The last two county champions, Scotstown and Ballybay, were among the teams who got their Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship campaigns off to winning starts last weekend. Scotstown had a five-point win over Truagh in Clontibret on Saturday evening (see report). Ballybay got up and running with a comfortable win over Castleblayney in Aughnamullen on Sunday, helped by first-half goals from Christopher and Shane McGuinness and a string of points from Paul Finlay and Thomas Kerr.
Magheracloone ran up the biggest score of the weekend against Currin on Saturday (see report). Sunday evening’s double-header in Castleblayney saw a late burst by Clontibret put paid to a strong second-half by Monaghan Harps in the second game, after late points by Owen Duffy and Hugh McElroy had seen Latton edge a low-scoring clash with Doohamlet.
Inniskeen edged out Clontibret in the Silver Hill Foods Development Hurling League Final at Aughnamullen on Thursday evening. The Grattans led by a point at half-time and despite conceding the only goal of the game after the restart, they went on to win by two.
Ballybay stayed top of the County Monaghan Credit Unions Senior Football League with a narrow win away to neighbours Latton on Wednesday evening, while Scotstown are still second after a brace of Brian McGinnity goals and a Rory Beggan penalty save helped them see off Clontibret, despite the visitors finding the net twice in the closing stages. Monaghan Harps finished strongly to draw with Truagh, thanks to a last-gasp Conor Galligan point, while there was a similarly close battle in Scotsthouse, where Currin and Doohamlet were never separated by more than two points and a late winner by Niall McEntee lifted the hosts off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone. Castleblayney are into a share of fourth place after second-half goals by Dermot Malone and Ciarán Hanratty saw them defeat Magheracloone.
After beating Cremartin on Sunday, Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League leaders Carrickmacross had to come from behind to salvage a draw with Inniskeen on Wednesday; ending their six-match winning run, but stretching their unbeaten streak to seven. Donaghmoyne’s comprehensive win in Rockcorry saw them bounce back from losing to Seán McDermotts on Sunday and return to second place ahead of Clones, who eased past Emyvale on Sunday only to lose to Corduff on Wednesday. Seán McDermotts continued their upturn in form at the expense of Cremartin on Wednesday, while Tyholland returned to winning ways against Emyvale. Sunday’s other games resulted in comfortable wins for Corduff and Inniskeen at home to Rockcorry and Tyholland.
Killanny just held off Scotstown on Sunday to stretch their winning run in the Eurotech Junior Football League to eight games, but they fell just short of reaching the half-way stage with a 100% record when they were pipped by Drumhowan on Wednesday, in a result that saw the visitors follow up Saturday’s comprehensive defeat of Oram. Aughnamullen lost their unbeaten record on Saturday against Toome, who closed the gap on the second-placed team to two points when they beat Scotstown on Wednesday. The other results over the weekend saw Blackhill ease to victory against Aghabog (Saturday) and Éire Óg edge out Killeevan (Sunday).
By cshalvey Fri 23rd May
