It’s a big weekend of Ulster club championship action, with all three Monaghan champions in action and three Monaghan ladies teams contesting provincial finals.

 

Ulster Club Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Ballybay v Kilcoo, Sunday, 2.30, Clones

 

Ballybay enter the Ulster Club SFC for the first time since 1987 when they play Down champions Kilcoo in Clones on Sunday afternoon.

Ballybay ended their 25-year wait for a Monaghan championship with wins over Carrickmacross (after a replay), Monaghan Harps, Currin, Latton and Clontibret. The fact that Ballybay defeated the two teams who had won the last six Monaghan championships between them in the semi-final and final should stand to them. Kilcoo won their second Down championship in four years by getting the better of Castlewellan (twice), Bryansford and Mayobridge; the latter coming in a closely-fought final, which the Bridge had gone into as favourites.

Ballybay have scored 10-61 in six championship games (an average of just over 15 points), while conceding 2-56 or 10.33 points per match. Kilcoo’s scoring rate of 4-41 in four matches works out at 1-10 per game, while they have let in 2-36, meaning their average score against is almost identical to Ballybay’s.

Captain and county star Paul Finlay has been a leading light for Ballybay, but they are far from a one-man team. Christopher and Shane McGuinness, Thomas Kerr and Colin and Hugh Malone will be among the scorers, while Shane McQuillan and Tommy O’Neill are a strong midfield duo, with help from the likes of Finlay and the industrious Fergal McArdle. Drew, Ryan and Brent Wylie are all key players in defence, along with Brian McCabe, Mark McArdle and Fergal Smyth. Doubt surrounds Finlay’s availability for this one after he got married last weekend.

Conor Laverty is the man to watch in the Kilcoo attack, as Monaghan will attest after the damage the diminutive forward did in this year’s Ulster semi-final, while they also have a reliable free-taker in Paul Devlin and lively wing-forwards in Jerome Johnston and Darragh O’Hanlon. Felim McGreevy is the main man at midfield in front of a defence which is spearheaded by Aidan and Niall Branagan and Niall McEvoy.

Ballybay will need a major improvement from their performance in last Sunday’s heavy defeat in the league final against Magheracloone, but they have shown all year that they have what it takes and they shouldn’t be far away on Sunday.

 

Ballybay SFC scorers 2012: Christopher McGuinness 1-17; Thomas Kerr (1-4f), Paul Finlay (0-10f) 1-11 each; Shane McQuillan 1-7; Brian McCabe 2-2; Colin Malone 2-1; Shane McGuinness, Hugh Malone 1-2 each; Ryan Wylie 0-2; Cillian McAviney, Fergal McArdle, Drew Wylie, Evan Rutledge, Mark McArdle, Tommy O’Neill 0-1 each

 

Ulster Club Intermediate Football Championship Quarter-Final

Doohamlet v Lacken, Sunday, 12.45, Ballybay

 

Doohamlet will attempt to have another real crack at winning the Ulster Club IFC when they make the short trip to Ballybay to take on Lacken from Cavan on Sunday.

Doohamlet reached the final of this competition two years ago, where they lost to eventual All-Ireland intermediate winners Lisnaskea, so they will be determined to go one step further. Five straight wins saw Doohamlet lift the Monaghan IFC title for the second time in three years, with Seán McDermotts, Inniskeen, Rockcorry and Cremartin all defeated to get to the final, where the O’Neills held off a strong comeback from Tyholland to win by a point. Doohamlet have scored 5-60 in their five championship matches – an average of 15 points – while their concession of 4-38 works out at just ten points per game. Lacken have landed 12-80 in seven matches – an impressive scoring rate of just over 16.5 points per game – and they have conceded 6-47 or just nine points per game.

Lacken will be tough opposition for Doohamlet, as they finished fifth in the Cavan division one league and they already have a win under their belts in Ulster, having edged past Derry side Swatragh in a low-scoring preliminary-round match. They saw off Kilinkere, Shercock, Knockbride, Drumlane and Crosserlough to reach the Cavan final, where they needed a replay to battle past Cootehill.

Doohamlet have a county star in centre-back Colin Walshe, who has been key in their successful run, while Martin Hughes, Gabie Casey, Kevin McArdle, Darren Connolly and Jason McElroy should complete a strong defence, even in the continued absence of the injured Shane Connolly. Ciarán McManus and Greg Duffy form a robust midfield partnership, with accurate free-taker Paul McArdle likely to be joined by Ted Duffy, Mark Murphy, Ollie Hughes, Shane McManus (who is struggling with a knock at the minute) and Niall Connolly in attack. Raymond Galligan is the main man up front for Lacken, with Finbarr O’Reilly, Conor Finnegan and Niall McKiernan also set to play key roles. James Galligan is one of their main sources of possession, while Trevor Crowe and Philip Moynagh should anchor the defence.

Doohamlet’s previous experience of this competition may well count in their favour, as 13 of the team that started the IFC Final in October also started the 2010 Ulster final. This one will probably go down to the wire, but Doohamlet may just battle through.

Doohamlet IFC scorers 2012: Paul McArdle 0-21 (16f, 1 ‘45); Mark Murphy 1-11; Shane McManus 2-5; Greg Duffy 1-3; Ted Duffy 0-6 (5f); Colin Walshe, Ciarán McManus 0-3 each; Glen Comiskey 1-0; Niall Connolly, Ollie Hughes, Kevin McArdle 0-2 each; Philip Mone, Stephen Gilsenan 0-1 each

 

Ulster Club Junior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Drumhowan v Downings, Sunday, 12.45, Clones

 

Drumhowan will seek to start their bid for a second Ulster Club JFC title in Sunday’s curtain-raiser at St. Tiernach’s Park, where their opponents are Downings of Donegal.

