All roads lead to Clones on Sunday for the Senior and Minor Football Championship Finals, while there is action in the Intermediate and Junior Football Leagues on Saturday.

Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Final

Ballybay v Clontibret, Sunday, 4.00, Clones

 

These teams finished in the top two places in the Senior Football League and both have gone through the front door in the championship, so it’s hard to dispute that they have been the best sides in the county this year.

Clontibret have been the most consistent club in Monaghan in the last decade, winning five Senior Football Championships to move onto 15 titles and overtake Scotstown in the roll of honour. They have contested six county finals in that time, winning five and drawing one – against Magheracloone in 2010 – so they have no shortage of big-match experience. In contrast, this Ballybay team are in their first SFC Final, although some of them have won Intermediate and Junior honours. The mid-Monaghan club haven’t been in a county final since they won their last Mick Duffy Cup in 1987.

Ballybay started slowly in their campaign, but they have built it up gradually, culminating in their impressive dismissal of defending champions Latton in the semi-finals. They needed a replay to get past Carrickmacross in underwhelming fashion in the preliminary round, but they found some form in the second half of their first-round game against Monaghan Harps to pull away. Ballybay had to work hard to see off Currin to book a repeat of last year’s semi-final against Latton, where they gained revenge for that last-gasp defeat by hitting their neighbours for five goals, all from different scorers.

Clontibret trailed Latton by four points in their first-round match, but three red cards for the O’Rahillys helped Clontibret come back to win comfortably in the end. They booked their semi-final place with a dramatic win over Castleblayney in a game that produced seven goals and four sending-offs. Their semi-final opponents were the Faughs once again and although the game had little of the action of their previous meeting, the result was the same; a Vincent Corey goal and eight points from Conor McManus seeing Clontibret through.

Ballybay topped the Senior Football League all year, while Clontibret only lost one of 11 games between May and September as they gradually rose up the table to finish second. The teams won one game each from their league meetings.

Ballybay have amassed 9-49 from their five championship games this year (an average of more than 15 points per game), while conceding 0-51, which is just over ten points per game. Clontibret’s tally of 5-36 from three matches gives them an average of 17 points, but their concession rate is also higher than their opponents: 4-26 or just short of 13 points per game.

Ballybay have a good spread of scorers and they are far less reliant on Paul Finlay than in recent years, at least when it comes to finishing, although the county man still plays an essential role in winning the ball and creating chances with his accurate passing. They have plenty of options up front in Christopher and Shane McGuinness, Thomas Kerr and the veteran Malones, Colin and Hugh. Tommy O’Neill is the main man at midfield, with support from Finlay, Shane McQuillan and Fergal McArdle. The three Wylies – Drew, Ryan and Brent – play key roles in defence along with Brian McCabe, Mark McArdle and Evan Rutledge, in front of Seán Gorman, who has yet to be beaten in this year’s championship.

Clontibret are dependent on Conor McManus to kick the scores, with the county star leading the way throughout the year, both from frees and from play. The O’Neills will also need the likes of Vincent Corey (who scored three goals in the two wins over Blayney), Noel Morgan, Ryan McGuigan and Fergal Mone to chip in. Paul McGuigan is a big player i lár na páirce, while Dessie and John Paul Mone could both feature in midfield or defence. Colin Duffy, Darach Mooney, Colum Greenan and Conor Boyle should be central to their defensive plans, with Pauric Boyle an important link between the half-forward and half-back lines.

If Clontibret can keep it tight, they will be favourites, while a more open game would suit Ballybay. Ballybay have scored 30 goals between league and championship and they found the net in 19 of their first 20 games, while Clontibret have leaked 26, so it has to be expected that the Pearse Brothers will raise a green flag at some stage.

Ballybay have been the most consistent team in the county between league and championship in the last couple of years but with no silverware to show for it, so they will see this as their opportunity to put that right. If they aren’t fazed by the big occasion, it could just be their day.

 

 

Ballybay SFC scorers 2012: Christopher McGuinness 1-14; Thomas Kerr 1-11 (1-4f); Paul Finlay 1-7 (0-6f); Shane McQuillan 1-6; Brian McCabe 2-2; Shane McGuinness 1-2; Colin Malone, Hugh Malone 1-0 each; Ryan Wylie, Cillian McAviney, Fergal McArdle, Drew Wylie, Evan Rutledge, Mark McArdle, Tommy O’Neill 0-1 each

Clontibret SFC scorers 2012: Conor McManus 1-20 (0-9f); Vincent Corey 3-1; Noel Morgan 0-5; David Savage 1-0; Dessie Mone, Paul McGuigan, Conor Boyle, Darach Mooney 0-2 each; Rodney Gorman, Donal Carragher 0-1 each

 

 

Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division One Final

Castleblayney v Monaghan Harps, Sunday, 2.00, Clones

 

Sunday’s county final day in Clones gets underway when Castleblayney and Monaghan Harps contest the Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division One Final at 2pm.

