Clontibret and Inniskeen clash in the tie of the round of the Monaghan SFC. As tends to be the way at club level, there’s always a few common denominators. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
At 6pm tomorrow's evening, John McEntee will find himself in familiar territory. On the Monaghan-Armagh border, he’s not too far from home . When he glances up the touchline and sees the sideline by the home dugout occupied by another, he might well feel a million miles from it.
His former side, his current charges, and Latton are the only SFC teams remaining in either group to have won all their fixtures in the county of the drumlins. Ex Clontibret star JP Mone, a selector of McEntee’s during his time there, reckons the O’Neills have their work cut out for them:
“They’ve beaten Scotstown, and the bookies don’t lie. They’re coming here as favourites, and they have every right to be.”
It may well bring back memories of Clontibret’s county title in 2019 for McEntee, for a variety of reasons. A conflict of interests may be too strong a term to use for today’s fixture, but it certainly wouldn’t have been for the Ulster SFC clash of Clontibret and Crossmaglen four years ago.
Mone knows first hand that sentiment is out of the equation. Even in this unseasonal weather, there is no place for a warm heart in the heat of championship battle:
“That Cross’ game in the club championship was approached the same as any other game. He’ll be as professional with Inniskeen as he was with us.
“John would have worked quite closely with a number of our boys, and he’ll have a good insight into the Clontibret dressing room.”
Both sides have beaten Magheracloone and Donaghmoyne to date, with Clontibret given a bye for Inniskeen’s Round 1 victory over the ever-fancied Scotstown. Having pipped Donaghmoyne to a quarter-final last year courtesy of a last-gasp draw against Scotstown, the former likely had revenge on their mind.
Star man Davy Garland had his usual impact, but Clontibret managed to “get out alive” courtesy of another unlikely goal in the dying embers, this time Conor McManus from the spot.
Monaghan midfielder Killian Lavelle came in for particular praise off the back of that key win, fresh from a stellar intercounty campaign where he excelled in nullifying Con O’Callaghan and Rian O’Neill, to name but two.
A late bloomer of sorts, the 27-year-old forms a formidable centrefield partnership with fellow intercounty panellist Francie Hughes:
“Killian is starting to really mature as a footballer. He’s matured as a person, he’s matured as a player, and we need him.
“He was pivotal with Francie back in 2019, and it’s still the same partnership now.”
Mone feels that the absence of those two men, McManus, Conor Boyle and others on intercounty duty has hindered Clontibret, with the first round of the championship the first real chance to gel the entire squad.
In their absence, however, former county minor stars Conor Doyle and Jack Gormley have shown impressive form, while the current Clontibret youth development officer believes goalkeeper Darren McDonnell has added “10 or 15 per cent” after a year as Rory Beggan’s understudy.
Seán Jones, Ciarán McNulty, Dónal Meegan, and Andrew Woods have been shooting the lights out, and Inniskeen will hope they keep McDonnell, Boyle, Doyle and others busy.
At 3pm Saturday, Donaghmoyne host Scotstown in Group 2’s other match. It’s win or bust for the Fontenoys quarter-final ambitions, with table proppers Magheracloone handed a bye.
On Sunday, the in-form Aughnamullen and Corduff meet in Group 1, while 2021 finalists Truagh go in search of their first points against first-placed Latton. In golfing terms, it’s moving day in the Monaghan SFC.
