SFC previews
August 28, 2014
CLUB SCENE.
Championship action takes centre stage again this weekend with four games listed in the Gormley UPVC senior football championship, two in the back door qualifiers and two where the winners will go through to the semi finals. This weekend also sees the finals of two further competitions down for decision. Tomorrow evening Friday Donaghmoyne and Aughnamullen meet in the Platinum Tanks reserve football league division 2 final in Blackhill at 7.00pm while on Sunday at 1.00pm in Gavin Duffy Park, Monaghan, Truagh and Clontibret meet in the minor football league division 2 final. As well as that there is also a full round of games in the Junior and intermediate football leagues.
SFC.
There are only 8 teams now left in the race for the Mick Duffy cup with Currin and Doohamlet exiting the series last weekend and barring draws that number will be down to six after this weekend series of matches. The senior championship action gets underway tomorrow evening Friday, August 29th with the meeting of Castleblayney and Magheracloone in Inniskeen at 8.15 p.m. where the losers will go out of the series. There are two games on Saturday evening being played as a double bill in Scotstown, Truagh against Monaghan Harps at 4:45pm, again the losers facing the drop, with Clontibret and Latton clashing at 6:30pm. The fourth game in the weekend's programme, and definitely the match of the weekend, is between the reigning champions Scotstown and the champions of 2012, Ballybay, a game that is sure to attract a big crowd to Clontibret on Sunday evening at 6:30pm.
GORMLEY UPVC SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
C'Blayney v Magheracloone: Inniskeen: Friday: August 29th @ 8.15pm.
This in fact is an exact rerun of the meeting between these sides at the same stage in last year's senior football championship and at the same venue, a game that Magheracloone edged by the minimum margin deep into stoppage time at the end of extra time after Castleblayney felt that they had done enough in the injury time that was announced to hold out for victory. However Magheracloone struck late and emphatically and Friday evening's game is set to produce another cracking contest where winner takes all as the losers go out of the series. Little will have changed from last year, by and large, as the same personnel are doing the same jobs but Castleblayney should have Ciaran Hanratty back and if that is the case, they will be looking for him to repeat his contribution of last year when he hit 1-4. C'Blayney are unlikely to make major changes although Mark Treanor who was a late replacement last weekend probably did enough to be named in the starting 15 this time around and there is a fascinating midfield duel in prospect between Magheracloone's Gavin Doogan and Castleblayney's Conor Gurn. In attack Martin McElroy is a central figure for the Faughs and after scoring two goals last weekend when introduced as a substitute Dermot Malone too will play a part. For Magheracloone it will be much as they were for last weekend's game with Peter and James Ward shoring up the defence, the latter always willing to break forward on the overlap to telling effect but in attack they look to be increasingly relying on the accuracy Tomas Freeman who will get good support from his brother Damien, Paudie Finnegan and Alan McCahey although the latter is probably better suited to a role at corner forward. This one promises to be another closely contested affair and may even take extra time again this time around to sort it out.
GORMLEY UPVC SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Monaghan Harps v Truagh: Scotstown: Saturday August 30th @ 4.45pm.
This one certainly has something of a local flavour about it and that allied to the sudden death nature of this pairing will add considerably to the intensity of the exchanges. Monaghan Harps were disappointed when they lost their opening game in this year's championship to Clontibret, the same team that defeated them in the semi-final last year after a replay and the Harps will be determined to at least replicate achieving the semi-final this time around. Truagh though go into this game with the benefit of having had a second outing in this year's championship. They lost their opening game to Scotstown but recovered to defeat Currin last time out by 10 points although they will know that certain aspects of their performance, especially their finishing, will have to improve if they are to account for the county town side. Both of these sides are working from big panels but they are unlikely to make major changes from the teams that did duty last time out particularly Truagh where Daniel McKenna and Chrissie McKenna along with Mark Counihan are vital in their attack and this time around Christopher McAnenly, who came on as a substitute against Currin could get the nod to start. For Monaghan Harps David Hughes and Conor Galligan will again shore up the defence while in attack they have talented players in the likes of the Hahessy brothers, Liam and Donal, Fearghal McMahon, Dean Fanning, Nicholas Treanor and Nicholas Scott. The throw in Scotstown for this one is at 4:45pm and extra time will played should the sides finish level at the end of normal time.
