SFC: The chasing pack are hunting Scotstown down

Maitiú Monaghan

Scotstown:

Nothing has changed from the reigning champions' point of view. They are still the benchmark to the chasing pack, still the team that the pretenders to the crown will be planning and scheming around for the weeks to come. Frighteningly, they seem to just get better and better. The established county players, Jack McCarron, Conor McCarthy, and Ryan O'Toole, are all in good form. Younger players, Sean McElwaine, Tommy Mallen, and Max Maguire both need watching. On top of all that, they’ve just welcomed Rory Beggan back into the starting lineup.

Clontibret:

A Clontibret team very much in transition find themselves back in the knock-out stages. A heavy loss to Blayney is a blot on their copybook. However, they are a side managing an influx of talented young players- consistency was always going to be an issue. Against Cremartin, Darragh Keenan, Charlie Mone and Jack Brady stole the show. Conor Boyle and Dessie Mone remain imposing figures at the back, while Aaron Carey and Dean McDonnell are important players going forwards. If it clicks for them, their ceiling is enormous.

Carrickmacross:

The Emmets have been very impressive in their return to the SFC. Victory against Corduff in a derby game that threatened to boil over has been the high point of their campaign to date- although beating Inniskeen away from home a week later also carries some weight. Despite only being promoted from Intermediate last year, teams will be wary of them in the knockout stages. All over the pitch they have attacking talent. James Maguire and Stephen O'Hanlon are box office names, but the Carolan brothers, Matthew and Fionan, are both having a great season. Dualta Honney has also been a goal scoring threat.

Inniskeen:

The Grattans will be scratching their heads a little bit. They have qualified, but they'll be wondering how they ended up in third place and a quarter final. The loss to Carrick in a derby was a shock, and a warning sign, while it's hard to read much into their game against Scotstown. No doubt they will be better in the knock-outs. Sean Jones and Andrew Woods are, as always, to the fore. For years the duo have been lighting up the SFC and will have to do so again if the 2025 finalists are going to push on and contend this season.

Truagh:

The north Monaghan club have been difficult to read in this year's SFC. They are through to the knockout stages, but they've been fortunate in draws against both Castleblayney and Magheracloone. In both games, young forward Seán O'Connell provided vital scores. He hit 1-4 against Blayney, and the decisive, volleyed, equaliser against Magheracloone that put them through. Gary Mohan has returned from injury, although Louis Kelly remains absent. You make your own luck in the SFC, Truagh have battled well so far and have plenty of room for improvement in the knock-out stages.

Castleblayney:

They've done it the hard way, but the Faughs find themselves through to the quarter-finals of the SFC. In their first year back in the Senior ranks, Blayney haven't had it easy in the group stages, although a comfortable win against rivals Clontibret and a must-win derby victory over Cremartin leave them in a good place. They certainly have the talent to compete, Max McGinnity and Canice Murphy are promising young players, Thomas Hughes and Robbie Hanratty are hovering around the fringes of the Monaghan side, while Dermot Malone is a seasoned operator.