December may be beginning this weekend, but there are still four Monaghan teams chasing silverware, including Donaghmoyne ladies in Sunday’s All-Ireland club final. Emyvale and Truagh both contest Ulster club finals under the Athletic Grounds floodlights on Saturday, while St. Macartan’s College are also honing in on a provincial title on Tuesday.
AIB Ulster Club Junior Football Championship Final
Emyvale v Killeeshil, Saturday, 6.00, Armagh
Emyvale will seek to win their second Ulster Club JFC Final when they meet Killeeshil. Monaghan and Tyrone teams have dominated the Ulster JFC in recent years and it is no surprise that their representatives clash in the final.
Emyvale got a bye through the first round of the Monaghan championship and wins over Blackhill and Oram saw them through to a second consecutive final. They needed a Martin McAree point deep into added time to earn a draw against Blackhill, but they upped their game in the replay, with two early goals by Daniel McMahon setting the tone. Derry’s Ardmore were no match for Emyvale in their provincial quarter-final and although Declan Brennan’s men rode their luck at times against Annaghmore of Armagh, they finished strongly to secure a return to this stage.
Killeeshil are the only team playing on Saturday with a 100% 2013 championship record so far. Wins over Castlederg, Aghaloo, Killyman and Loughmacrory gave them the Tyrone JFC title and they have knocked Teconnaught (Down) and Milford (Donegal) out of Ulster. Killeeshil were seventh of 17 teams in Tyrone Division Three, with Emyvale ending up fifth in Monaghan’s JFL.
Both teams have played six games on their way to this match. Emyvale have scored 11-78, giving them an average score of 18.5 points, well above Killeeshil’s 5-75 (15 points per game) and there is a minimal difference in their amounts conceded, with Killeeshil’s 2-56 working out at 10.33 points, compared to Emyvale’s 5-50 or 10.8 points.
There has been a major reshuffle in Emyvale since 2009, but seven players who featured in that final against Belfast-based St. Teresa’s can expect to be involved again this time. Among those are key defenders John Flannery and Seán McMeel, goalkeeper Gerard McCaffrey, experienced forward Martin McAree and in-form top scorer Daniel McMahon, while younger players have also stepped up for Emyvale. Ryan McAnespie was superb against Annaghmore, Daithí Colton has also done well in recent games and David McAlister can also be to the fore if he recovers from injury in time.
Gregory Devlin’s move to Australia has meant James Bellew being moved to centre-back, which has taken somewhat from Emyvale’s strength at midfield, but they still have enough strength to compete there. Killeeshil can call on vastly-experienced former Tyrone midfielder Kevin Hughes, while Gary Reilly, Shane Mallon, Rory McCann and Packie McMullan are other key players for ‘the hoops’. Emyvale’s experience of the big occasion should stand to them on Saturday evening.
Emyvale JFC scorers 2013: Daniel McMahon 2-21 (0-9f); Ryan McAnespie 2-15 (0-1f); Daithí Colton 2-10; David McAlister 2-8 (1-0 pen, 0-4f); Michael Flannery 2-2; Martin McAree 0-8 (3f); James Bellew 1-3; Paul McCarron 0-3; Garreth McQuaid, Karl McQuaid 0-2 each; Colm McKenna, Colin Hughes, Ciarán Connolly, Stephen Askin 0-1 each.
AIB Ulster Club Intermediate Football Championship Final
Truagh v Eskra, Saturday, 7.45, Armagh
Truagh also take on Tyrone opposition in the form of Eskra. Both teams are in new territory at this stage; particularly Eskra, who won a first-ever Tyrone IFC title this year, while Truagh at least have considerable senior football experience.
Truagh are the only team involved at the Athletic Grounds on Saturday evening to have lost a game on their way to this stage, but they have recovered from that opening-round defeat against Donaghmoyne in some style, winning seven in a row. They eased past Corduff, Drumhowan and Clones, before battling their way to victories against Currin and Tyholland to lift the Monaghan IFC. Their maiden Ulster campaign has brought wins over Drumgath from Down and highly-rated Derry side, Foreglen.
Eskra beat Edendork in their championship opener, before seeing off Strabane after a replay and Rock to reach the final for the second year in a row. Having taken eventual Ulster and All-Ireland champions Cookstown to a replay in 2012, Eskra made no mistake this time with a four-point win against Urney. They cruised past Enniskillen Gaels in the Ulster quarter-finals and edged out Cavan’s Killeshandra last time out.
