There is a packed schedule of games on Sunday, with the Junior Football League Final up against the Minor Football Championship Division Three Final Replay and semi-finals in the Senior and Intermediate Football Leagues.
Eurotech Junior Football League Final
Aghabog v Clones, Sunday, 2.30, Scotstown
Local rivals Aghabog and Clones go head-to-head in the JFL Final at Scotstown on Sunday afternoon.
Clones were one of the front-runners in the league all year, while Aghabog struggled for long periods, before finishing strongly to edge into fourth place, two places and four points behind Sunday’s opponents. Clones had a six-point win when they met in the championship and they also beat them in the league in August, although Aghabog eased past an understrength St. Tiernach’s side in the last round. Both teams showed good form in last Saturday’s semi-finals, when Aghabog dumped Emyvale out and Clones cruised past JFC winners Drumhowan, who had knocked them out of the championship at the semi-final stage.
Seán and Shane O’Brien, Gary McBride and Aidan and Shane Brady are among the main men for Aghabog, while Fintan Kelly, David Freeman, Adrian Alford, Darragh Holland, Danny Rooney and Paul Shiels will need to be on form for Clones. This one could go either way, particularly if Aghabog can replicate their semi-final performance, but Clones are worthy of the favourites tag.
Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division Three Final Replay
Corduff v Cúchulains Sarsfields, Sunday, 2.30, Oram
The MFC Division Three Final Replay sees Corduff and Cúchulains Sarsfields cross swords once again in Oram on Sunday.
Corduff led by nine points at one stage two weeks ago, but Aughnamullen and Toome amalgamation Cúchulains Sarsfields came storming back to force a second outing. Despite losing their league clash narrowly, Corduff pipped Cúchulains Sarsfields to fourth place in the league and they went on to reach the final, where they lost out to St. Patrick’s. Both sides then topped their sections in the championship with three successive wins each – Cúchulains Sarsfields in Group A and Corduff in Group B. Cúchulains Sarsfields were convincing winners in their semi-final against fellow amalgamated outfit St. Tiarnach’s, while Corduff got their own back on St. Pat’s.
For some of these Corduff players, it is a fourth final of the year, with no medals in the bag yet, as they lost the league final and an Under-16 championship decider before the drawn match. County minor captain Pádraic Keenan is the driving force for them, with Fergal Hanratty, Mark Treanor and Blain McEnaney leading the support cast, while Shane Conlon, Darragh McKenna and Aaron Kelly are key figures for Cúchulains Sarsfields. This is likely to go down to the wire once again.
Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League Semi-Finals
Ballybay v Castleblayney, Sunday, 4.30, Ballybay * Note later throw-in time
Clontibret v Magheracloone, Sunday, 2.30, Clontibret
The SFL semi-finals take place on Sunday, with both of last Sunday’s SFC finalists in action.
After the exertions of winning a first Senior Championship in 25 years and the celebrations that followed, Ballybay could be forgiven for taking their eye off the ball for this one, but they should be keen to have a go at adding the Owen Ward Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Ballybay have been the most consistent team in the league for the last two years and they once again topped the table this year (even after shipping heavy defeats with weakened teams in their last couple of matches), so last Sunday’s success was just reward for that form. Blayney emerged from a tightly-packed group of teams in the middle of the league to take fourth place from Scotstown by virtue of their superior head-to-head record. Ballybay had two narrow wins over Blayney in the league this year and they have won the last five clashes of these teams, including a quarter-final in last year’s SFC.
Assuming Ballybay resist the temptation to rest their star players ahead of the Ulster club championship, Paul Finlay, Drew, Ryan and Brent Wylie, Christopher McGuinness, Tommy O’Neill, Thomas Kerr and Fergal McArdle will play key roles, while Martin McElroy, Dermot Malone, Cormac Brady, Mark Treanor and Paddy Mallon are crucial to Blayney’s chances. The Faughs, who have gone quite a while without senior silverware by their standards, should just have the edge in hunger for this one.
