Latton exited the AIB Ulster Club Senior Football Championship when they lost narrowly to Burren in Sunday’s semi-final. Latton were big outsiders with the bookies against a talented and experienced Burren side who gave Crossmaglen a scare last year, but despite conceding a rare goal in the first half, the Monaghan champions were well in touch at half-time when they trailed by just a point (1-4 to 0-6). Latton fell six points down at one stage in the second half, but the O’Rahillys came roaring back, inspired by Owen Lennon and in particular Owen Duffy, who kicked a couple of fine points. Burren had two men sent off in the closing minutes, but time ran out for Latton and they fell short on a scoreline of 1-10 to 0-11.
Monaghan will have one representative in next Sunday’s Ulster club finals at Armagh’s Athletic Grounds and Cremartin warmed up for that match in style with a 2-12 to 0-10 win over Clones in the Gerry’s Takeaway Junior Football League Final on Sunday. Barry Carragher and Ronan Burke got the goals – one in either half – to lead the Shamrocks to a comfortable win, which completes a Monaghan junior double. Cremartin led by 1-10 to 0-1 at one stage and although Clones upped their game in the second half, they were never going to get back into the game as Cremartin repeated their championship final win against the same opposition. Cremartin play Derrytresk in the Ulster Club JFC Final next Sunday, with the game throwing in at 1.30, prior to the senior decider between Crossmaglen and Burren.
Monaghan schools had mixed fortunes in the BT Ulster Colleges competitions over the weekend. There was another near-miss for St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan in the Rannafast Cup Final on Friday evening. The Sem led by five points midway through the first half, with Conor McCarthy, Aodh Curran and Dáithí Colton among those to impress for the north-Monaghan school, but St. Pat’s, Maghera came back to draw level at 0-6 apiece by half-time. The Sem now faced an uphill battle – playing into the wind and with the momentum favouring the Derry side – but they struck to their task admirably and were still in the game right until the end, only to end up on the wrong side of a 0-11 to 0-10 result.
The Sem also lost to St. Pat’s, Armagh in the MacRory Cup on Monday, but two Monaghan schools won in the MacLarnon Cup. Our Lady’s, Castleblayney edged out Knock by 1-7 to 0-9 on Friday, while Patrician High School, Carrickmacross ran out comfortabkle winners (4-9 to 1-8) against Belfast school Holy Cross on Monday.
By michael Sun 20th Nov
