CLUB LEAGUE OPENERS ATTRACT BIG LOCAL INTEREST THIS WEEKEND

By Colm Shalvey

For this weekend, attention diverts from Monaghan’s bid for promotion from Division Two of the Allianz Football League to club action, with the Senior, Intermediate and Football Leagues all getting underway.

Four games in each division will be played between Saturday and Sunday, with 24 teams in action – one match in each grade has been postponed due to dual players’ involvement in the county senior hurlers’ Allianz League derby with Fermanagh.

A number of teams have new managers in place for 2014, with a few big names going back to their native clubs, namely Declan Loughman with Castleblayney, Séamus McEnaney at Corduff and Noel Marron (Donaghmoyne). It’s the time of year when clubs the length and the breadth of the county will have dreams of lifting silverware at the business end of the year, with Scotstown, Carrickmacross and Aughnamullen arguably starting as favourites in their respective divisions.

Scotstown won the senior league and championship double last year and they start their defence of the Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League with a local derby against Monaghan Harps, who were beaten in two semi-finals in 2013. That is the last of the four SFL games this weekend, with the first being the clash of Latton and Clontibret on Saturday evening.

This one sees …