Clontibret will attempt to bounce back from their county final defeat when they entertain Magheracloone.
Clontibret, who won away to Magheracloone at this stage last year before edging the final against Latton, have only ended one season empty-handed at senior level since 2005 and they will see this game as a chance to return to winning ways. As ever, they will get nothing easy from Magheracloone, who forfeited the chance to gain home advantage when they conceded their final-round game against Scotstown, which meant they finished a point behind the O’Neills in third place. That was a creditable league result for Magheracloone after they made a tame early exit from the championship.
Head v head
The scoring duel between county forwards Conor McManus and Tommy Freeman could go a long way to deciding the winners of this one, but both teams have options in every line of the pitch. Dessie Mone, Paul McGuigan, Vincent Corey, Conor Boyle and Colin Duffy should have important parts to play for Clontibret, while Magheracloone will need James Ward, Gavin Doogan, Damien Freeman and Paudie Finnegan to do likewise. This one will hinge on whether Clontibret can put last weekend’s disappointment behind them and Magheracloone should be fresher.
Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League Semi-Finals
Doohamlet v Inniskeen, Sunday, 2.30, Doohamlet
Rockcorry v Donaghmoyne, Sunday, 2.30, Rockcorry
The IFL semi-finals are also down for decision on Sunday.
Doohamlet come back to earth after their championship success when they host Inniskeen. Doohamlet won the IFC for the second time in three years on Sunday week last and they now have a chance to go for the double, while Inniskeen need to win to maintain their chances of joining the mid-Monaghan men in making a swift return to the senior ranks.
Doohamlet led the way in the league from an early stage and even after losing their last two games, they still finished three points clear at the top. In contrast, Inniskeen had an indifferent campaign until a late charge saw them pip Cremartin, who they edged out with a late goal in what was effectively a fourth-place play-off last Saturday. Doohamlet won the first league clash of these teams this season and they held off a strong comeback from Inniskeen to beat them in the first round proper of the championship, although they rested a number of players in a heavy defeat at home to the Grattans the week before the IFC Final.
Doohamlet may have half an eye on their upcoming Ulster Club IFC campaign, but they are likely to stick with the players who have taken them to this stage, such as Colin Walshe, Shane and Ciarán McManus, Martin Hughes, Ted Duffy and Mark Murphy. Inniskeen will need big performances from Paul, Ronan and Dónal Meegan, Matthew McKenna, Michael Lennon and Gerard McArdle if they are to keep their promotion hopes alive.
The other semi sees Rockcorry and Donaghmoyne renew their rivalry.
Donaghmoyne knocked Rock out of the championship after extra-time at the quarter-final stage, but Rock won their last four games (including their second defeat of Donaghmoyne this year) to secure second place and home advantage for this one. Both teams have been consistent in the league and they also had decent runs in the IFC, where Donaghmoyne were fairly unfortunate to be beaten by Tyholland in the semi-finals.
Rockcorry will need big performances from Mark and Keith Daly, Fergal McGeough, Paul and Niall McKeown, Noel Carroll and Mark McGuirk, while Donaghmoyne will be looking to Colm Connolly, Pauric Donaghy, Ciarán Daly, Christopher Deery and Barney Kelly to lead their challenge. Both teams are in decent form, but home advantage could prove crucial for Rockcorry.
Two of Monaghan’s representatives in the Ulster club ladies championships will attempt to qualify for provincial finals on Saturday. Magheracloone are away to Armagh champions Killeavy in the IFC and they will go in with confidence after cruising past Ballymartin of Down in the first round. Meanwhile, Donaghmoyne’s second team will seek to repeat a bit of the success of their senior team in recent years when they take on Milford from Donegal in the JFC last four.
Meanwhile, the Ulster Colleges football competitions are in full swing and St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan begin their MacRory Cup campaign with a Group A match against Omagh CBS on Tuesday.
By michael Thu 18th Oct