The Harps are chasing a first MFC title since 2006, while Blayney’s last success in this competition came in 2004. This is Blayney’s second final this year, as they also reached the league decider, where they lost by a point to Scotstown.

Both teams came through Group A in the inaugural year of the group system in the championship, defeating Killanny in their opening games. Blayney beat the Harps in the last game of the group to finish top of the section, before coming from behind to pip Carrickmacross in the semi-finals despite playing more than half the game with 14 men. The Harps ran out seven-point winners against neighbours Scotstown in the last four.

Castleblayney will be looking for big performances from their county minors Barry Hanratty and Fergal Malone, as well as the likes of Fergal McGeough, Niall McCann, David McMahon and Aaron and Ronan McNamara. The Harps will need Fearghal McMahon to replicate the form that saw him spearhead their dismissal of Scotstown, with Kevin Loughran, Shane Maguire, Michael Galligan, Carl Foentjies, who won a MFC medal with Clontibret last year before transferring back to his original club, and Niall Treanor also big players. This one looks finely poised and should be a fitting opener for the senior decider.

 

Eurotech Junior Football League Semi-Finals

Emyvale v Aghabog, Saturday, 4.00, Emyvale

Clones v Drumhowan, Saturday, 4.00, Clones

 

Emyvale will attempt to bounce back from their recent woes when they host Aghabog in the JFL semi-finals on Saturday.

Despite finishing top of the league and charging through the front door to the JFC Final, Emyvale were beaten by Drumhowan in the decider and their reserves lost to Scotstown’s third-string in the RFL Division Three Final last Sunday. Aghabog, who pipped Oram and Killanny to fourth place, found some of their best form towards the end of the season, but will still go in as underdogs to this game, having lost to their north-Monaghan opponents twice this year.

James Bellew, Daniel McMahon, Martin McAree, Ryan McAnespie and Seán McMeel should play key roles for Emyvale, who will hope to have John and Michael Flannery back after injury kept them out of the team for the championship final. Aghabog will need big performances from Gary McBride, Seán and Shane O’Brien, Francis Dolan and Aidan Brady if they are to upset the odds. Emyvale should book another final appearance.

 

The other semi-final sees championship winners Drumhowan travel to Clones.

Clones were consistently in the top two places in the table for most of the season and despite a late loss of form, they held on to finish second, two points ahead of Drumhowan, who have been the form team in junior football in the last few months, hitting top gear at just the right time to lift the Packie Boylan Cup for the third time since 2006. Drumhowan also enjoyed success at reserve level last Saturday, when they won the RFL Division Two title, so there will be a real air of confidence around the mid-Monaghan club. They are also preparing for another tilt at the Ulster JFC, but they still have three weeks after this match, so they should be able to focus on the league and completing a double. Clones took three points from Drumhowan in the league, but the Geraldines came out on top when they met in the championship semi-finals.

Clones can call on players of the ability of Fintan Kelly, David Freeman, Colm Connolly, Adrian Alford, Darragh Holland and Micheál Treanor and this is their last chance at promotion this year, which could give them an edge in determination. Drumhowan are on a roll at the minute, though, with the likes of Colm Lambe, Kieran and Kevin Mooney, Darren Duffy, Kieran McElroy and David Millar in good form, so this one could go either way.

 

The final round of the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League takes place on Sunday, with Cremartin hosting Inniskeen in a straight battle for the last semi-final place. Elsewhere, the top two clash when championship winners Doohamlet travel to Rockcorry, while Donaghmoyne entertain Aughnamullen. The games between Corduff and Tyholland and Seán McDermotts and Toome have been cancelled.

Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division One Semi-Final

Scotstown v Magheracloone, Saturday, 2.00

Defending champions Scotstown host Magheracloone in the RFL Division One semi-finals on Saturday.

Scotstown have been towards the top of the league all year and they finished second behind Castleblayney, while Magheracloone edged into third place, two points ahead of Monaghan Harps, Clontibret and Latton. Both teams reached the O’Duffy Cup semi-finals, where Scotstown lost to eventual winners Blayney and Magheracloone were dumped out by Division Two winners Drumhowan.

Dermot McCrudden, Paul Grant, James Hamill, Damien McArdle and Fergal McPhillips should be central to Scotstown’s plans, while Magheracloone are dependent on the likes of David and Ronan Freeman, Killian Rudden and Noel Tuite.

Scotstown are on a high after winning the RFL Division Three title last Sunday and they should do enough here.

 

Two of Monaghan’s ladies club champions enter the Ulster championships on Sunday. Donaghmoyne will attempt to continue their dominance of the provincial SFC when they host Lisnaskea from Fermanagh, while Magheracloone are away to Ballymartin of Down in the IFC.

Meanwhile, Scotstown take on Slaughtneil in the Ulster Under-16 Club Football Championship at Dromore. Scotstown, who needed extra-time to see off Monaghan Harps in the county semi-final and a replay to beat Donaghmoyne in the final, will be up against a strong Slaughtneil side from Derry in the Co Tyrone club grounds at 12.30.