Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship continues with two qualifier games on Sunday, while there are also star games in the Senior and Intermediate Football Leagues over the weekend.
Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 1B
Éire Óg v Scotstown, Sunday, 6.30, Truagh
Seán McDermotts v Toome, Sunday, 6.30, Drumhowan
Two teams are due to exit the JFC this Sunday evening, when one of the fixtures is a local derby between Éire Óg and Scotstown.
Éire Óg lost a closely-contested championship opener against Aghabog, while Scotstown also lost a tight game against league leaders Rockcorry. Éire Óg made a strong start to the league, winning four of their first five games, but they haven’t won since April 24. Scotstown have won just twice, although they have finished on the wrong side of a number of close calls, including a one-point loss against their Smithborough neighbours. Éire Óg knocked Scotstown’s juniors out of the championship in 2013, but the latter got to the semi-finals last year.
Éire Óg will need Dermot Gleeson and Michael Tierney (who both missed the Aghabog game) to return to their team and play key roles alongside Ronan Cassidy, Marc McBride and Darach McCluskey, while Scotstown will be hoping that Seán Mohan, Francis Maguire, Ruairí Sheehan, James Hamill and the county team’s new back-up goalkeeper Cian Mohan can lead their challenge.
The other game is between Seán McDermotts and Toome in Drumhowan.
Both teams lost their JFC openers by a point, as Toome were edged out by Killanny, while the Seáns fell just short against Blackhill. The Seáns, who were relegated from intermediate last year, are joint-second in the league – nine points ahead of Toome – and they had a comfortable win over their opponents back in April.
Damien Larkin, Brian McQuaid and Noel Rice should be among the main men for the Seáns, who will hope to have Patrick Kieran and James Treanor fit to start this time, while Toome will need big performances from the likes of Gavin Flanagan, Gary Wilson, Stephen Lambe and Liam and Stephen McCooey.
There are three games in the County Monaghan Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League on Sunday. The teams currently sharing second place – Truagh and Monaghan Harps – are up against Latton and Castleblayney respectively, while Ballybay face Magheracloone. Leaders and holders Scotstown host county champions Clontibret on Tuesday evening.
The battle of rivals Aughnamullen and Corduff on Saturday evening starts the weekend’s Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League schedule. It’s top versus bottom when Emyvale travel to Clones on Sunday, while the winners of Carrickmacross and Doohamlet will move up to second and the game between Currin and Drumhowan offers both teams the chance to move further clear of the relegation zone.
There is just one game in the Eurotech Junior Football League on Sunday, when Killeevan’s bid to claim their first league points continues with a home game against Blackhill.
The Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling League joint-leaders Castleblayney and Inniskeen are up against Truagh and Clontibret respectively on Thursday.
The Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division 2A continues on Wednesday with Donaghmoyne v Rockcorry, Drumhowan v Doohamlet and Seán McDermotts v Éire Óg, while the Division 2B fixtures are Carrickmacross v Inniskeen, Killanny v Corduff and Truagh v Blackhill. In Division Three, Monaghan Harps face Aghabog on Sunday and both teams are back in action on Wednesday against Clones and Killeevan respectively.
The Under-21 competitions continue on Friday evening. Magheracloone and Donaghmoyne will be joined in the Division One semi-finals by the winners of the north-Monaghan derbies between Emyvale and Truagh and Monaghan Harps and Scotstown. Meanwhile, the Division Two preliminary round sees Killeevan host Carrickmacross.
St. Patrick’s and Seán McDermotts contest a Minor Football League Division One Cup game on Saturday, while the competition continues on Tuesday when St. Pat’s are away to leaders Donaghmoyne and Magheracloone travel to Truagh.
There are games in all three divisions of the Maguire Transport Minor Football Championships on Tuesday. Carrickmacross host Scotstown in the Division One preliminary round, while the Division Two quarter-finals are Aughnamullen v Clones, Cremartin v Emyvale, Na Mullaí Sarsfields v Corduff and Toome v Inniskeen. In the Division Three quarter-finals, it’s Patrick Emmets v Tyholland, Rockcorry v Emerald Sarsfields and Tyholland v Doohamlet.
The Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions continue with action in all five divisions of the Under-12 Football League on Saturday, a handful of U-12 football games on Tuesday and a full round in the Under-16 Football Leagues on Thursday.
By cshalvey Fri 10th Jul
