Previews

In another busy weekend on the club scene, it’s the SFC that takes most of the attention.

Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Round 2B

Castleblayney v Magheracloone, Friday, 8.15, Inniskeen

Monaghan Harps v Truagh, Saturday, 4.45, Scotstown

The eight remaining teams in the SFC will be reduced to six by the two qualifier games, starting with Castleblayney v Magheracloone under lights on Friday night.

Castleblayney lost to Ballybay in the first round and they struggled in the early stages of the year, but they have been beaten just once in their last nine games and the introduction of county man Dermot Malone eventually guided them past Doohamlet after extra-time last Saturday. Magheracloone had a comfortable first-round win over Currin, but they were edged out by Latton last week. Blayney had an eight-point win over the Mitchells in May and they have are five points ahead of them in the league, but this one is likely to be much closer.

Malone, Martin McElroy and Ciarán Hanratty (who returns from suspension) should lead the Faughs with support from Cormac Brady and Barry Hanratty, while Magheracloone are depending on Tommy and Damien Freeman, James and Pete Ward, Gavin Doogan and Paudie Finnegan to lead their challenge.

There is also a derby between Monaghan Harps and Truagh in the first part of a double-header in Scotstown on Saturday.

Monaghan Harps lost to Clontibret in the first round and got a bye through Round 1B, while Truagh recovered from their derby defeat against Scotstown by cruising past Currin. These teams are level in the league table on 11 points each and their only meeting to date was a draw, so a close game is on the cards.

Conor Galligan, Shane Smyth, Dónal Hahessy, Stephen Driver and Nicholas Scott are among the main men for the Harps, while Paudie McKenna, Daniel and Christopher McKenna, Mark Counihan and John McCarron should be to the fore for All-Ireland IFC winners Truagh.

Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Round 2A

Clontibret v Latton, Saturday, 6.30, Scotstown

Ballybay v Scotstown, Sunday, 6.30, Clontibret

The first SFC semi-final place is up for grabs in Saturday evening’s game between Clontibret and Latton.

Clontibret, who lost the last two county finals and have reached that stage in six of the last eight years, held off a late charge from Monaghan Harps in their SFC opener back in May, while Latton have narrow wins over Doohamlet and Magheracloone under their belt. Clontibret have also beaten Latton twice this year in the league, where they are in second place as opposed to their opponents’ position in eighth, so it all looks stacked in the favour of Dominic Corrigan’s side.

Clontibret can call on county players Conor McManus, Dessie Mone, Vincent Corey and Conor Boyle and others like Colum and Brian Greenan. Latton have been without Owen Lennon for most of this year and Aidan Farmer limped off with a hamstring injury last weekend, limiting their options and increasing the pressure on Owen and Kieran Duffy, Hugh McElroy, Owen Coyle and Bernard O’Brien to lead their challenge.

Rounding off the weekend’s SFC action is the clash of the last two county champions.

Scotstown ended a 20-year wait for a Mick Duffy Cup last year and they made a winning start to their defence of the title against Truagh, while 2012 winners Ballybay proved too strong for Castleblayney. Scotstown have held the edge over Ballybay in recent years and they beat them in their first meeting of 2014, but the Pearse Brothers are the form team in the county going into this one; sitting top of the league, helped by last week’s defeat of the holders.

There is no shortage of county players on show in this one, with Rory Beggan, Darren and Kieran Hughes, Shane Carey and Conor McCarthy (Scotstown) and Drew and Ryan Wylie, Paul Finlay, Christopher McGuiness and Thomas Kerr (Ballybay) all having been on Malachy O’Rourke’s panel during 2014. James Turley, Mark Duffy and Francis Caulfield are other key players for Scotstown, who are without injured defender Dónal Morgan, while Ballybay will also be looking to new recruit Ciarán Galligan, Shane McQuillan and Dessie Ward.

Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division Two Final

Aughnamullen v Donaghmoyne, Friday, 7.00, Blackhill

Having already beaten Aughnamullen in the Crawley Cup Final, Donaghmoyne will attempt to repeat the trick and complete a reserve double in Friday evening’s RFL Division Two decider.

Donaghmoyne topped the league and cruised past Seán McDermotts in the semi-finals, while Aughnamullen, who finished third, had an away win over Doohamlet.

John Farrell, Niall Garland, Jonathan McCrossan, Fergal Keenan and Mikey Murnaghan are big players for Donaghmoyne, with Colin Clerkin, Edmond McArdle, Lee Conlan, Mark Meegan and Damien Duffy likewise for Aughnamullen, who won the Division 2B title last year.

McElvaney Recycling Minor Football League Division Two Final

Clontibret v Truagh, Sunday, 12.00, Monaghan

Clontibret and Truagh contest the MFL Division Two Final at Gavan Duffy Park on Sunday.

Truagh topped the league table on 12 points, one point ahead of Clontibret, who they defeated by 1-13 to 0-10 back in April. Truagh were then convincing winners in their semi-final against Cremartin, while Clontibret edged a one-point win in a high-scoring clash with St. Tiarnach’s. Both teams made it through the first round of the MFC Division One, only to exit at the quarter-final stage. Truagh beat St. Patrick’s and lost narrowly to Scotstown, while Clontibret saw off Toome and were second-best against St. Tiarnach’s. They both then went into the Division Two championship, where Truagh cruised past Toome, but lost to Clontibret in the semi-finals.

Stephen Mohan, Francis Hughes, Killian Lavelle and Michael Savage should play key roles for Clontibret, with Shane  and Aaron Treanor, Ryan Mohan and Fergal Rafferty central to Truagh’s chances.

It’s still all to play for in the very competitive Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League, which continues with a full round on Sunday. Joint-leaders Carrickmacross, Donaghmoyne and Inniskeen are up against Seán McDermotts, Emyvale and Clones respectively, while Cremartin host Corduff in a repeat of their recent championship clash and Tyholland and Rockcorry have a dress-rehearsal for their upcoming IFC qualifier.

It’s first versus third in the Eurotech Junior Football League on Sunday when Killanny travel to Blackhill, while Toome have home advantage against Killeevan. Scotstown face Aghabog on Monday evening and on Wednesday, Aughnamullen face Drumhowan, who recently knocked them out of the championship.

The second Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling League semi-final on Tuesday sees championship winners Castleblayney host runners-up Inniskeen for the right to play Truagh in the final.

These are also busy times in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions. The Under-12 Football League Finals take centre stage in Castleblayney on Saturday, while the Under-16 and Under-14 Football Leagues are also down to the knock-out stages and the Under-14 Hurling League continues on Monday.