With Monaghan’s involvement in the Allianz National Leagues at an end, the club scene gets into full swing this week, while there is also county action in the Ulster Minor Football and Hurling Leagues.
Ulster Minor Football League Shield Semi-Final
Tyrone v Monaghan, Friday, 8.00, Garvaghey
Monaghan meet Tyrone at the Red Hand County’s Training Centre at Garvaghey in the Ulster MFL Shield semi-final on Friday night.
Monaghan had a disappointing time in Group A, falling to three straight defeats against Down, Armagh and Cavan. Tyrone finished third in Group B after winning two and losing two of their four games. Wins over Antrim and Fermanagh book-ended a campaign which saw Tyrone lose to Derry and Donegal.
Monaghan will need big performances from the likes of Barry Kerr, Micheál Bannigan, Conor Duffy, Conor Marray and Pádraig McMahon and they will also hope to have David Garland available for the first time this year. David Mulgrew, Cormac O’Hagan, Fintan McClure and Ryan Coleman are among the main men for Tyrone.
Ulster Minor Hurling League Shield Semi-Final
Tyrone v Monaghan, Friday, 7.30, Garvaghey
At the same venue on Friday night, Monaghan’s minor hurlers take on Tyrone in the Ulster Championship Shield semi-finals.
Tyrone have already won the Ulster Minor Hurling League Division Two title after seeing off Monaghan, Cavan and Louth with ease and they will be expected to qualify for another final. Monaghan did manage a win over Louth and a draw with Cavan, either side of losing to Friday’s opponents, which saw them miss out on qualifying on score difference.
Dearcan Ó Donnghaile, Brannon Molloy, Josh Ferguson, Pearse McErlain and Lorcan Devlin are key players for Tyrone, while Monaghan will need Ronan Curran, Cathal Power, Conor Flynn, Dylan McAree and Reece Treanor on top form if they are to spring a surprise.
Round two of the Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling League takes place on Thursday evening, with Inniskeen and Truagh both looking to build on winning starts when they meet at Páirc Grattan, while Castleblayney start their title defence away to Carrickmacross. In the Silver Hill Foods Minor Hurling League on Sunday, it’s Carrickmacross v Inniskeen and Castleblayney v Monaghan Harps.
The County Monaghan Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League continues with two full rounds in the next week. Early leaders Scotstown host Inniskeen on Saturday evening, while Castleblayney begin their campaign against Latton, Ballybay take on Monaghan Harps and Truagh face Clontibret. Magheracloone play their first game of the year on Sunday, away to fellow south-Monaghan side Donaghmoyne, who have another derby against the other newly-promoted team, Inniskeen, on Wednesday evening. The other midweek fixtures include a battle between last year’s championship and league winners (Clontibret v Scotstown), as well as Latton v Truagh, Monaghan Harps v Castleblayney and Magheracloone’s first SFL game at their newly-redeveloped pitch against Ballybay.
It’s a similarly busy few days in the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League. The two teams who have won both of their opening games cross swords on Saturday evening when Aughnamullen host Emyvale, while at the other end, there are clashes between the four teams yet to pick up a point: Currin v Corduff and Clones v Tyholland. Doohamlet make the short trek to Cremartin and Carrickmacross have home advantage against Drumhowan. The derby between Corduff and Aughnamullen tops the bill on Wednesday, when the other fixtures are Doohamlet v Carrickmacross, Drumhowan v Currin, Emyvale v Clones and Tyholland v Cremartin.
Two of the three unbeaten teams in the Eurotech Junior Football League are in action on Friday evening, with Rockcorry at home to Killanny and Blackhill away to Scotstown. Friday’s other game is between Toome and Seán McDermotts. Leaders Oram travel to Smithborough to play Éire Óg on Saturday, while Killeevan make the short trip to Killeevan. There are also fairly local affairs on Wednesday night between Killeevan and Rockcorry, Oram and Toome and Seán McDermotts and Aghabog, while Blackhill host Éire Óg and Scotstown head south to Killanny.
Seán McDermotts and Clontibret contest a rescheduled Minor Football League Division One game on Saturday, while a full round on Tuesday evening sees joint-leaders Donaghmoyne and Magheracloone take on Carrickmacross and Clontibret respectively, with Truagh at home to Seán McDermotts and Monaghan Harps hosting Scotstown in another local derby. MFL Division Two front-runners Na Mullaí Sarsfields are away to Inniskeen on Tuesday, while nearest challengers Aughnamullen and Toome face Emyvale and Corduff respectively and Cremartin face Clones. The three teams who share first place in Division Three, Killanny, Patrick Emmets and Castleblayney, are up against Latton, Tyholland and Emerald Sarsfields respectively on Tuesday, with Doohamlet facing Rockcorry.
The Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions continue at pace over the next week, with action in the Under-16 Football Leagues, Under-14 Football Leagues and Championships, Under-12 Football Spring Leagues and Under-14 Hurling League.
By cshalvey Thu 16th Apr
