Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Round 1A

Ballybay v Castleblayney, Saturday, 7.00, Clontibret

 

The first SFC game of the weekend is Ballybay v Castleblayney at Clontibret on Saturday evening.

Just a point separates the teams in the SFL, where Ballybay are marginally ahead in third place. 2012 champions Ballybay were edged out by eventual champions Scotstown at the semi-final stage last year, while they won their early-season clash with Blayney.

Ballybay welcome back their county contingent of Drew and Ryan Wylie, Dessie Ward and Thomas Kerr to join Paul Finlay and Christopher McGuinness, while Dermot Malone, Martin McElroy, Ciarán Hanratty and Mark Treanor should be to the fore for Blayney.

 

Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Round 1A

Killanny v Scotstown, Sunday, 1.30, Clontibret

 

SFC newcomers Killanny take on champions Scotstown on Sunday.

Killanny are back in the top flight after a long absence and they have just one win to their name in the league, while table-toppers Scotstown have lost just once. Scotstown had nine points to spare when these sides met in April.

Scotstown can call on county players Darren and Kieran Hughes, Rory Beggan, Conor McCarthy and Shane Carey, even if Francis Caulfield and Mark Duffy may miss out. Gavin Flanagan, Daryl and Gavin Traynor and Ronan and Tiernan Duffy will need to produce their best form for Killanny.

 

Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round

Magheracloone v Monaghan Harps, Sunday, 5.15, Castleblayney

Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship Round 1A

Clontibret v Latton, Sunday, 7.00, Castleblayney

 

Magheracloone and Monaghan Harps contest the last preliminary-round game.

These teams have met regularly in recent years in the SFC, with Magheracloone turning the tables on the Harps in the opening round last year, on their way to the semi-finals, where they lost out to Clontibret. Three consecutive wins, including one by the narrowest of margins in Magheracloone, have moved the Harps up to mid-table in the league, while the Mitchells are second from bottom.

Neil McAdam, Conor Galligan, Stephen Driver and Shane Smyth are central players for the Harps, with Gavin Doogan, James Ward, Allan Kieran and Alan McCahey likewise for Magheracloone, who have recently seen Tommy Freeman make a return.

Last year’s runners-up Clontibret are up against Latton in the last game of the weekend.

Clontibret are in mid-table in the SFL this year, while second-placed Latton have been flying high since the start, with their run featuring a six-point win over an understrength O’Neills side in June.

Clontibret will once again build their chances around the experience of Conor McManus, Vincent Corey, Dessie Mone and Colum Greenan, while Latton will be looking to Owen and Kieran Duffy, Owen and Shane Coyle, Stephen McCabe and Aidan Farmer to lead their challenge.

 

McElvaney Waste & Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A

Carrickmacross v Inniskeen, Friday, 7.30, Castleblayney

 

Carrickmacross and Inniskeen contest a local derby in the IFC at Castleblayney on Friday evening.

Carrick, who were relegated from senior last year, are top of the IFL with nine wins from ten games and they saw off Blackhill in their championship opener. Inniskeen have had a mixed league campaign to date, leaving them in mid-table, but they got the better of Toome in the preliminary round. Carrick had a convincing win over the Grattans back in June.

Carrick have plenty of options up front in the likes of Seán and Mark Downey, Aaron Jones and Ryan O’Connor, with James Conlon, Aaron Lynch and Conor Duffy other central players. The Emmets will hope to have veteran county player Stephen Gollogly back from injury. Inniskeen will need big performances from Dónal, Paul and Ronan Meegan, Matthew McKenna and Gerard McArdle.

 

McElvaney Waste & Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A

Corduff v Emyvale, Saturday, 5.15, Scotstown

McElvaney Waste & Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A

Cremartin v Tyholland, Saturday, 7.00, Scotstown

 

There is a double-header in the IFC on Saturday in Scotstown.

Corduff will look to bring their good form into the championship when they face Emyvale. Emyvale knocked Corduff out in a feisty back-door game last year, but the teams have experienced contrasting fortunes in 2017. Corduff are just a point off the top of the league, while Emyvale are rooted to the bottom with just one win to their name. Corduff won comprehensively when Emyvale visited them in May.

Corduff have brought through some of their minor double winners from last year, such as Fergal Hanratty, Seán McEnaney, Seán Burns and Fionn O’Callaghan, while Emyvale will need Ryan McAnespie, Daniel McMahon and Greg Devlin at their best.

The second game is between Cremartin and Tyholland.

Cremartin are in a share of fourth place on 11 points from as many games, three points ahead of Tyholland, who have a game in hand. Cremartin made an early exit from the IFC last year, while Tyholland reached the semi-finals, where they lost to Rockcorry. Tyholland have narrowly won both league meetings of these teams this year.

Barry Kerr, Paddy and Johnny McGuigan and Paddy McNally should be prominent for Cremartin, while Tyholland will be looking to Karl O’Connell, Dermot Coyle, Pádraig Finnan and Ronan McNally to lead their challenge.

 

McElvaney Waste & Recycling Intermediate Football Championship Round 1A

Aughnamullen v Doohamlet, Sunday, 1.30, Blackhill

 

Blackhill hosts Aughnamullen v Doohamlet in the IFC on Sunday.

Doohamlet, who won the IFC three times between 2010 and 2015, are bidding to make a quick return to senior football, but they have had a challenging league campaign so far, leaving them second from bottom, although they did enjoy a good win over Aughnamullen in May. Aughnamullen tailed off a little from their bright start, but they are four points clear of Doohamlet in the table.

Doohamlet have been deprived of star forward Barry McGinn due to his cruciate injury, but they can call on Colin and Jamie Walshe, Barry McBennett and Conor Marray. Micheál Bannigan is key to Aughnamullen’s chances, along with the likes of Pete Dooney and Colin Clerkin.

 

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 1A

Clones v Éire Óg, Saturday, 5.15, Clontibret

 

Clones and Éire Óg contest the last JFC Round 1A tie in Clontibret on Saturday.

Clones are third in the league, two points ahead of Éire Óg (who they defeated by three points in June) and with two games in hand. Clones saw off Killeevan in the preliminary round, while Éire Óg needed extra-time to get past Rockcorry. The Smithborough club lost the Reserve League Division 2B Final last Friday, but they bounced back with a JFL win over Scotstown on Sunday.

Clones have two county seniors in Fintan Kelly and James Mealiff, alongside the likes of Adrian Alford, Eoin McQuaid and Darragh Holland. Conor Leonard, Dermot Gleeson, Michael Tierney and Ronan Cassidy are among the main men for a youthful Éire Óg side.

 

 

There is a local derby between Currin and Aghabog in the Eurotech Junior Football League on Friday, while Drumhowan travel to Oram. Leaders Seán McDermotts host Rockcorry on Sunday, with the latter on the road again on Wednesday in Killeevan.

 

The Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship semi-finals take centre stage on Tuesday evening. Aughnamullen hosts the meeting of Carrickmacross and Castleblayney in Division One, while Inniskeen is the venue for Killanny v Magheracloone. In Division Two, it’s Latton v Monaghan Harps in Threemilehouse and Emyvale v St. Tiarnach Sarsfields in Scotstown. The Division Three semis are Clontibret v St. Mary’s Na Mullaí in Truagh and Doohamlet v Tyholland at Cremartin.