A busy weekend of club action is in prospect, with a number of SFC and JFC games topping the bill.
Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Round 1B
Castleblayney v Monaghan Harps, Saturday, 4.45, Scotstown
Clontibret v Doohamlet, Saturday, 6.30, Scotstown
The SFC resumes with a Round 1B double-header in Scotstown on Saturday.
First up is the meeting of Castleblayney and Monaghan Harps. The Harps defeated Blayney in the first round last year, before reaching the final, while the Faughs regrouped to make it to the semi-finals, where they lost to Scotstown for the second time in a row. The teams are level in the SFL, where Blayney have two games in hand, while both league meetings were similarly close: a draw and a one-point win for the Harps. Blayney lost out to Truagh in their championship opener, while the Harps were beaten by Magheracloone.
Dermot Malone, Martin and Brendan McElroy and Ciarán and Barry Hanratty are key men for the Faughs, with Conor Galligan, Neil McAdam, Shane Smyth and Kevin Loughran among the main men for the Harps.
That will be followed by a parish derby between Clontibret and Doohamlet.
Clontibret lost in the game of the opening round against Ballybay, while Doohamlet were without key forward Barry McGinn in their loss to Scotstown. Clontibret are three points clear of their neighbours in the league, although they were held to a draw by Doohamlet in early May.
Conor McManus, Dessie Mone, Vincent Corey, Conor Boyle and Colum Greenan backbone a very experienced Clontibret team, with McGinn, Colin and Jamie Walshe and Conor Marray big players for Doohamlet.
Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Round 1A
Latton v Scotstown, Sunday, 6.30, Castleblayney
The last SFC Round 1A game between Latton and Scotstown brings the weekend’s action to a close in Castleblayney on Sunday evening.
Scotstown were too strong for Doohamlet in the preliminary round, while Latton saw off Carrickmacross. Scotstown are just a point off the top of the league, well clear of their second-from-bottom opponents, but three of Latton’s points have come against the title holders via an away draw in May and a comfortable win at home to an understrength side last month.
Scotstown will be confident that the likes of Darren and Kieran Hughes, Rory Beggan and Dónal Morgan can power them through, while Latton will need big performances from Owen Duffy, Hugh McElroy and Shane and Owen Coyle.
Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 2B
Éire Óg v Seán McDermotts, Sunday, 1.15, Clontibret
Blackhill v Drumhowan, Sunday, 2.45, Clontibret
Local rivals Éire Óg and Seán McDermotts contest part one of an interesting JFC double-header (with the first semi-final places on the line) in Clontibret on Sunday.
Both teams had one-sided wins in their championship openers, with the Seáns putting Corduff to the sword and Éire Óg doing a similar job to Killeevan. The Seáns had a double-scores win over Éire Óg in round one of the league, but the Smithborough men recovered to join their neighbours in qualifying for the Cup section.
Damien Larkin, Adam O’Driscoll, Niall Kearns and James Treanor are key men for the Seáns in the absence of Paddy Kieran and Brian McQuaid, while Dermot Gleeson, Michael Tierney, Ronan Cassidy and Conor Leonard should be prominent for Éire Óg.
Also looking to take the direct route to the last four will be Blackhill and Drumhowan. Blackhill have lost just once in 13 games in 2016, with championship wins to their name at the expense of Clones and Scotstown. JFC specialists Drumhowan, who will need to win the title again to gain promotion after failing to make the top six in the league, also have two victories already against Aghabog and Toome.
Blackhill will be looking to Ryan, Dónal and Anthony Courtney, Philip Donnelly and Dermot Daly to lead the way, with David Millar, Darren Duffy, Kevin Mooney and Colm Lambe crucial to Drumhowan’s chances.
Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 2B
Aghabog v Clones, Friday, 8.15, Emyvale
Scotstown v Toome, Sunday, 4.45, Castleblayney
Aghabog and Clones meet in the JFC under Emyvale’s lights on Friday night.
Clones lost to Blackhill in the first round, before cruising past Corduff, while Aghabog recovered from losing to Drumhowan by knocking Oram out. These sides drew back in April, but Clones went on to qualify for the Cup section of the league, while a round ten defeat saw Aghabog miss out.
Clones are without county man Fintan Kelly, but should have James Mealiff, Adrian Alford, Eoin McQuaid and Cian O’Connor to lead their challenge, while Aghabog will need Seán O’Brien, Gary McBride, Dermot and Damian Smyth and Ciarán Logue on top form.
The other last-chance-saloon game in the JFC sees Scotstown face Toome in Castleblayney on Sunday.
Scotstown beat Oram in the first round, but since being beaten by Blackhill, they have been consigned to the Shield. Toome, who made the league top six, have had a mixed championship so far, with a loss to Drumhowan being followed by a win over Killeevan, Frank Connolly, Seán McMahon, Gary and James Wilson and Ryan Murphy could be to the fore for Toome, while Scotstown will need to have the likes of Ruairí Sheehan, Conor Caulfield and Mark McDevitt available to boost their chances of making the JFC semi-finals for a third consecutive year
Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division Two Final
Blackhill v Seán McDermotts, Wednesday, 7.15, Rockcorry
Blackhill and Seán McDermotts contest a reserve football final for the second time this year in Wednesday’s RFL Division Two decider.
The Seáns edged out Blackhill in the RFC Crawley Cup Final and they went on to top the league table, with their only defeat coming in the opening round against Wednesday’s opponents. Blackhill got the better of Doohamlet in the semi-final. The Seáns will hope to be able to call on the likes of Adam O’Driscoll, Niall Kearns, Shane Larkin, James McAleer and Philip Farrell, with James Daly, Aaron Kenny, Jason and Paul Finnegan and Niall Donnelly key players for Blackhill.
The Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League continues with a full round of games on Sunday. It’s top v bottom when Donaghmoyne host Currin, while second face third when Tyholland travel to Inniskeen. Aughnamullen have home advantage against Killanny, Rockcorry meet Corduff and Emyvale take on Cremartin.
Emyvale and Carrickmacross contest the second Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division Two semi-final in Blackhill on Friday evening.
The Connolly Meats Minor Football Leagues take centre stage on Tuesday evening. Round three of the Division One Cup sees Aughnamullen and Magheracloone host Truagh and Corduff respectively, while in the Shield, it’s St. Patrick’s v Monaghan Harps and Scotstown v Clontibret.
The Division Two Cup semi-finals are Carrickmacross v Clann na nGael and Donaghmoyne v Killanny and in the Shield semis, Na Mullaí Sarsfields face Emyvale and Patrick Emmets take on Inniskeen. The Division Three semi-finals are also down for decision, with Latton hosting Doohamlet and Seán McDermotts up against Tyholland.
Action continues in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. football competition this week, as well as semi-finals in the Silver Hill Foods Under-12 Hurling League.
By cshalvey Fri 12th Aug
