A busy programme of club fixtures this week includes finals in senior hurling and reserve football and a trio of IFC games.
Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship Final
Inniskeen v Monaghan Harps, Sunday, 2.30, Clontibret
There is a novel pairing in Sunday’s Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship Final, as Inniskeen and Monaghan Harps contest the decider for the first time.
Inniskeen are anything but strangers to this occasion, with this being their seventh consecutive final appearance, while the Harps are bridging a 12-year gap since they last made it this far. After winning two and losing four of their six county final clashes with Castleblayney, Inniskeen dumped the holders out at the quarter-final stage this time around, before cruising to a comprehensive semi-final win over Carrickmacross. The Harps got a bye to the last four, where they edged past Clontibret, who had seen off Truagh in a first-round game that went to extra-time (as did Inniskeen v Blayney).
Ronan Meegan and Tadhg Campbell were in prolific form last time out for Inniskeen, while Martin Murphy and Pauric Dowdall also hit the net. Monaghan senior hurling manager Trevor Hilliard remains an influential player for the Grattans, who will also be looking for big performances from Paul, Dónal and Colm Meegan and Jamie Dooley. The Harps will need big performances from Cathal Power, Conor Flynn, Adrian Dalton, Patrick Meehan, Shane Smyth and the Lees if they are to claim a first title since 1998.
Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship Final
Castleblayney v Clontibret, Sunday, 12.45, Clontibret
The Shield Final sees last year’s championship winners Castleblayney take on Clontibret.
Blayney are making a rare appearance in the curtain-raiser after 17 consecutive appearances in the championship final, 14 of which they won. Blayney’s three-in-a-row bid was ended by Inniskeen after extra-time in their quarter-final, while Clontibret edged out Truagh, only for the Harps to deny them a first appearance in the decider since 2008. Blayney ran out convincing winners in their shield semi against holders Truagh, while Clontibret had nine points to spare over Carrickmacross.
Blayney could be able to select a huge number of county players, such as Mark and Peter Treanor, Stephen Lambe, Fergal Rafter, Deaglán Crowe, Brian McGuigan, Niall Garland and Paddy Finnegan. Clontibret will depend on Shane and Raymond McNally, Arthur and Christopher Morgan, Stephen Mohan and Ned McCann to lead their challenge.
McElvaney Waste & Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A
Emyvale v Rockcorry, Saturday, 7.00, Smithborough
The weekend’s IFC games start with the meeting of Emyvale and Rockcorry in Smithborough on Saturday.
Emyvale are fifth in the IFL, four points clear of Rockcorry, who are currently in the relegation zone. Rock returned to winning ways in an action-packed game away to Tyholland last time out, however, and they have a fine championship record of late. As well as winning the Monaghan and Ulster JFC titles last year, Rock defied a miserable 2014 league campaign to reach the IFC semi-finals. Emyvale, twice Ulster JFC winners in the last decade – have made little impact on the IFC in recent years, despite taking eventual winners Doohamlet to a replay just under 12 months ago.
Daniel McMahon, Karl McQuaid, David McAlister and Gregory Devlin are central players for Emyvale, who will have fingers crossed on the fitness of Ryan McAnespie. Rock can call on four players who featured for Monaghan in the Dr. McKenna Cup in January – namely Jamie Smith, Niall McKeown, Mark Thornton and Fergal McGeough – with Mark and Keith Daly and Mark McGuirk other key men.
McElvaney Waste & Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A
Cremartin v Currin, Sunday, 5.15, Castleblayney
Aughnamullen v Tyholland, Sunday, 7.00, Castleblayney
Castleblayney hosts a double-header on Sunday: Cremartin v Currin and Aughnamullen v Tyholland.
Cremartin have two wins over Currin, who are bottom of the league, to their name already this year; both by the narrowest of margins. Currin will be hoping that Jack McCarron is fit to play, as he is one of their main men, along with the likes Dick Clerkin, Stephen Smyth and Ciarán and Conor McCaffrey. Cremartin have their own injury worries over their captain Johnny McGuigan, who they will hope can spearhead their challenge, with the help of Paddy McGuigan, Shaun Buckley and Niall Flanagan.
Tyholland will be hoping to transfer their good league form into their championship clash with Aughnamullen. Despite being held to a draw when Aughnamullen visited back in April, Tyholland are five points and four positions above their opponents in the table, with two games less played.
The north-Monaghan side have only won one IFC title (in 2007), but they have reached at least the semi-finals in five of the last six years, advancing to the final three times. Aughnamullen have a less formidable championship record, despite winning the JFL in 2014 and reaching the IFL Final last year.
Shane Conlon, Mark McArdle, Seán Sheridan, Chris Keenan and county minor captain Micheál Bannigan should play key roles for Aughnamullen, with Karl O’Connell, Dermot Coyle, Gary McQuaid, Ronan McNally and Shane Treanor central to Tyholland’s chances.
Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division Three Final
Clones v Killanny, Friday, 7.30, Drumhowan
Clones and Killanny contest the RFL Division Three Final in Drumhowan on Friday evening.
The teams finished level on points in the league, with Clones taking top spot as they had comprehensively beaten Killanny back in May. Clones, who are also through to the McKeown Cup championship final, had a five-point win over Éire Óg in their league semi, while Killanny hit five goals to blow Aghabog away.
Colm Connolly, Eoin McQuaid, James McElwain, Emmet McEntee and Fabian Beggan could play key roles for Clones, while Shane Grimes, Gavin Traynor, Michael Vernon Dónal McArdle and Conor Russell should lead Killanny’s challenge.
County Monaghan Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League leaders Ballybay make the short journey to Castleblayney on Friday, while Clontibret host Carrickmacross and Monaghan Harps face Latton. The teams sharing second place – north-Monaghan neighbours Truagh and Scotstown – face off on Sunday, while Magheracloone host Doohamlet.
The Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League resumes on Wednesday, when Rockcorry and Emyvale repeat their weekend championship clash and Currin make the long journey to Killanny. Table-toppers Donaghmoyne travel to Tyholland on Thursday.
The Cup section of the Eurotech Junior Football League begins with a mid-Monaghan derby between Oram and Blackhill on Friday evening, while Sunday’s games see Clones and Toome host Seán McDermotts and Éire Óg respectively.
The Shield section gets underway on Sunday, with Corduff and Aghabog having home advantage against Killeevan and Scotstown respectively.
The Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling League continues on Thursday, with Inniskeen, Monaghan Harps and Clontibret at home to Craobh Rua, Truagh and Carrickmacross respectively.
The rescheduled Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division Two quarter-final replay between Na Mullaí Sarsfields and Inniskeen takes place on Friday evening. The winners of that game will face Clann na nGael at the semi-final stage on Tuesday, with the other semi being between Emyvale and Carrickmacross in Blackhill. The MFC Division One semi-finals are also down for decision on Tuesday, with Magheracloone and Corduff meeting in Aughnamullen and Drumhowan hosting the clash of Clontibret and Aughnamullen.
The final round of the Connolly Meats Minor Football League Division Three is also on the agenda on Tuesday, when Rockcorry, Cremartin and Seán McDermotts host Tyholland, Doohamlet and Latton respectively.
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 5th Aug
