DRAWS MADE FOR NEW-LOOK CH’SHIPS

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS

The restructured Monaghan GAA championship draws were made at Monday night’s county committee meeting. With the original 2020 club schedule having been ripped up by the lengthy stoppage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Monaghan GAA recently introduced a round-robin system which will see each of the three divisions split into two groups of five, with the accelerated return of Gaelic games also seeing the start date brought forward by a week to the last weekend in July.

Promoted sides Donaghmoyne and Magheracloone are among three south-Monaghan clubs, along with Inniskeen, in Group One of the SFC, which also includes two big hitters in the shape of defending champions Clontibret and regular contenders Ballybay (who will face off in the opening round). Scotstown, who fell short of a five-in-a-row in last year’s county final, are in Group Two, where they will start their campaign at home to their near-neighbours Truagh. Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Latton complete the line-up for Group Two.

Like in Senior, Group One of the Intermediate Championship features two promoted sides, with Blackhill and Éire Óg set to compete with the three ‘C’s’ of Corduff, Cremartin and Currin. The last decade’s IFC specialists Doohamlet – four-time winners…