan while they lost to Swatragh in their challenge games.

Last year Eoghan Rua just missed out on a ‘top four’ play-off spot while Magherafelt finished in the bottom half of the table. There is some better news on the injury front for Eoghan Rua as concerns over a number of players eased over the past weekend. While Colm McGoldrick, Hugh Casey and Anton Rafferty all returned to action in a challenge game, Barry McGoldrick also lined out for Derry against Westmeath.

However Niall Holly, Declan Mullan, Denis Frizelle and Mark Mearns are all some way from a return to playing. The action begins on Sunday with the reserve game at 2.00pm while the senior game between Eoghan Rua and Magherafelt gets under way at 3.30pm.