Drumhowan won this competition in some style in 2008 before losing narrowly to Skellig Rangers from Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-finals. Drumhowan subsequently went on to win the intermediate league and play in senior football, but retirements and emigration ravaged their team, leading to two successive relegations. They have bounced back this year, however, with wins over Feargal O’Hanlons, Éire Óg and Clones seeing them through to another JFC Final, where they sprung a bit of a surprise on a fancied Emyvale team. Drumhowan conceded three goals in that game, but were still deserving winners. Downings won both legs of their first-round tie against Red Hughs from Killygordon, before battling past Milford in their semi-final and beating Moville in the final.

Drumhowan have scored 12-60 in the championship (3-15 per game) while conceding 6-24 (10.5 points per game), although their stats are helped by their huge 9-26 tally against O’Hanlons. Downings have hit 2-46, which averages at just over ten points, but their defence has been miserly, giving up just 1-35, which is a mere 7.2 points on average.

Despite losing former county players James McElroy, Dermot McDermott and Stephen McGinnity in recent years, Drumhowan still have a fair bit of experience in their team, which is crucial at this level. Darren Duffy and David Millar, a pacy wing-back and wing-forward respectively, have both played county senior football, while Kevin Mooney is a recent Monaghan Under-21. Colm Lambe is the main score-getter, having contributed 4-17 in their four championship games to date, while Kieran Mooney, Michael Atkinson and Ciarán Deery should also feature up front. Anthony Mulligan and Kieran McElroy are the midfielders, with Duffy joined by Niall Mooney, John Paul O’Neill, Paddy Mulligan, Martin McElroy and Dermot Mooney in the back-line. Downings have a strong centre-field duo in Seán McBride and Shea Coyle, while other key players include free-taker Gary McClafferty and experienced half-forward Finian McClafferty.

Drumhowan have lost seven of the team that started in their last Ulster club campaign, but Monaghan clubs have an excellent record in this competition, having been represented in ten of the eleven finals (winning six). A physical battle is expected, with Drumhowan well able to book their place in the semi-finals.

 

Drumhowan: Colm Lambe 4-17 (0-13f); Ciarán Deery 3-7; Michael Atkinson 2-7; Anthony Mulligan 2-3; Kevin Mooney 0-8; Conor Duffy 1-1; David Millar 0-4; Aidan Duffy, Kieran McElroy 0-3 each; Kieran Mooney, Niall Mooney 0-2 each; Brendan Duffy, Darren Duffy, Paddy Mulligan 0-1 each

 

Ulster Club Ladies Senior Football Championship Final

Donaghmoyne v Termon, Sunday, 2.15, Augher

 

Donaghmoyne will attempt to retain the Ulster Ladies SFC title in Sunday’s final at Augher against Termon, who dethroned them in 2010.

Donaghmoyne continued their dominance of the Monaghan championship this year and they have gone on to trounce Lisnaskea and see off Clann Éireann from Lurgan to qualify for yet another decider. Termon eased past Belfast side St. Paul’s in the Ulster first round before putting five goals past Bryansford of Down in their semi-final.

Cathriona McConnell has been in free-scoring form for Donaghmoyne, who will also be looking for big performances from Amanda Casey, Sharon and Joanne Courtney, Linda Martin, Eileen McElroy and Niamh Lynch. Geraldine McLaughlin is the star for Termon, who can also call on other county players like Maureen O’Donnell, Róisín Friel and Laura Gallagher.

That Ulster final loss two years ago was a rare defeat for Donaghmoyne, who will have a point to prove in this match. It should help them to produce a big performance and hold on to their title.

 

Ulster Club Ladies Intermediate Football Championship Final

Magheracloone v Newtownbutler, Sunday, 12.30, Augher

 

Before the senior match in Augher on Sunday, Magheracloone will attempt to bring another Ulster trophy to south Monaghan when they take on Newtownbutler from Fermanagh in the IFC.

After winning the Monaghan championship, Magheracloone have had good wins over Ballymartin (Down) and Killeavy (Armagh) to reach this stage, while Newtownbutler have had hard-earned victories against Ardara (Donegal) and Knockbride (Cavan).

Christina Reilly, Niamh Kindlon, Ciara McGuinness and Shauna Tuite are among the central players for Magheracloone, while Newtownbutler will need Noelle Connolly, Maura McDonald and Catherine Conlon on form. If Magheracloone can keep their good form going, they could be celebrating a first Ulster championship.

 

Ulster Club Ladies Junior Football Championship Final

Donaghmoyne B v Silverbridge, Saturday, 1.30, Kingscourt

 

Donaghmoyne’s second team will attempt to kick off what could be a historic weekend for the club in Saturday’s Ulster JFC Final against Silverbridge at Kingscourt.

It is a truly remarkable achievement from Donaghmoyne to get two teams into Ulster finals in one year, as they took the spoils in Monaghan by bettering Seán McDermotts before defeating Strabane of Tyrone and cruising past Milford from Donegal. They face a step-up of opposition in Armagh outfit Silverbridge, who have scored ten goals in their two Ulster matches against Ballymachugh (Cavan) and Ballerin (Derry).

Niamh Callan, Gina McGowan, Róisín Finnegan and Áine McElroy should be to the fore for Donaghmoyne, while Silverbridge’s hopes lie mainly on the shoulders of Mairéad Tennyson, as well as Gráinne Garvey, Laura McShane and Denise Buckley.

Some of Donaghmoyne’s players have experience of Ulster finals, which will be a help for them and they need any edge they can get in what looks a finely balanced pairing