Hurling takes centre stage in Monaghan

The A.M Sports Monaghan Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals take centre stage this Sunday in Clontibret.

First up is a repeat of the 2023 and 2024 county finals between Castleblayney and Inniskeen. Blayney have been the dominant force in Monaghan hurling since the turn of the century, more than doubling their total number of SHC titles.

In pursuit of another three-in-a-row, they have already clinched the league and a bye to the semi-finals, where they will face an Inniskeen side who overcame a stern test from neighbours Carrickmacross last Wednesday night, with the Grattans coming through by two points. Inniskeen stunned Blayney in 2023, ending their bid for a seventh consecutive championship, but the roles reversed 12 months later.

Blayney retained the title last season against Truagh and even if they are likely to be without Mark Treanor this weekend, they still have quality in every line of the pitch, from converted keeper Fergal Rafter through to a potential half-forward line of three county men: Leo Moloney and joint-captains Declan Hughes and Conall McHugh. Inniskeen will need big performances from the likes of Niall Arthur, Pádraig McGahon, Martin Murphy and Mike Lyons if they are to upset the holders.

The second semi-final is a north-Monaghan derby between Truagh and Monaghan Harps. Truagh were fairly convincing winners over Latton in last week’s quarter-finals, but it was a different story in Clontibret, where Monaghan Harps had to come from 14 points down to win in extra-time.

Two goals early in the second half stretched Clontibret’s lead into double digits, but the Harps produced an unlikely turnaround, with goals from Eithan Flynn (two), James Brady and Ryan Moran levelling it up at 5-13 to 4-16.

The 2025 Junior champions outscored the hosts by seven points to one during the extra 20 minutes to progress. Pearse McKenna, Daithí McMeel, Matthew Flood, Páidí Treanor, Oisín Hagan and David Carvill should play key roles for Truagh, with Eithan and Conor Flynn, Cathal Power, the Brady twins, Seán Conway and Brendan McQuaid central to the Harps’ chances.

Carrickmacross host last year’s runners-up Latton in the Junior Hurling Championship semi-final on Saturday evening. Latton beat Clontibret at this stage last season, before losing out to Monaghan Harps in the decider, but Carrick’s narrow loss to Inniskeen suggests that they could take some stopping on home soil. Clontibret await the winners in the JHC Final on September 13.