Ballybay v Donaghmoyne These two teams would have been among the favourites for the intermediate championship title even before a ball was kicked in the opening round back in May. Truagh would have been in that reckoning along with them but their championship aspirations were ended by Ballybay while Donaghmoyne reached the final by the slightly longer qualifier route and accounted for Emyvale in the semi-final. This pairing then should produce a final in keeping with the tradition that the intermediate championship has established. Over the years the intermediate championship in Monaghan has produced a series of thrilling finals and Sunday's decider in Clontibret certainly has all the ingredients to make that happen. If football is regarded as a 15 man game and championship matches generally, especially finals, are regarded as 20 man affairs given that substitutes will be introduced most pundits see Sunday's encounter or rather the outcome of Sunday's encounter as hinging on the shootout between the two county stars, Paul Finlay of Ballybay and Rory Woods of Donaghmoyne. Both are prolific scorers, Paul Finlay is the top scorer in the intermediate championship but only finished a point ahead of Rory Woods in the scoring stakes so far so which of them will ultimately emerge as top gun could well be a close call. Ballybay may perhaps have a slight edge in that quite a number of their side are looking for their third intermediate championship medal while no Donaghmoyne player on their current team was involved when they won the championship back in the 90s. Along with Rory Woods Donaghmoyne will look to the likes of Joe Kelly, Matthew O'Reilly and John Comiskey in defence while up front Seamus Markey, John Farrell and Paudie Donaghy are most likely to figure. If Ballybay have another ace who could influence the outcome as well as Paul Finlay it is full forward Hugh Malone who is enjoying a very good championship and is second in Ballybay's scoring charts behind Finlay himself. Fergal Smith and Mickey Lennon at the heart of the defence have been impressive while up-front Shane McQuillan, Christopher McGuinness and Brian McCabe had been repeatedly seen to good effect. Throw-in in Clontibret on Sunday afternoon is at 4 p.m.. A replay if necessary will take place on Saturday October 11th at a venue and time to be announced. Tweet

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