The AM Sports Senior and Junior Hurling Championship Finals take centre stage at Gavan Duffy Park this afternoon.
Preview credit to Colm Shalvey plus Through The Lens thanks to Fintan McTiernan.
The SHC decider pits a Castleblayney side bidding for their fourth consecutive Monaghan SHC title against the challengers, Truagh, who will be attempting to win the Mick Quigley Cup for a first time. The teams also contested last year’s final and this season’s league final, both of which were won by Castleblayney.
Castleblayney’s league campaign earned them a bye to the championship semi-finals, where they held off a strong challenge from Inniskeen in Clontibret on August 30.
Inniskeen put it up to the favourites, inspired by a virtuoso performance by Niall Arthur, but Blayney’s better balance up front guided them through. All six starting forwards were among eight scorers for Blayney, as they remained on course for another league and championship double, with Leo Moloney contributing 1-7.
Castleblayney: Fergal Rafter; Cillian Hanratty, Eoin Leonard, Brian Flanagan; Paudie Heavin (0-1), Nathan Adair, Zack McArdle; Ruairí Farrell, Paddy Finnegan; Conall McHugh (Joint-Capt., 0-1), Leo Moloney (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-2f, 0-1 ‘65), Declan Hughes (Joint-Capt., 0-5); Niall Garland (0-2), Brian McGuigan (1-1), Thomas Hughes (0-3).
Subs: Pauric Malone for Leonard, Tim McArdle (0-1) for Garland (both 49); Cormac McNally for Farrell (55); Déaglán Crowe for Flanagan (60 + 2).
Inniskeen: Trevor Hilliard; Mike Lyons (Capt.), Peter Boylan, Cormac Boylan; Aaron Gernon, Jamie Dooley, Martin Murphy; Conor McHugh, Cathal Jones; Pádraig McGahon, Dean Hoey, TJ Byrne; Gerry Arthur (0-1), Niall Arthur (2-15, 1-0 pen, 0-9f), Pauric Dowdall.
Subs: Philip Brooks for C Boylan (29); Gavin Dooley for Jones, Shane Callan for Byrne (both H-T); Pádraig Deery for Gernon (47); Jarlath McGahon for Hoey (53).
Truagh started their championship campaign with a comfortable win over Latton, which they followed up with a one-point victory against Monaghan Harps.
First-half goals by David Carvill and Conor McKenna put Truagh in the driving seat and the Harps’ hill became steeper when they were reduced to 14 men early in the second half. Conor Boyle hit three crucial points down the home stretch as Truagh advanced to another county final.
Truagh: Karl McMeel; Niall McQuillan, Nollaig Mac Giolla Thuile, Pearse McKenna; Conor Boyle (0-3, 2f, 1 ‘65), Daithí McMeel, Ronan Boyle; Matthew Flood (Capt.), Shane Kelly (0-1); Páidí Treanor (0-2), Conor McKenna (1-0), Oisín Hagan; Diarmuid Ó Dómhnaill (0-1), Kieran McGuirk, David Carvill (1-2, 0-1f).
Subs: Gareth Mohan for Hagan (38); Ethan Carvill for C McKenna (45); Colm McKernan for Treanor (58).
Monaghan Harps: Dylan McAree; Tiarnán Bramley, John Lowry (Capt.), Vincent Woods; Cathal Power (0-2), Cillian Sherry (1-1), Joseph O’Neill; Niall McManus, Conor Flynn; Eithan Flynn (0-8, 5f), Seán Conway, Nathan O’Donoghue; Brendan McQuaid, Dermot McMahon, Ryan Moran.
Subs: James Brady for McMahon (H-T); Enda Brady for Moran (35).
Meanwhile, the JHC title is up for grabs in the curtain-raiser between Latton and Clontibret.
Latton are appearing in their second Junior final in a row, having lost out to Monaghan Harps last year, facing 17-time county champions Clontibret. Latton lost to Truagh in the SHC quarter-finals, but they bounced back with a noteworthy win over Carrickmacross last time out. Clontibret, who last won this title in 2020, were on the brink of a return to the Senior semi-finals last month, only to see a double-digits lead slip away as they were pipped by Monaghan Harps after extra-time. The O’Neills had also gone close to finishing in the top four of the league, defeating Castleblayney in the last round, before losing out to Inniskeen in the Shield final.
By Mary McEneaney Sun 13th Sep
