Six championship games and a reserve league final are on the schedule of another busy weekend of club football.
Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Round 2B
Doohamlet v Magheracloone, Sunday, 1.30, Clontibret
The first part of Sunday’s SFC double-header in Clontibret sees Doohamlet and Magheracloone battle it out for the right to play Monaghan Harps in the last quarter-final next Friday.
Magheracloone lost their opener against Scotstown before edging past Castleblayney after extra-time, while Doohamlet lost to the Harps in the first round, but they drew with Carrickmacross and won the replay even after being reduced to 13 men in the first half. Doohamlet have been competitive this year following their IFC win in 2012, but they are well behind third-placed Magheracloone in the league and the Mitchells ran out comfortable winners in both meetings of the teams to date.
Tommy and Damien Freeman, Gavin Doogan, James and Pete Ward and Paudie Finnegan are key players for Magheracloone. Colin Walshe, Barry McGinn, Martin Hughes, Shane McManus and Ted Duffy will need to be on top form for Doohamlet, particularly as Darren Connolly has joined Ollie Hughes in being suspended and Ciarán McManus is out injured. Magheracloone should advance through a hard-fought encounter.
Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Round 3B
Latton v Scotstown, Sunday, 3.15, Clontibret
2011 county finalists Latton and Scotstown clash in Sunday’s second SFC match, when a semi-final place is up for grabs.
Latton won that final for their fourth SFC success, but their form has been mixed this year, although they have shown signs of improvement in recent times. They have won two out of three in the championship so far, beating Carrickmacross and Rockcorry either side of a dramatic defeat against Ballybay. Scotstown have lost just once in an impressive league run and they also won their SFC opener against Magheracloone, only to lose to Clontibret last Saturday.
Latton are without injured play-maker Bernard O’Brien, but Owen Duffy has returned to fitness and form, while they can also call on Owen Lennon, Hugh McElroy, Kieran Duffy and Owen Coyle. Scotstown will be hoping that Darren and Kieran Hughes, Francis Caulfield, James Turley, Shane Carey and Dónal Morgan can lead them back to winning ways. Scotstown have taken three points off Latton in the league this year and they could edge this one.
McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Round 2A
Cremartin v Donaghmoyne, Saturday, 4.00, Aughnamullen
Clones v Currin, Sunday, 5.30, Ballybay
The first two IFC semi-final places are on offer this weekend, starting with Saturday’s game between Cremartin and Donaghmoyne.
Donaghmoyne have two IFC wins under their belts at the expense of Truagh and Tyholland, while Cremartin proved too strong for Aughnamullen.
Donaghmoyne are set to be without Pádraig Donaghy after his red card last week, but they still have players of the calibre of Colm Connolly, Ciarán Daly, Darren McElroy, Francis Markey and Mikey Murnaghan. Cremartin will be depending on the likes of Johnny and Paddy McGuigan, Darren Bishop, Shane Burke, Kevin Brennan, Niall Flanagan. The most recent league game between these teams was a draw and Donaghmoyne had just two points to spare in their previous clash, but the Fontenoys should have enough once again.
The other Round 2A game is a local derby between Clones and Currin on Sunday.
Clones had a good win over Inniskeen in the first round, while Currin were far too good for Drumhowan. Currin are poised for a quick return to senior football, currently sitting second in the table, while Clones have quickly adapted to intermediate after winning the junior league last year.
Currin will hope for big displays from their county men Dick Clerkin, Jack McCarron and Stephen Smyth, as well as Philip O’Callaghan and Ciarán McCaffrey, while Fintan Kelly, Adrian Alford, David Freeman, Danny Rooney and Micheál Treanor will be expected to lead the way for Clones. Currin have beaten their neighbours twice this year, most recently last Sunday, and their greater experience at this level should count.
McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Round 2B
Drumhowan v Truagh, Saturday, 6.30, Emyvale
Inniskeen v Tyholland, 8.00, Emyvale
Truagh will expect to advance in the IFC when they play Drumhowan in the back door on Saturday evening.
League leaders Truagh were on the wrong end of a surprise in their first-round game against Donaghmoyne, but they got back on track with a double-scores win against Corduff last time out, while 2012 JFC winners Drumhowan provided little resistance to Currin in their first match. Truagh played two divisions above Drumhowan last year and they were convincing winners in both league games against the mid-Monaghan men.
Drumhowan should be strengthened by the return of Darren Duffy to the starting team alongside key men such as Colm Lambe, David Millar, Anthony Mulligan and Kieran Mooney, but Truagh have more options in the likes of Paudie and Christopher McKenna, Niall Coyle, Neil McRory, Adam Treanor and Mark Counihan.
The last game should be a more even affair between Inniskeen and Tyholland.
Inniskeen lost somewhat surprisingly in their first championship match against Clones, but they cruised past Aughnamullen in Round 1B, while Tyholland beat Corduff in the preliminary round, only to lose to Donaghmoyne last Saturday. Inniskeen are six points and three places better off than Tyholland in the league and they won at the home of the north-Monaghan in May.
Tyholland are without suspended duo Shane Treanor and Raymond Ronaghan, while Dermot Coyle is again an injury doubt, which increases the burden on Gary McQuaid, Ronan McNally, Karl O’Connell, Paul McCormack and Peadar Farrelly. That increases the chance that Paul, Ronan and Dónal Meegan, Matthew McKenna, Michael Lennon and Gerard McArdle can guide Inniskeen through to the next round.
Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division Three Final
Blackhill v Éire Óg, Friday, 8.00, Emyvale
The last reserve final of the year takes place under lights on Friday night in Emyvale between Blackhill and Éire Óg.
Blackhill reached the final of the championship where they lost narrowly to Monaghan Harps, beating Éire Óg along the way, and they also beat Friday’s opponents in the last round of the league. The Smithborough men finished the campaign well, however, to join Blackhill in third place. Both semi-finals were closely contested, as Éire Óg won in Clontibret and Blackhill edged out Currin.
Blackhill, who are also in the Junior Football Championship Final on the first Sunday in October, will be looking for big performances from Dermot Daly, Eamon Byrne, Paul Finnegan and Gerard McArdle, while Ryan Sherlock, Christopher McGorman and Dónal Tierney are among the main men for Éire Óg. This game is almost certain to go down to the wire.
Two Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship semi-finals are down for decision on Sunday. League leaders Carrickmacross play Truagh in Division One at Gavan Duffy Park, while Oram is the venue for the Division Two game between Cremartin and Donaghmoyne.
There are two games in the Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League on Saturday evening, between Carrickmacross and Monaghan Harps and Castleblayney and Clontibret.
The top two clash in the Eurotech Junior Football League when Blackhill go to Killanny on Sunday, while Seán McDermotts have a chance to move into the top four when they make the short journey to Smithborough to play Éire Óg.
The weekend’s schedule in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions includes Under-14 and Under-12 finals in Blackhill on Saturday and Under-16 finals in Drumhowan on Sunday.
By cshalvey Fri 13th Sep
