Places in the semi-finals of the SFC and IFC are on offer on another big weekend of club championship matches.
Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Round 3B
Magheracloone v Monaghan Harps, Friday, 8.15, Inniskeen
Magheracloone and Monaghan Harps battle it out for the last place in the SFC semi-finals at Páirc Grattan on Friday night.
Magheracloone, who last reached the semis two years ago (and the final the previous year) lost to Scotstown in their championship opener, but have recovered to beat Castleblayney (after extra-time) and Doohamlet. The Harps also saw off Doohamlet, only to lose to county champions Ballybay last time out. Both teams have been going well in the league, as the Harps are second in the table, one place ahead of Magheracloone, who have gained three points from the teams’ meetings so far this year.
Magheracloone will be looking for big performances from Tommy and Damien Freeman, James and Pete Ward and Paudie Finnegan, while Neil McAdam, Conor Galligan, Dónal Hahessy, Shane Smyth and Gary White are among the main men for the Harps.
McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Round 3B
Clones v Truagh, Saturday, 3.00, Clontibret
Cremartin v Tyholland, Saturday, 4.30, Clontibret
There are two places in the IFC semi-finals up for grabs in Saturday’s double-header at Clontibret.
Truagh will expect to advance to the last four when they go up against Clones. The north-Monaghan men have topped the league table all year and despite losing to Donaghmoyne in the preliminary round, they have got back on track with comfortable wins over Corduff and Drumhowan. Clones caused an upset against Clones in Round 1A, but they were unable to get to grips with local rivals Currin last Saturday.
Paudie and Christopher McKenna, Neil McRory, Niall Coyle and Mark Counihan are key players for a mainly youthful Truagh team who are bidding to make a quick return to senior football, while Clones will need Fintan Kelly, Adrian Alford, David and Darren Freeman and Micheál Treanor on top form. Clones are one of just two teams to have beaten Truagh in the IFL this year, but Truagh should reverse that result on Saturday.
The second game sees Cremartin and Tyholland go head-to-head. Both of these teams made the latter stages of the IFC last year, with both losing to eventual champions Doohamlet; Tyholland in the final and Cremartin at the semi-final stage. Cremartin began this year’s campaign by beating Aughnamullen, but they fell to a narrow defeat against Donaghmoyne last Saturday. Tyholland saw off Corduff in the preliminary round before also losing to Donaghmoyne, but they produced some of their best football of the year to come from behind and pip Inniskeen at the finish line last week. The clubs met twice in the league last month, with honours even as they won once each. Tyholland are just a point ahead of their opponents in the table.
Both teams can call on a number of players who have featured for various county teams. Cremartin have Under-21 star Johnny McGuigan in their ranks, along with others who have worn the county jersey like Niall Flanagan, Paddy McGuigan, Darren Bishop (if fit) and Gary Boyd, as well as the in-form Kevin Brennan. Tyholland have current county seniors Ronan McNally and Karl O’Connell, along with former Monaghan players Gary McQuaid and Raymond Ronaghan, ex-Armagh forward Paul McCormack and top scorer Dermot Coyle, although Shane Treanor is suspended. This promises to be a cracking game, with Tyholland’s experience possibly enough to see them through.
Carrickmacross will find out their opponents in the Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division One Final when Monaghan Harps and Magheracloone contest the second semi-final on Saturday.
There is just one game to be played in the Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League on Saturday, when local rivals Latton and Ballybay go head-to-head. The game between Magheracloone and Rockcorry has been postponed due to the SFC quarter-final, while Doohamlet have conceded their game against Scotstown, as they are representing Monaghan in the All-Ireland intermediate sevens tournament in Ratoath.
The new leaders of the Eurotech Junior Football League, Killanny, have a home game against Killeevan on Saturday, while the team they overtook last weekend – championship finalists Blackhill – travel to Toome. The other team in the JFC Final, Emyvale, are up against the team they beat in the semi-finals, Oram, while fourth-placed Seán McDermotts are away to Aghabog and Éire Óg make the short trip to Scotstown.
The Silver Hill Foods Minor Hurling Championship semi-finals are down for decision on Sunday. League runners-up Truagh Harps are away to Castleblayney, while Carrickmacross have home advantage against Clontibret.
The finals continue apace in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions, with titles up for grabs at Under-16 and Under-14 levels in Oram and Aughnamullen on Saturday.
* Note change of venues for two of these games.
By cshalvey Thu 19th Sep
