Scotstown and Inniskeen, the North and South Pole of Monaghan GAA. The former that almost ventures into Tyrone and latter that flirts with the borders of Louth and Leinster. They say that opposites attract, and on Sunday evening (5pm, Inniskeen), the crowds will certainly be keen to filter in to perhaps the finest ground the county has on offer.
There’s little to be said about Scotstown that hasn’t been said already. It seems as far back as one can remember, they begin the Monaghan Senior Football Championship as favourites. 2023 is no different.
23-year-old Ryan O’Toole had a breakout year with his county this season just passed, but he is now a marked man like never before at club level. He will likely be tasked with the prospect of tracking fellow intercounty star Seán Jones.
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Jones, whose younger brother Conor starred as the Monaghan U17’s made only a second ever All-Ireland MFC final, is believed to have committed to club training shortly after Monaghan’s defeat to Dublin, and he will aim to hit the ground running.
Whilst being stalwarts of the senior ranks, Grattans have not won a county championship since 1948, appearing in just two finals since that time. They will view this as the ideal time to get last year’s beaten finalists, particularly with Clontibret and league toppers Donaghmoyne to come, as well as south-Monaghan rivals Magheracloone.
Louth midfielder Tommy Durnin is primed to compete with the Hughes brothers, Kieran and Darren, around the middle. Rory Beggan will be back in goal for the away side, who are off the back of a less than impressive league campaign minus their county stars.
Andrew Woods, who fell out of favour slightly under Vinny Corey, is another intercounty man who adds considerable size and athleticism to the Inniskeen forward line. At the other end, Shane Carey will be responsible for the majority of placed balls, while Conor McCarthy may well line up inside after potentially earning an All-Star at wing-back.
In the other group, Corey’s Monaghan predecessor Séamus McEnaney takes his Corduff side to Ballybay this afternoon (Saturday, 4pm), in a battle of the 2022 Intermediate and Senior champions.
After several seasons in the IFC ranks, ‘Banty’ stepped in late last season to guide his side to the Ulster IFC final. For renowned and well respected trainer ‘Buggy’ Malone, it is a case of head over heart to try and mastermind a win over Cavan’s Seánie Johnston and his native Ballybay.
Micháel Bannigan’s Aughnamullen will aim to cause an upset as they host Kieran Duffy’s Latton in the other Group 1 fixture (Saturday, 7pm). Latton will have been aggrieved to have been beaten by Scotstown on penalties in last year’s quarter final, and go in as favourites.
The other Group 2 encounter sees Clontibret open their campaign against promoted Magheracloone (Sunday, 2pm). Tommy Freeman’s former side were beaten by Corduff in both league and championship finals last year.
Clontibret, for their part, will once again have their line led by Conor McManus, although Darragh Hughes and MP O’Dowd are also more than capable of punishing the 2019 IFC All-Ireland finalists.
