THE Greenfield Foods’ Monaghan Senior Football Championship draw has pitted Ulster finalists Scotstown against 2022 county champions Ballybay.
Scotstown will have home advantage on August 11, with each side across Junior, Intermediate and Senior playing two home and two away matches in the two five-team groups.
The winners of the tie between the previous two champions will be well placed to advance to a quarter-final at least, with 2nd or 3rd place in the group securing a place in the last six.
Top spot would mean an automatic semi-final, with Group 1 also containing Séamus McEneaney’s Corduff, who host 2023 IFL winners Cremartin in the opening round.
Aughnamullen, led by county stars Micheál Bannigan and Joel Wilson, will have a bye on August’s second weekend.
In Group 2, last year’s Intermediate champions Killanny will face a south-Monaghan derby to open their crack at the senior championship, as they face off against Donaghmoyne.
The other tie sees John McEntee face former charges Clontibret with his Inniskeen side, having led the latter to the county final in 2023, beating Scotstown in the group stage.
The sides met twice in last year’s championship, with an early Dessie Mone goal giving Grattans a fright in the SFC semi-final, but McEntee’s men ultimately progressed.
As county finalists, Scotstown and Inniskeen were pre-determined to be in separate groups, having met in the group in 2023.
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The McElvaney’s Recycling and Waste IFC has thrown up an incredibly tricky Group 2 featuring four town sides.
Castleblayney Faughs, operating at this level for just the second time in their history, have been handed a tough draw, having exited to eventual winners Killanny in the last eight in 2023.
They will host Emyvale in Group 2 Round One, who are shorn of Karl Gallagher due to AFL commitments.
The group also features Truagh, Monaghan Harps and Carrickmacross Emmetts, none of whom are strangers to Monaghan’s top tier in recent years.
The former, relegated in 2023, will host Monaghan Harps, as last year’s beaten IFC finalists Carrick’ have been handed a bye in the opening round.
Group 1, the perceived easier group on paper at least, features both promoted sides Tyholland and Blackhill.
Magheracloone - relegated to the middle tier along with Truagh last year - will have a bye in Round One, as Doohamlet, under new management, will seek to get off to the ideal start away to Tyholland.
Ulster JFC finalists in 2023, Blackhill will face Clones at home in what promises to be a competitive affair.
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The Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship is also difficult to call based on a helter-skelter league campaign to date, with Seán McDermott’s, Éire Óg, Scotstown, Drumhowan and Aghabog drawn together in Group 1.
Rivals Toome and Oram, fresh from a league encounter, will do battle once more in a Group 2 that also features Rockcorry, Killeevan and Currin.
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Finally, the AM Sports’ Senior Hurling Championship sees Inniskeen launch their quest for back-to-back titles against Truagh.
Favourites Castleblayney will travel to Clontibret, as Carrickmacross host Monaghan Harps.
The top four sides will advance to semi-finals, with the bottom two joining Latton in the Junior Hurling Championship.