It’s full speed ahead now for the club competitions, with the IFC starting this weekend while the JFC continues.
McElvaney Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Preliminary Round
Aughnamullen v Corduff, Saturday, 5.30, Inniskeen
McElvaney Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A
Carrickmacross v Drumhowan, Saturday, 7.00, Inniskeen
The IFC begins with a double-header at Páirc Grattan on Saturday, starting with a local derby between Aughnamullen and Corduff.
Aughnamullen have been surprising many with their consistent form in the IFL this year after they gained promotion via the JFL last year, following their JFC semi-final loss to Drumhowan. The Sarsfields are currently just a point off the top. Corduff reached semi-finals in the IFC and IFL in 2014, but they have been mired in mid-table throughout this campaign.
Pete and Sam Dooney, Shane Conlon and Chris Keenan are key players for Aughnamullen, while Keith McEnaney, Pádraic Keenan and Jason Hand are among the main men for Corduff, who have recently welcomed Declan Larkin and Ciarán Brennan back into their team.
Next up is the game between Carrickmacross and Drumhowan.
Having been one of the favourites before the start of last year’s IFC, Carrick made a tame exit early on and they also missed out on the league semi-finals. Drumhowan, meanwhile, won the JFC for the fourth time since 2006 to secure a return to intermediate. Carrick are currently joint-second, seven points clear of Drumhowan, who they comfortably defeated back in April.
Stephen Gollogly is the driving force for Carrickmacross with the help of Cillian Cromwell, Peter O’Hanlon and Gary, Conor and Ryan McEnaney. Darren Duffy, Kevin and Kieran Mooney, John Paul O’Neill, David Millar and Colm Lambe will be expected to lead the way for Drumhowan.
McElvaney Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A
Doohamlet v Tyholland, Sunday, 1.30, Blackhill
Doohamlet and Tyholland contest a repeat of the 2010 and 2012 IFC Finals in Round 1A at Blackhill on Sunday.
Doohamlet won both of those deciders and they also have better form on their side going into this game as they have been in the top four in the league throughout the year, while Tyholland have been struggling to get out of the relegation zone. Doohamlet have had a mixed run of late, including a defeat against Tyholland, but the north-Monaghan men have failed to win in four games since then, leaving them three points adrift of safety. Neither of these teams won a championship match last year, while Doohamlet went on to be relegated from senior ranks, not helped by a long-term injury to 2013 All-Star Colin Walshe.
Walshe is back to lead Doohamlet’s challenge alongside the likes of his brother Jamie, Barry McGinn, Barry McBennett and Conor Marray. Karl O’Connell is the star man for Tyholland, with support from players like Gary McQuaid, Brian McArdle, Ronan McNally and Ryan McKenna.
McElvaney Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Preliminary Round
Cremartin v Currin, Sunday, 5.30, Scotstown
McElvaney Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A
Clones v Emyvale, Sunday, 7.00, Scotstown
The weekend’s action finishes with a double-header in Scotstown on Sunday evening.
The first of those two games is between Cremartin and Currin. Cremartin have recovered from a slow start to sit joint-fourth in the IFL, while Currin have also had an upturn in form as the year has gone on, but they are still down in eighth. Cremartin had a two-point win away to Currin back in June. The Shamrocks were knocked out by Rockcorry in Round 3B of last year’s IFC, while the Scotshouse men were relegated from senior.
Cremartin are without the injured Paddy McGuigan, but they can still call on the likes of Johnny McGuigan, Mark Magee, Ronan and Shane Burke and Shaun Buckley. Currin will hope to have Jack McCarron fully fit after his cruciate-ligament injury and Stephen Smyth is also back after missing the 2014 campaign, although Ben Clerkin is out with a similar injury. Dick Clerkin and Ciarán McCaffrey are other big players for Currin.
Clones and Emyvale contest the last Round 1A tie.
This is a bottom-versus-top clash based on league positions, although Clones did overturn Emyvale last month. Emyvale’s strong run this year has taken them to the top of the table, while Clones These clubs each saw their IFC hopes ended by Corduff last year, while both 2015 IFL games between the teams finished in one-point wins for the home side.
Ryan McAnespie, James Bellew, Daniel McMahon, John Flannery and Mervyn Brow should play important parts for Emyvale, while Fintan Kelly, Adrian Alford and Darragh Holland are leaders for Clones, who could also feature minors James Mealiff and Eoin McQuaid.
Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 3B
Killeevan v Toome, Saturday, 5.00, Clontibret
Aghabog v Scotstown, Saturday, 6.30, Clontibret
The last two places in this year’s JFC semi-finals are up for grabs in Clontibret on Saturday.
First up is the game between Killeevan and Toome. Killeevan won their only game of the year so far in their championship opener against Oram, but they were put to the sword by Blackhill last time out. Toome were edged out by Killanny in their preliminary-round game, but they bounced back with a surprise win over Seán McDermotts before seeing off neighbours Oram. Toome ran out convincing winners when these teams met back in April.
Toome will be looking for big performances from Gavin Flanagan, Gary Wilson, Stephen Lambe, Mattie O’Reilly, Seán McMahon and Frank Connolly, while Killeevan will need to have Noel Smith, Kevin McGinn, Ciarán Corr, Ciarán Burns and Killian Mooney on top form.
Aghabog got two JFC wins under their belts at the expense of Killanny and Éire Óg, only to lose out to local rivals Rockcorry last time out. Scotstown were pipped at the finishing post by Rockcorry in the first round, but they have recovered with wins over Éire Óg and Killanny. Scotstown knocked Aghabog out of the championship at this stage last year, but the Emmets won the only league game between these teams so far in 2015 by a single point.
Shane and Seán O’Brien, Tyler O’Hanlon, Gary McBride and Damian Smyth should be to the fore for Aghabog, with Francis Maguire, Cian and Seán Mohan, Brendan Boylan and Ross McKenna central to Scotstown’s challenge.
Silver Hill Foods Minor Hurling League Semi-Finals
Castleblayney v Carrickmacross, Thursday, 7.00
Inniskeen v Truagh, Thursday, 7.00
SHC Finalists Castleblayney and Inniskeen have home advantage in Thursday’s SHL semi-finals, which are repeat pairings from the last four in the SHC.
Blayney, who retained the championship title last week, also finished top of the league and will be fancied to again prove too strong for Carrick, while Inniskeen will be bidding to bounce back from their second consecutive county final defeat when they take on shield winners Truagh.
Blayney’s team is full of current and former county players such as Brian McGuigan, Hugh Byrne, Fergal Rafter, Niall Garland, Stephen Peter and Mark Treanor, Deaglán Crowe, Paddy Finnegan, Cormac McNally and Brian Flanagan. That experience and quality should be too much for a Carrick team led by Éanna and Aonghus Mac Suibhne and Jason O’Rourke, Dónal, Ronan, Colm and Paul Meegan, Martin Murphy, Trevor Hilliard, Colm Meegan and Pauric Dowdall are key men for Inniskeen, with Conor McKenna, Conor Boyle, Niall Cadden, Cathal McAnespie and Aidan Coyle central to Truagh’s chances.
The top two clash in the County Monaghan Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League when Scotstown host Monaghan Harps on Sunday, while the other teams in the current top four (Truagh and Clontibret) are up against Magheracloone and Donaghmoyne respectively. There is also a local derby between Ballybay and Castleblayney, while Inniskeen will hope to put a run of narrow defeats to an end when they host Latton.
Eurotech Junior Football League leaders Rockcorry are away to one of the three teams currently sharing second place (Killanny) on Sunday, when the other game sees Oram host Éire Óg. The Smithborough side are back in action with a local derby against Seán McDermotts on Wednesday, while Toome host Aghabog.
The Minor Football League Division Two and Three Finals are down for decision on Tuesday. Corduff and Toome contest the Division Two Cup Final in Aughnamullen, while Tyholland is the venue for the Shield Final between Clones and Inniskeen. Castleblayney hosts the Division Three Cup decider between Killanny and Patrick Emmets, with Doohamlet and Emerald Sarsfields contesting the Shield in Donaghmoyne. Minor Football Championship Division One finalists Donaghmoyne are away to Seán McDermotts in the Cup section of the league on Friday, while their final opponents Truagh host the Seáns on Tuesday. The last round in the Division One Shield sees Clontibret and Monaghan Harps travel to Scotstown and Carrickmacross respectively.
Inniskeen host Castleblayney in the first Silver Hill Foods Minor Hurling Championship Semi-Final on Sunday.
The Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions are reaching the closing stages, with finals and semi-finals on the agenda in the Under-16 Football Championships and Leagues, Under-12 Football Leagues and Under-14 Hurling Leagues this week.
By cshalvey Fri 14th Aug
