By Shaun Casey

FINISHING in the top two positions in the Division One league table is Magheracloone’s main objective, according to their manager Wayne Kierans.

Magheracloone won the league title last season and sit at the top of the table ahead of their final group stage clash against Ulster Club champions Scotstown coming up this Saturday.

Magheracloone have 12 points while Scotstown and Castleblayney (who face Truagh in round nine) sit on 10 points. Finishing in one of the top two positions will guarantee a home semi-final for the knockout stages of the league.

“It’s a big game because our goal now is to try and get a home semi-final,” said Kierans, in his first season in charge of Magheracloone.

“We need a point to do that, so it is a big game. We will be in the knockout stages, but we want that home semi-final and the real carrot is that you get a free weekend.

“Our last two games were massive, and we probably didn’t perform as well as we should against Inniskeen (they lost 2-16 to 1-13), but we have a chance to put it right straight away.”

No one will benefit more than Scotstown from the return of Monaghan’s county footballers to the club scene, although this Saturday could be too soon for a lot of those players.

Rory Beggan missed out through injury, but Jack McCarron, Ryan O’Toole, Michéal McCarville and Max Maguire all featured in their defeat to Louth.

Magheracloone’s sole representative from Gabriel Bannigan’s panel is their combative defender Dylan Byrne, and Kierans is unsure if he’ll return to the Mitchells for the final round of the league.

“We have a couple of lads in America as well for the middle part of the season, so they’ll be a boost to us whenever they come back,” the Louth native added.

“In relation to the county boys, there will be other clubs with more players to come back than us, but Dylan is going to be very important for us.

“I’m not sure yet (if he’ll play this weekend) but we’ll certainly give him the space to make his own decision on that one. He’s going to be a massive player for us for the remainder of the season, so we’ll be happy with that.”

Kierans has been enjoying the journey so far with Magheracloone, who lost the championship semi-final to Inniskeen last season.

“I’m enjoying it so far. The little bit of due diligence I did on the club at the very start told me that they wouldn’t be lacking in work rate. They’re very committed, very hard working, very much into performing for their club.

“That’s a massive bonus straight away because you don’t have to go chasing people. I am enjoying it. It’s another experience of a different county, which is what I wanted.

“The league has gone reasonably well but we have the most important part to come so I’m really looking forward to that.”