Ulster Minor Football League Group B
Monaghan v Cavan, Friday, 6.30, Clones
Monaghan will bid to get a first win of the Ulster MFL when they take on Cavan in their rescheduled final group game in Clones on Friday evening. This game was due to have been played last Saturday, but was postponed due to a death in the Cavan camp.
Losses to Down and Armagh have left Monaghan out of the running for a semi-final place, ending their defence of the title. Cavan started with a win over Armagh, but lost to Down last time out, meaning they need to win this one to edge out the Orchard County for second place.
Monaghan manager Frank Brady will hope to have players like David McAlister, Barry Kerr and Daithí Colton available after they missed the first two games, with Barry McGinn, Mikey Murnaghan, Seán McMahon and Conor Duffy other central figures. Ryan Connolly, Ben Conaty, Dara McEnroe and James Brady should feature for Cavan.
It’s a busy week of club fixtures, with two rounds in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior Football Leagues.
The main event this weekend is the opening of Castleblayney’s new 2,000-seater covered stand with their Monaghan Credit Unions Senior Football League game against old rivals Scotstown on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, All-Ireland IFC winners Truagh return to senior football with an away game against Doohamlet, while Monaghan Harps host Currin and Inniskeen is the venue for another clash of big rivals, Magheracloone and Latton. Earlier in the day, 2012 county finalists Clontibret and Ballybay go head-to-head. On Wednesday, Scotstown are at home to Currin, while Ballybay travel to Monaghan Harps, Castleblayney have another game at the new St. Mary’s Park against Latton, Magheracloone again use Páirc Grattan for their home game against Doohamlet and Truagh go to Clontibret.
Two divisions separated Carrickmacross and Emyvale last year, but Ulster JFC winners Emyvale are ahead of the Emmets in the very early Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League table ahead of their meeting on Saturday evening. Two teams who made winning starts, Rockcorry and Inniskeen, cross swords, as do two teams yet to get off the mark in Clones and Cremartin. Tyholland will also be looking to build on an excellent opening-round result against Carrick when they make the short trip to Threemilehouse to play newly-promoted Seán McDermotts, with Donaghmoyne also seeking to follow up a convincing win over Clones when they travel to Corduff. Wednesday’s games see Tyholland visit Clones, Rockcorry host Carrickmacross, Donaghmoyne take on Cremartin, Seán McDermotts face Emyvale and Corduff play Inniskeen.
The only teams yet to play in the Eurotech Junior Football League get their campaigns underway on Friday evening, with Blackhill at home to Scotstown’s junior side and Éire Óg away to Aughnamullen. The only two teams to have won JFL games in the first round, Killanny and Killeevan, have home advantage against Aghabog and Drumhowan respectively on Saturday, when there is also a local derby between Toome and Oram. Wednesday’s programme is dominated by derbies such as Éire Óg v Scotstown, Killeevan v Aghabog and Toome v Killanny, as well as Aughnamullen against Oram and Blackhill versus Drumhowan.
The Silver Hill Foods Development Hurling League continues on Thursday evening with games between Castleblayney and Truagh and Inniskeen and Clontibret. There is also a full round in the Silver Hill Foods Minor Hurling League on Sunday, with Clontibret, Carrickmacross and Cootehill at home to Truagh, Monaghan Harps and Castleblayney respectively.
Sunday’s football action is restricted to a Platinum Tanks Reserve League Division Three game between Clontibret and Truagh.
The McElvaney Recycling Minor Football Leagues take centre stage again on Tuesday evening. In Division One, it’s Carrickmacross v Donaghmoyne, Killanny v Scotstown and St. Patrick’s v Monaghan Harps, while the Division Two fixtures are Cremartin v Emyvale, Magheracloone v Clontibret, St. Tiarnach’s v Truagh and Toome v Doohamlet. In Division Three, Aughnamullen, Inniskeen, Latton, Patrick Emmetts and Tyholland have home advantage against Killeevan, Castleblayney, Seán McDermotts, Emerald Sarsfields and Corduff respectively.
This week’s Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile schedule consists of games in the Under-16 Football League and the Under-12 Football Spring League.
By cshalvey Fri 11th Apr