GORMLEY UPVC SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Clontibret v Latton: Scotstown: Saturday August 30th @ 6.30pm.
This year Clontibret are attempting to get to their third county final in a row and having lost out in the 2012 and 2013 deciders, their hunger and determination will be even sharper than ever. They came with a late rally to defeat Monaghan Harps in their opening game in this year's championship back on May 18th, three points the margin there, but Latton do come into this game with the benefit of having had a match more than Clontibret. They started off with a two points defeat of Doohamlet and followed that up with a one point defeat of Magheracloone last Saturday evening and that extra match practice could prove vital. They lost the services of Aidan Farmer early in that game though with what looked like a pulled hamstring and they will be hoping that he will be fully recovered for Saturday evening as his presence will be vital. The key men on both sides are well known and names that immediately spring to mind in Clontibret are the likes of Vincent Corey, Dessie Mone, Martin Corey, Rodney Gorman and of course one the most accomplished forwards in the game Conor McManus. They also have emerging young talent in the likes of Aodh Curran and Michael Paul O'Dowd but if Latton cannot limit the influence of McManus they will pay the price. For Latton again it will be the tried and trusted, Eddie Lennon and Kieran Duffy in the central defensive roles with good supporting players in the likes of Owen Coyle, Stephen Fitzpatrick and Dermot O'Brien. They are probably sweating a little on the availability of Aidan Farmer but James McElroy can be an effective replacement but they will be looking for an improved return from their overall attack as last time out it was the accuracy of Owen Duffy, who scored six points and Hugh McElroy who scored three, that really saw them over the line. As both sides have come through the winners section the losers will still have the benefit of a game in the back door element, but neither will be giving much cognizance to that as both will be going all out for victory.
GORMLEY UPVC SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Scotstown v Ballybay: Clontibret: Sunday August 31st @ 6.30pm.
For many this is a predicted pairing for this year's senior football championship final, the reigning champions Scotstown against the champions of 2012 Ballybay and it is a pairing that is indeed worthy of the county final as both sides boast some of the best players in the county and both clubs have contributed substantially to the county senior team's success in recent years. When Ballybay won the senior football championship in 2012 they did not encounter Scotstown as opposition, but they met in the semi-final of last year's championship, a game Scotstown one in Clones by seven points, 3-13 to 2-9. This year Ballybay were impressive in their opening round victory over Castleblayney while Scotstown accounted for Truagh in their north Monaghan derby, four points the margin in that one. Even a cursory glance at this particular pairing the names trip easily off the tongue, Ballybay with the likes of the Wylie brothers, Drew, Ryan and Brent in defence which will give them a solid foundation, while in attack they have talent aplenty in Paul Finlay, Christopher McGuinness, Thomas Kerr and Shane McGuinness and if they can break even at all in the midfield battle they have the inside men to cause Scotstown plenty of trouble. For Scotstown they have the versatile Rory Beggan between the posts and a man capable of contributing on the scoreboard from long-range frees and they will look to the likes of Paraic Keenan, Mark Duffy and James Turley in defence. Francis Caufield can give them a foothold in midfield and they also have the option of Darren Hughes in that area, although he can play in an attacking role but could also be used as a defensive pivot given the threat in the Ballybay attack. Whatever his position though his driving runs from deep can create a platform for the Blues. Kieran Hughes too is a major asset in attack and they have the emerging talent OF Conor McCarthy as well as players of quality in Shane Carey, Brian McGinnity and Paul Grant. This one promises to be an entertaining and exciting contest with the winners going through to the semi-final but the losers will still have a second chance and that county final pairing could still be on the cards.
