A very busy week lies ahead, with eight games taking place in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior Football Championships and the Senior Hurling Championship between Thursday and Sunday.

Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round

Ballybay v Rockcorry, Friday, 8.00, Aughnamullen

 

Ballybay begin their defence of the SFC title with a preliminary-round game against senior newcomers Rockcorry on Friday evening.

Ballybay ended their 25-year wait for a county title last October and they will be determined to hold onto the Mick Duffy Cup for another while. The Pearse Brothers have had mixed fortunes in the SFL this year so far, but they did have a convincing win over Friday’s opponents last month. Rockcorry, who were promoted to senior for the first time when they won the IFL last year, have struggled to adapt to the higher standard of football, as they have yet to take a point in the league.

Ballybay can call on three players who featured for Monaghan against Antrim last Sunday in Paul Finlay, Christopher McGuinness and Drew Wylie, as well as the likes of Shane McQuillan, Tommy O’Neill, Thomas Kerr, Fergal McArdle and Ryan Wylie. Rock are sweating over the fitness of Mark and Keith Daly, who are central to their chances, while they will also need big performances from Fergal McGeough, Noel Carroll and Lorcan Smyth. Ballybay should get their campaign up and running.

 

McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Preliminary Round

Donaghmoyne v Truagh, Saturday, 7.00, Blackhill

 

Truagh will be expected to make a winning start to the IFC when they take on Donaghmoyne on Saturday.

Truagh, who were relegated from senior last year, made a flying start to the IFL by winning six straight games – running up some big scores on the way – although their 100% record ended with a defeat to Clones last month, before they got back on track by beating Inniskeen to stay top of the table. The most comprehensive of those victories was against Donaghmoyne, who currently sit fourth with ten points from nine games.

Pádraig and Christopher McKenna, Mark Counihan, Niall Coyle and Daniel McKenna should play key roles for Truagh, while Donaghmoyne will need Pádraig Donaghy, Christopher Deery, Ciarán Daly and Colm Connolly on top form if they are to cause an upset.

 

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 1A

Killanny v Seán McDermotts, Sunday, 2.30, Drumhowan

 

Sunday afternoon sees Killanny and Seán McDermotts contest a JFC match in Drumhowan.

The Seáns, who were relegated last year, already have a win under their belts, as they eased past Toome at Sunday’s venue in the opening match. They have plenty of scoring power in the likes of Damien Larkin, Paddy Kieran and James Treanor, while Brian McQuaid, Páraic McGuirk (if fit) and Noel Rice can also lead the way. Peter Dooley, Gavin Traynor, Steven McMahon and Cian Wakely should be to the fore for Killanny.

Killanny have the edge in league form, as they are just a point behind the Seáns with two games in hand and they won in Threemilehouse in April, but Adrian Larkin’s side have already shown an ability to step it up for the championship and they can do that again.

 

McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Preliminary Round

Corduff v Tyholland, Sunday, 5.30, Inniskeen

 

The weekend’s championship action comes to a close with a double-header in Inniskeen on Sunday, which starts with the IFC game between Corduff and Tyholland.

These teams are the last two runners-up in the competition, as Corduff lost to Carrickmacross in the 2011 final, before Tyholland were edged out by Doohamlet in last year’s decider. There isn’t much to separate the sides in the IFL, as despite the fact that Corduff are in third place, four points clear of Tyholland, the north-Monaghan men have two games in hand and they won a dour, low-scoring battle when the sides met last month.

Gary McQuaid’s injury troubles have continued this year, but Tyholland will hope he is fit to boost a team which also features the talents of Dermot Coyle, Karl O’Connell, Ronan McNally, Raymond Ronaghan and Shane Treanor. Corduff will be looking to Keith McEnaney, Declan Larkin, Pádraic Keenan, Brendan McNally and Ciarán Brennan to spearhead their challenge in what is likely to be another hard-fought game.

 

Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round

Carrickmacross v Latton, Sunday, 7.00, Inniskeen

 

Part two of the Páirc Grattan double-bill sees Latton go in as big favourites to defeat Carrickmacross in the SFC.

Latton, who lost to a rampant Ballybay in the semi-finals last year, have had four wins and four defeats so far this year in the SFL. Carrickmacross competed well in senior last year after winning the 2011 IFC, but they have struggled badly this season, with their only points coming via a walkover from Magheracloone, while the Emmets themselves conceded to Scotstown just under a month ago.

A battle-hardened Latton team have three regular starters for the county seniors this year in Owen Lennon and Owen and Kieran Duffy, as well as several others with inter-county experience such as Owen Coyle, Seán and Aidan Farmer and Bernard O’Brien. Carrick have lost a number of players in the last year, including Mark and Seán Downey, leaving them very reliant on Stephen Gollogly, as well as James Conlon, Mark McNally, Cillian Cromwell and Conor McEnaney, while Peter O’Hanlon is still out injured after breaking his collarbone earlier this year. Latton should be too strong.

 

The second round of the group stages of the Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship takes place on Thursday evening. The big game is the clash of defending champions Castleblayney and the team they beat in last year’s final, Inniskeen, who started with a comprehensive win over Clontibret last week. Carrickmacross will also be looking to build on a winning start when they take on Clontibret, while Monaghan Harps and Truagh will be aiming to get off the mark when they go head-to-head.

There are two games in the Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League on Sunday, when Monaghan Harps and Magheracloone have home advantage against Castleblayney and Clontibret respectively.

Currin have the chance to go out on their own at the top of the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League when they travel to Inniskeen on Sunday.

Emyvale have an opportunity to increase their lead in the Eurotech Junior Football League when they host strugglers Killeevan on Sunday, while Oram and Toome host Scotstown and Aghabog.

There is action in the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Championship Division Three on Friday evening. Aghabog and Emyvale play their rescheduled quarter-final, while Clones and Blackhill contest the first semi-final.

There are also games in the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Leagues on Wednesday. Scotstown host Latton in Division 1A, while there are mid-Monaghan derbies between Ballybay and Drumhowan and Doohamlet and Cremartin in Division 1B. There are also all-south-county clashes in Division 2A – Inniskeen v Donaghmoyne and Carrickmacross v Corduff – while the Division 2B fixtures are Oram v Aughnamullen, Rockcorry v Seán McDermotts and Castleblayney v Truagh. In Division Three, Clontibret face Clones, Monaghan Harps host Killanny and Emyvale meet Clones.

The action in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions in the next week is dominated by Under-14 fixtures, including the U-14 Hurling League Cup and Shield finals in Blackhill on Monday evening.