It’s another busy weekend, with Monaghan’s minor hurlers in an All-Ireland final and club action dominated by the Senior and Intermediate Football Championships.

 

Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Round 3B

Castleblayney v Latton, Friday, 8.15, Inniskeen

Ballybay v Truagh, Saturday, 6.00, Clontibret

 

Castleblayney and Latton go head-to-head at Páirc Grattan on Friday night for a place in the SFC semi-finals.

Blayney lost to Ballybay in the first round, but have come through extra-time battles against Doohamlet and Magheracloone to stay in the hunt. Latton also had narrow wins over Doohamlet and Magheracloone, before falling to a heavy defeat against Clontibret last Saturday. Blayney have had much the better form in the league this year, beating Latton twice to sit fourth in the table, four places and seven points ahead of Latton.

Dermot Malone, Martin McElroy, Ciarán and Barry Hanratty and Cormac Brady are key players for Blayney, while Latton, who have been without experienced midfield duo Owen Lennon and Aidan Farmer, will need Owen and Kieran Duffy, Hugh McElroy, Owen Coyle and Bernard O’Brien on top form.

Ballybay will bid to qualify for the SFC semi-finals for the fourth year in a row when they take on Truagh in Clontibret on Saturday evening.

League leaders Ballybay missed their chance to take the direct route when they lost to Scotstown last week, having beaten Castleblayney in the first round. Their next opponents are All-Ireland IFC winners Truagh, who lost to Scotstown on their return to the SFC, but go into this one on the back of wins over Currin and Monaghan Harps. Ballybay have twice as many points as fifth-placed Truagh in the SFL, but they had to work hard for a one-point win in the teams’ only meeting so far this year.

Ballybay will be without Ryan Wylie barring a successful appeal to his red card last Sunday, but they can still call on the likes of Drew Wylie, Paul Finlay, Christopher McGuinness, Thomas Kerr, Shane McQuillan and Ciarán Galligan. Truagh have been boosted in recent weeks by the return of Daniel McKenna, who will play a key role along with Paudie and Christopher McKenna, Niall Feely and Mark Counihan and they will also hope that Adam Treanor is fit to play some part.

 

McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Round 2A

Clones v Inniskeen, Saturday, 4.30, Clontibret

Cremartin v Donaghmoyne, Sunday, 1.30, Aughnamullen

 

The first place in this year’s IFC semi-final line-up is up for grabs in Saturday’s Round 2A match between Clones and Inniskeen.

Clones needed a replay to scrape past Rockcorry in the first round, while Inniskeen had it much easier against Seán McDermotts. These teams are among the group of six currently separated by just a single point in the race to finish in the top four in the IFL. Clones have done the double over Inniskeen in the league, including a comprehensive win last week, but that will count for little in this one.

Fintan Kelly, Adrian Alford, Darragh Holland and David Freeman should play key roles for Clones, who will also be hoping to have Micheál Treanor available, while Paul, Ronan and Dónal Meegan, Matthew McKenna and Michael Lennon are key to Inniskeen’s chances.

Cremartin and Donaghmoyne cross swords on Sunday in Aughnamullen.

Cremartin upset the odds against Corduff in their championship opener, but they are now up against a Donaghmoyne team who have already seen off Carrickmacross and Emyvale. Donaghmoyne have already beaten the Shamrocks twice this year, including a dogged win last week and they are just a point off the top of the table, in contrast with Cremartin, who are second from bottom.

Rory Woods, Pádraig Donaghy, Darren Coleman, Francis Markey and Christopher Deery are important players for Donaghmoyne, who are seeking to go a step or two further than their semi-final disappointments of recent years. Cremartin can be a threat on their day, especially if Johnny and Paddy McGuigan, Mark Magee, Declan Farrell and Niall Flanagan are on song.

 

McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Round 2B

Rockcorry v Tyholland, Friday, 8.15, Emyvale

Corduff v Emyvale, Sunday, 1.30, Scotstown

 

It’s last-chance-saloon time for the other four remaining teams in the IFC, starting with Rockcorry v Tyholland in Emyvale on Friday night.