The Emmets finished sixth out of 16 teams in Division Two of the Tyrone league, while Truagh topped the Monaghan Intermediate League and reached the final, only to have their winning momentum dinted by Currin last Sunday.
Truagh’s 15-102 in eight games works out at an impressive 18.4 points per game, well above Eskra’s average of 14.6 – 6-84 in seven games – while the sides have similar concession rates: Truagh’s 2-76 is 10.25 points on average, compared to Eskra’s 5-50 or 9.3 points.
Adam Treanor and Christopher and Daniel McKenna have hit 8-57 between them for Truagh in their championship run, while Paudie McKenna, Niall Coyle, Mark Counihan and the recently-returned Damian McRory are also capable of chipping in on the scoreboard. Barry Cuddy, Neil McRory and Pauric Treanor will have to do the work in the midfield battle, with Niall Feely and Rory Treanor anchoring the defence.
Former Tyrone player Peter Hughes is the main marksman for Eskra, with Joseph McCarroll and Shane Hackett other regular scorers. Eoin McCaffrey is a pivotal figure at midfield and half-backs Niall McGinn and Cathal McCaffrey play a big part in turning defence into attack.
Truagh IFC scorers 2013: Adam Treanor 7-15 (0-1f); Christopher McKenna 1-22 (0-14f, 0-1 ‘45); Daniel McKenna 0-20 (6f); Pádraig McKenna 0-14 (6f); Niall Coyle 4-4; Mark Counihan 1-7 (0-1 pen, 0-2f); Seán McKenna 1-4; Damian McRory 1-1; Neil McRory 0-4; Gary Todd, Eoghan Kelly, Daniel Finnegan, Barry Cuddy 0-2 each; Rory Treanor, John McCarron, John Treanor 0-1 each.
All-Ireland Ladies Club Senior Football Championship Final
Donaghmoyne v Carnacon, Sunday, 1.30, Carrick-on-Shannon
Donaghmoyne aim to retain the All-Ireland Ladies Club title for the first time in the final against Carnacon at Páirc Sheáin Mac Diarmada on Sunday.
Donaghmoyne are chasing a third All-Ireland in five years and a fourth in total, which would see them join the Mayo side (whose last victory was in 2011) on the roll of honour. Donaghmoyne have already beaten Carnacon twice in All-Ireland finals, so another on Sunday would complete a hat-trick.
Having continued their dominance of the Monaghan championship by beating Emyvale in the final, Donaghmoyne went on to cruise through to another Ulster final with wins over Carrickmore and St. Paul’s. Donegal side Termon took them to a replay in the provincial decider, but the Fontenoys were ruthless at the second attempt and they eased past The Banner from Clare in their All-Ireland semi-final. Carnacon blitzed Castlebar Mitchels in the Mayo final before winning an eighth provincial title on the trot with at the expense of Galway’s Kilkerrin/Clonberene. They faced a stern challenge from Mountmellick of Laois last time out, but they got over the line with a point to spare.
Carnacon have a scoring machine in Cora Staunton as well as the likes of Egan, Fiona McHale, Noelle Tierney, Martha Carter, and Michelle McGing. Donaghmoyne, however, have their own free-scoring forward in Cathriona McConnell and the Fontenoys have experience all over the pitch with the five Courtney sisters (including current All-Stars Sharon and Cora), Amanda Casey, Majella Woods, Niamh Callan and Eileen McElroy. The Monaghan players on the Donaghmoyne team will be especially motivated to avoid another All-Ireland final defeat and hold on to the Dolores Tyrrell Cup.
Danske Bank Ulster Colleges McCormick Cup Final
St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan v St. Patrick’s College, Cavan, Tuesday, 7.30, Emyvale
St. Macartan’s College contest the McCormick Cup Final – the league section of the blue-riband MacRory Cup – against St. Pat’s, Cavan under lights in Emyvale on Tuesday evening.
The Sem topped Section A of the group after winning five of their six games, while St. Pat’s won Section B. Cavan didn’t enter the MacRory for a few years in the last decade, instead competing in Leinster, but their development has been swift in recent times. They won the Rannafast Cup last year and were the only unbeaten team in the MacRory group stages.
The Sem can call on players who helped Monaghan to a first Ulster MFC title in 68 years last July, like Conor McCarthy, Kevin Loughran, Shane Treanor, Aodh Curran, David McAlister and Michael O’Dowd, as well as Cavan minor captain Tom Hayes. Cavan’s key players include Ryan Connolly, Darragh Gannon, Brendan Argue, Ben Conaty and Matthew McKenna.
By cshalvey Fri 29th Nov
