Sunday’s Junior Football Championship takes centre stage on a busy weekend of club football.

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Final

Drumhowan v Emyvale, Sunday, 2.00, Scotstown

 

Emyvale and Drumhowan battle it out for the Packie Boylan Cup in Sunday’s Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Final in Scotstown.

Emyvale were drawn in the preliminary round, where early goals by James Bellew and Martin McAree set them on their way to an eight-point win over Killeevan. The north-Monaghan proved too strong for Oram in the first round and followed it up with almost identical scorelines against Blackhill and Éire Óg (2-12 to 0-6 and 2-12 to 0-5).

Drumhowan learned little from their first game against Feargal O’Hanlons, but they were forced to work hard to edge past Éire Óg and they were also tested by Clones in the semi-finals, even though they were always in control of that one.

Emyvale’s scoring rate has been remarkably consistent in their championship game – 18 points in each of their last three games and a total of 7-48 in four matches or an average of 17.25 points – while conceding just 1-27 or 7.5 points per game. Drumhowan have scored 11-49 in just three matches while conceding 3-20, but a huge 9-26 of their total came in that facile win over Feargal O’Hanlons.

Both teams are also through to the Junior Football League semi-finals, with Emyvale finishing top and Drumhowan taking third place. Emyvale took three points from their two games against today’s opponents in their league meetings.

Emyvale have been driven forward throughout the campaign by their captain James Bellew, who can line out at midfield or centre-forward. Daniel McMahon, Martin McAree and James McAlister have led the way up front, while county minor star Ryan McAnespie is a vital link between defence and attack. John Flannery and Colin Hughes should anchor the defence, alongside Seán McMeel and the attack-minded John Thomas Treanor, although Flannery is struggling to overcome the hamstring injury that forced him off in the early stages of the semi-final.

Colm Lambe, Ciarán Deery and Michael Atkinson lead the scoring charts for Drumhowan, but their less prolific forwards – Kieran and Kevin Mooney and David Millar – have equally important roles to play. Anthony Mulligan is the main man at midfield, while Darren Duffy, Niall Mooney and Paddy Mulligan will man key positions at the back.

Both sides have competed at higher levels in recent years and will be determined to secure a return to the intermediate ranks. Drumhowan won Monaghan and Ulster Junior titles in 2008 and went on to win promotion to senior football, but retirements of key players cost them and led to successive relegations. Emyvale lifted county and provincial junior titles in 2009, but dropped straight back down and lost semi-finals in both league and championship last year.

Drumhowan have kept their best form this year for the championship and they should make a good game of it, but Emyvale have been the most consistent team in the division all season and Declan Brennan’s side should finish the job.

 

 

Drumhowan JFC scorers 2012: Colm Lambe 3-12 (0-8f); Ciarán Deery 3-6; Michael Atkinson 2-5; Anthony Mulligan 2-3; Kevin Mooney 0-7; Conor Duffy 1-1; David Millar, Aidan Duffy, Kieran McElroy 0-3 each; Niall Mooney 0-2; Kieran Mooney, Brendan Duffy, Darren Duffy, Paddy Mulligan 0-1 each

 

Emyvale JFC scorers 2012: James Bellew 5-4; Martin McAree 1-8 (0-4f); Daniel McMahon 0-11 (3f); James McAlister 1-3; Gavin McKernan 0-6 (3f); Ryan McAnespie 0-5; John T. Treanor, Darren McKernan (3 ’45s) 0-4 each; John Flannery, Brendan Askin, Robbie McHugh 0-1 each

 

The penultimate rounds of the Senior and Intermediate Football Leagues take place on Saturday evening. Most of the attention in the Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League will be aimed at the battle to stay up. The bottom two clash when Currin host Truagh, with the losers of this match certain to be relegated, while Latton and Monaghan Harps both know positive results would secure their senior status from away games against championship finalists Ballybay and Clontibret respectively. Scotstown will bid to continue their good finish to the season when they take on Castleblayney, who knocked them out of the SFC, while Magheracloone and Carrickmacross contest a south-Monaghan derby where the winners will be favourites to make the semi-finals.

There are still four teams in the running for the last semi-final place in the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League. Two of the teams in a tie for fourth at the minute – Tyholland and Cremartin – go head-to-head on Saturday, while Inniskeen travel to leaders Doohamlet and Aughnamullen host Seán McDermotts, who need a win to maintain their survival hopes. Corduff can all but secure intermediate status if they beat Toome, who need both points to have a chance of escaping, while the battle for second place continues when Rockcorry entertain championship conquerors Donaghmoyne.

Saturday is a busy day in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions, with a number of finals to be played, including the Under-16 Football Championship Division One Replay between Donaghmoyne and Scotstown in Oram and the Under-16 Hurling League Final between Truagh and St. Felim’s in Blackhill. There are a series of Under-14 Football League Cup and Shield Finals down for decision in Blackhill, Cremartin, Latton, Monaghan and Scotstown.

 

The last semi-final place in the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division One is up for grabs in Cloghan on Tuesday night, when Latton face Clontibret for the right to play Castleblayney in the last four.