SEMI FINALS

12 October 2024 No Comments by The Northern Standard

COLM SHALVEY

As the Monaghan football championship season races towards its conclusion, the finalists in each grade will be known by Sunday evening. Clones hosts an enticing SFC semi-final double-header, featuring the three most recent winners of the Mick Duffy Cup (Scotstown, Ballybay and Clontibret), as well as last year’s runners-up Inniskeen.

The former three have won every county SFC title since 2011, with Scotstown blazing a trail with eight of those, with the other four being shared by Ballybay and Clontibret, who get things underway on Sunday at 2pm. Both teams have been revitalised so far this season, with Clontibret topping Group Two and Ballybay recovering from a first-round loss to Scotstown to take a four-game unbeaten streak into the weekend. While Clontibret have had a lengthy break since their last competitive game, they may be thankful for that now as they prepare to face a Ballybay side who had to expend a lot of energy to see off neighbours Latton in a cracking quarterfinal that went to extra-time last Sunday.

Ryan Mellon’s side have some notable injury concerns, with Drew Wylie being restricted to a cameo appearance last weekend, while Dessie Ward’s impact off the bench was cut short when he limped off early in extra-time. Veteran Paul Finlay also contributed as a sub for the Pears…

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