Rockcorry were edged out by Clones after a replay in the first round, but got back on track with a comfortable win over Seán McDermotts. Tyholland also lost after a replay in their championship opener against Emyvale. Despite being the beaten finalists of the last two years (Tyholland) and one of the teams relegated from senior in 2013 (Rockcorry), neither team are being tipped for success, mainly due to losing players for various reasons. Rock prop up the league table, but a run of five wins on the trot – including two against Friday’s opponents – has seen Tyholland spring up the rankings into a four-way share of second place.

Noel Carroll has been absent for Rock since limping off in the drawn game with Clones, meaning that Fergal McGeough, Mark and Keith Daly, Niall McKeown and Damien Matthews shoulder big responsibility. Gary McQuaid returns from suspension to lead Tyholland with the help of Karl O’Connell, Shane Treanor, Brian McArdle and Ryan McKenna.

Sunday’s qualifier game is Corduff v Emyvale

Corduff were on the receiving end of a sucker-punch from Cremartin in the first round, but they bounced back in some style with a convincing win over Carrickmacross. 2013 Ulster JFC winners Emyvale saw off Tyholland at the second time of asking, only to see a late comeback fall short against Donaghmoyne. Corduff currently top the IFL, six places ahead of Emyvale, who have shown some good form in recent weeks, but just two points separate the teams and it was honours-even from the two games between them.

Pádraic Keenan, Keith McEnaney, Declan Larkin, Ciarán Brennan and Martin Mills should play central roles for Corduff, while Ryan McAnespie, Daniel McMahon, James Bellew, Martin McAree and David McAlister are among the main men for Emyvale.

 

All-Ireland Minor C Hurling Championship Final

Mayo v Monaghan, Saturday, 2.00, Ballinamore

 

Monaghan’s minor hurlers take on Mayo in the All-Ireland ‘C’ Championship Final in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim on Saturday afternoon.

These counties met at the same stage this time last year, when Mayo proved too strong and the defending champions will again go in as favourites. Monaghan found Cavan a bridge too far in this year’s Ulster Championship Shield, but they turned the tables on the Breffni men last month to secure a place in this final and they will be hoping that Conor Boyle, Ciarán McQuaid, Noel Flood, Tiarnán Bramley and Micheál Mac Suibhne can inspire a big performance here.

 

McElvaney Recycling Minor Football League Division Three Final

Castleblayney v Latton, Tuesday, 6.30, Cremartin

 

Just four days after their seniors meet in the championship, the minors of Castleblayney and Latton contest the MFL Division Three Final.

After finishing fourth in the table, Castleblayney beat a fancied Corduff side in the semi-finals, while Latton ended up joint-second with Seán McDermotts, who they defeated last time out. Latton have also made their way into the MFC Division Three Final, while Blayney were dumped out by Killeevan in the first round.

Castleblayney will be looking to Ronan McNamara, John Beattie and Ethan McCann to lead their challenge, with Stephen McCabe and Thomas Lynch central to Latton’s chances.

 

Under-21 Football League Division Two Final

Donaghmoyne v Killeevan, Wednesday, 8.00, Emyvale

 

Donaghmoyne and Killeevan contest the rescheduled Under-21 Division Two League Final under lights on Wednesday night.

Killeevan topped Division Two North after beating Latton and getting a walkover from Clones, while Donaghmoyne were top of the South section after a win against Blackhill and a walkover from Inniskeen. Donaghmoyne, who have contested two MFC Division Two finals in the last couple of years – winning one – and whose minors are flying high this year, will be favourites, even if the participation of some of those U-18 stars could be in the balance, with two finals coming up for them.

Niall Garland, Mikey Murnaghan, Fergal Keenan, Ciarán Martin and Stephen Coleman could play key roles for Donaghmoyne, while Finnían Smith, Gerard Graham, Iain McConnon and Ryan Tierney are among the main men for Killeevan.

 

 

The County Monaghan Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League continues with a local derby between Clontibret and Doohamlet on Sunday.

 

There is a full round of games in the Eurotech Junior Football League over the weekend. The top two clash on Saturday evening when Killanny can reclaim first place if they beat Aughnamullen, while Oram host Scotstown, Aghabog face Toome and championship finalists Drumhowan are up against Éire Óg. The other team in the JFC Final, Blackhill, are away to Killeevan on Sunday.

 

The busy schedule continues in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions, with semi-finals in all three divisions of the Under-16 Football League on Thursday evening, Under-14 Football League finals spread between Blackhill, Cremartin and Tyholland on Saturday and the Under-14 Hurling League continuing on Monday and Wednesday.