The SFC Final takes centre stage this weekend.
Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Final
Clontibret v Scotstown, Sunday, 4.00, Castleblayney
Sunday’s 2016 Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Final in Castleblayney consists of a familiar pairing, with holders Scotstown up against Clontibret for the third time in four years.
Scotstown are at this stage for the fourth time in a row and the fifth year out of six. After losing to Latton in the 2011 final, Scotstown ended their 20-year wait for a title when they beat Clontibret in 2013 and although they were pipped by the same opposition 12 months later, Mattie McGleenan’s side were back at this stage last year, when they got the better of Monaghan Harps. Scotstown went on to reach last November’s Ulster Club Final, where it took extra-time for Crossmaglen to see them off. Having lost out to the Harps at the semi-final stage in 2015, Clontibret took a step further this time around to make it through to their eighth decider since 2006. The clubs currently share second place in the SFC roll of honour with 16 titles each; exactly half of Clontibret’s haul coming from 1994 on.
Both teams have recovered from defeats to reach today’s final. Scotstown’s preliminary-round win over Doohamlet was followed by a loss to Latton, but they have gone on to knock out Carrickmacross, Truagh and Ballybay. Clontibret lost their opener in a fine contest against Ballybay, but they have put together four consecutive wins at the expense of Doohamlet, Monaghan Harps, Latton and Magheracloone.
There is little to separate these teams on their average score in their five championship outings each to date, with Scotstown’s 1-80 working out at 16.6 points per game, compared to Clontibret’s 5-65 (1-13 on average). Scotstown have the edge in defensive records, with their 3-49 conceded giving them an average of 11.6 points, while Clontibret’s is 1-10 per game (5-50 in total).
There was just two points between them in the Senior Football League at the time of writing, with the only meeting so far this year coming in a star game, which Scotstown won by five points.
Scotstown have a strong last line of defence in three-time All-Star-nominated goalkeeper Rory Beggan, whose kick-outs and long-range free-taking can be an asset for his team, while Mark Duffy, Fergal McPhillips, Emmet Caulfield and Paul Sherlock have been fixtures in the back-line.
The in-form Kieran Hughes has joined Francis Caulfield at midfield, while the likes of James Turley, Damien McArdle, Ross McKenna, Seánie Mohan and team captain Dónal Morgan have featured in a few different positions this year. Up front, Darren Hughes is an effective target-man for Scotstown, with Shane Carey leading the scoring charts. They have been without Conor McCarthy since the Doohamlet game, with the pacy county forward spending the summer in San Francisco and being kept out of the semi-final by an injury.
Clontibret have a settled, experienced side, with ten players having been ever-present en route to the final, which would surely be 11, but for Martin Corey missing the semi-final through suspension. Brian Greenan, Darach Mooney, Dessie Mone and Conor Boyle have all started every game in defence, while Colin Duffy has made four starts and one substitute appearance.
Colum Greenan has moved from half-back for the last two games, in the absence of Conor Lavelle, to partner Vincent Corey at midfield, while Pauric Boyle and Kieran Greenan have been hard-working in the half-forward line. Up front, so much depends on Conor McManus, who has hit 1-45 to date, which is 60% of Clontibret’s total. How much Scotstown can limit the two-time All-Star forward’s influence, both in open play and from frees, will go a long way towards deciding Sunday’s outcome.
Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division One Final
Aughnamullen v Corduff, Sunday, 4.00, Castleblayney
Sunday’s schedule at St. Mary’s Park begins with a novel pairing in the MFC Division One Final between Aughnamullen and league winners Corduff.
Aughnamullen have come through a testing path to this final, seeing off St. Patrick’s (Ballybay/Drumhowan) by four points and Clontibret by two, while Corduff followed up a comfortable win over Scotstown with a hard-earned semi-final victory against Magheracloone. Both teams also qualified for the Cup section of the league, with Aughnamullen beating Corduff in the first post-split round, only to be knocked out after back-to-back losses. Corduff recovered from that defeat to reach the final, where they once again got the better of Magheracloone to win a first MFL Division One title. Having won both honours in Division Two last year, Corduff are now hoping to follow in the footsteps of two-in-a-row winners Donaghmoyne by adding the top-grade double.
Seán Burns, Fergal Hanratty and Seán McEnaney are the main men in attack for Corduff, who will also be looking for big performances from the likes of Michael Connolly, Colm Lowndes, Killian Hand and Cillian Marron. Aughnamullen can call on star forward Micheál Bannigan, who captained the county minors this year, along with Stephen McGee, Stephen Geoghegan and several of their Under-16 Division One Championship winners, such as Tiernan and Kieran Duffy, Darren Geoghegan and Kieran Marron.
Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Semi-Final
Blackhill v Toome, Friday, 8.00, Inniskeen
Seán McDermotts await the winners of Friday night’s rescheduled JFC semi-final in Inniskeen: a mid-Monaghan derby between Blackhill and Toome.
Blackhill are bidding to qualify for the JFC Final for the fourth year in a row, having lost three in a row, two after replays, including last year’s decider against eventual Ulster junior champions Rockcorry. Toome’s last appearance in the final also saw them lost to that year’s provincial JFC winners, Emyvale, in 2009.
Wins over Scotstown and Drumhowan have seen Blackhill take the direct route to another semi-final, while Toome have come a long way since losing their championship opener against Drumhowan. They then stuttered past Killeevan, but they have racked up 5-39 in knocking out Scotstown and Éire Óg. Blackhill went nine games unbeaten in the JFL, including a three-point win over their neighbours, but after edging into the top half, Toome have impressed since the league split, going top of the table.
Dónal, Ryan and Anthony Courtney, Dermot Daly, Darren Woods, Mickey Geehan and Philip Donnelly should play key roles for Blackhill, while Toome will be looking for big performances from Frank Connolly and James and Gary Wilson, Seán McMahon, Mattie O’Reilly and Jason Murphy.
Silver Hill Farm Minor Hurling Championship Final
Carrickmacross v Monaghan Harps, Saturday, 2.30, Clontibret
The MHC Final is down for decision in Clontibret on Saturday.
After winning the double last year, Monaghan Harps have retained the league and they now put the championship title on the line against Carrickmacross. The Harps can call on players who featured in the SHC Final – Cathal Power, Dylan McAree and Conor Duffy – along with the likes of Aidan Burns, Remy McKenna, Niall McManus and Nathan O’Donoghue. Luke McKenna, Lee Butler, Peter Clinton, Karl McMenamin and Oisín Wilcox should lead Carrick’s challenge.
There is one County Monaghan Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League game on Sunday and it is an important one for the teams involved. Carrickmacross need to win at home to Latton to maintain their chances of avoiding relegation.
There is also one game in the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League on Sunday, when Cremartin need to get a result at home to Tyholland to hold on to their semi-final qualification hopes.
Fresh from qualifying for the JFC Final, Seán McDermotts have a local derby against Éire Óg in the Eurotech Junior Football League Cup on Sunday, while there is also a derby between Killeevan and Aghabog in the JFL Shield.
Meanwhile, two Monaghan teams are in Ulster Club Championship action, namely Truagh ladies in the IFC at home to RGU Downpatrick and Castleblayney’s camogie side v another Down opponent, An Ríocht.
By cshalvey Fri 30th Sep
