Monaghan IFC – Close calls in Oriel County

Aughnamullen v Emyvale

(Saturday, Scotstown, 5pm)

EMYVALE will be wondering how they are here, but their season can still be saved.

After eight minutes of the second half last time out they led Donaghmoyne by 11 points and also had an extra man compared to their opponents. The game appeared done and dusted but what happened next can only be described as a collapse as they were out-scored 1-12 to 0-2.

Declan Loughman would surely have read the riot act and we can expect a reaction here.

Even though they lost they once again showed just how potent they can be in attack with a 3-12 score – Robbie McAllister (2) and Niall McKenna with their goals. That takes their goal tally to six in two games with David McAllister (2) and Daniel McMahon on target against Cremartin in their first game.

Aughnamullen have reacted very well to their Round 1A loss to Corduff.

They started very poorly against Tyholland in their next outing but responded brilliantly to win 1-22 to 2-11. That accuracy remained in place in Round 2B as they defeated Sean McDermott’s 3-18 to 2-9.

That scoring burst is not a huge surprise. Even though they sit second from bottom in the Intermediate League, they still have a better attacking average than everyone bar top two Magheracloone and Donaghmonye. It’s at the other end where their issues are and Emyvale should expose that again.

Verdict: Emyvale

Monaghan Harps v Corduff

(Sunday, Aughnamullen, 1pm)

AFTER 17 rounds of league action, Corduff and Monaghan Harps both sit on 30 points so you can understand why this game is so difficult to predict.

Another similarity is that both are coming through the backdoor following defeats to Magheraclone, the Mitchel’s beating the Harps by 10 points in Round 1A and Corduff by three points in Round 2A.

Paddy Kelly’s Harps responded to that loss with a 0-13 to 0-9 win over Killanny but only after dominating extra-time.

Liam Hahessy, Shane Smyth, Dónal Hahessy, Lochlainn Power and Conor Duffy all raised white flags in those extra 20 minutes.

Extra pleasing for Kelly would have been that Dónal Hahessy, Power and Duffy all scored after being introduced from the bench.

Corduff deserved a lot of credit for their performance against Magheracloone. They were half a dozen points behind early in the second half before they went on six-point scoring spree to draw level.

They then went five behind again before hitting 1-2, Jamie King their goal-scorer, to again catch up. However it was Magheracloone who finished the strongest.

Verdict: Monaghan Harps