Club Previews (July 12-18)

The games involving the county senior men’s and ladies football teams dominate this weekend’s schedule, but four Junior Football Championship games are also on the agenda.

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship

Drumhowan v Éire Óg, Friday, 8.00, Monaghan

Drumhowan and Éire Óg will attempt to qualify for the JFC semi-finals in Friday’s match at Gavan Duffy Park.

Drumhowan will have learned little or nothing from their hammering of Fergal O’Hanlons in the first round, while Éire Óg had to work much harder to get past Aghabog. Éire Óg had a big win over Drumhowan in the league at the start of last month, but a similar margin is unlikely this time, as the mid-Monaghan men have been improving as the year has gone on.

Drumhowan have players with the ability to compete with the best in the division in the likes of Darren Duffy, David Millar, Kevin and Kieran Mooney and Colm Lambe, although Éire Óg saved their best form of the season so far for their win over Aghabog and they will hope to build on that performance, with Paddy Croarkin, Ronan Cassidy, Marc McBride, Pádraig McKenna and Darach McCluskey crucial to their chances. Drumhowan are now up to joint-second in the league table, while Éire Óg are bottom and although the Smithborough side are better than that, this match might prove just beyond them.

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship

Blackhill v Emyvale, Friday, 8.00, Tyholland

Emyvale will be expected to book their place in the JFC semi-finals when they play Blackhill on Friday night.

Junior Football League leaders Emyvale have already beaten Killeevan and Oram to get their bid to regain the title they last won in 2009 up and running, while Blackhill got the better of Killanny in the first round. Emyvale have also came out on top against Blackhill twice in the league this year – albeit by a combined margin of just five points – and they also battled past them in the JFC last year, so they will be strong favourites for this one.

County panellist James Bellew is a key player at midfield for Emyvale and he has shown an eye for goal by finding the net in both if his club’s championship games so far, while Daniel McMahon, John Flannery, Seán McMeel and JT Treanor should also play important parts. Blackhill will need Colin Woods, Donal and Ciarán Courtney and Philip Donnelly on top form if they are to cause a shock.

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship

Killeevan v Oram, Saturday, 6.15, Scotstown

Aghabog v Clones, Saturday, 8.00, Scotstown

The JFC continues on Saturday evening with a double-header of back-door games in Scotstown.

First up, Killeevan and Oram put their hopes on the line. Killeevan lost to Emyvale in the preliminary round before crushing Fergal O’Hanlons, while Oram upset Clones in the preliminary, only to also fall short against Emyvale. The teams are both in mid-table in the Junior Football League with nine points, so there appears to be very little between them, even if Oram had a comfortable win when they met last month.

Noel Smith, Kevin McGinn, Darren and Colin Quigley and Gerard Graham are key players for Killeevan, while Pauric Graham, Cathal Crowe, Ryan McGuinness, Justin Mone and Lorcan Keenan are among the main men for Oram.

It’s also last-chance saloon time for Aghabog and Clones.

Both of these teams reached the business end of the junior championship last year, when both were beaten narrowly by eventual Ulster JFC runners-up Cremartin – Clones in the county final and Aghabog a round earlier. Clones lost to Oram in this year’s preliminary round, while Aghabog were beaten by Éire Óg, before squeezing past Killanny. These are two of the only teams yet to meet in the league this year.

Clones have shown much better form in the JFL, where they are just a point off the top compared to Aghabog sitting just a point above the bottom, although there are still just three points separating the teams in a tight-knit division.

Clones will be looking for big performances from Fintan Kelly, Darren and David Freeman, Darragh Holland and Adrian Alford, as well as Micheál Treanor, who should be able to return after missing the Oram defeat. Shane and Seán O’Brien, Aidan Brady, Francis Dolan and Martin Fox will put it up to Clones, but the town team should have enough to keep their interest in the competition alive.

The runaway leaders of the Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship group stage go head-to-head when Inniskeen host Castleblayney on Thursday in what is likely to be a dress-rehearsal for the final. Meanwhile, Clontibret host Carrickmacross and Monaghan Harps travel to Truagh.

There are two full rounds of games down for decision in the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division One this week. On Saturday, leaders Castleblayney take on Magheracloone in Oram, while nearest challengers Monaghan Harps and Scotstown are up against Latton and Tyholland respectively and fourth-placed Clontibret are away to Truagh. Blayney are away to Latton on Wednesday, while Clontibret host Monaghan Harps, Magheracloone take on Tyholland and Scotstown and Truagh contest a north-Monaghan derby.

RFL Division Two table-toppers Cremartin have an away game against Ballybay on Saturday, while Corduff are at home to Carrickmacross in a local derby. On Monday, Donaghmoyne face Drumhowan and Killeevan challenge Doohamlet.

In Division Three, Castleblayney bring Truagh to Doohamlet on Friday, while Wednesday’s games see Inniskeen and Seán McDermotts make the fairly long trips to Emyvale and Oram respectively.

Aghabog and Éire Óg go head-to-head in the battle for second place in the RFL Division Four on Wednesday, while Toome and Killanny face the lengthy journeys to play Clones and Fergal O’Hanlons respectively.