SUNDAY 7 OCTOBER
Monaghan SFC final
Ballybay v Scotstown, Clones, 3.30pm
Carlow SFC final
Eire Og v Palatine, Netwatch Cullen Park, 3.45pm
Longford SFC final
Abbeylara v Mullinalaghta, Pearse Park, 4pm
Roscommon SHC final
Athleague v Four Roads, Athleague, 3pm
Meath SHC final
Kiltale v Trim, Pairc Tailteann, 3.30pm
Waterford SHC final
Abbeyside v Ballygunner, Fraher Field, 3.30pm
Offaly SHC final
Coolderry v Kilcormac-Killoughey, O'Connor Park, 4pm
Laois SHC final
Camross v Rathdowney-Errill, O'Moore Park, 4pm
TV
Live coverage of the Monaghan football final - Ballybay v Scotstown on TG4 from 3pm. Deferred coverage of the Offaly hurling final - Coolderry v Kilcormac-Killoughey from 5.05pm
RADIO
Updates on all the day’s games on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 from 2pm
WEATHER
Sunday will be a breezy and dull or cloudy day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle affecting the west and north and parts of the east and south may stay mostly dry for the day. Top temperatures will be around 12 to 15 degrees in a fresh and blustery southwesterly wind. For more go to met.ie.
FOOTBALL
Scotstown have been the standard bearers in the land of the Farney in recent seasons and are going for a fourth title on the spin. Ballybay are seeking a first success since 2012.
Both sides met in the group stages on 9 September and it was the holders who prevailed by a point. It's expected to be just as close in the decider, with local journalist John Graham feeling that "Ballybay have a nice momentum" heading in to the final.
They were impressive in seeing off Contibret in the semis, with Paul Finlay hitting 0-07. With the Wylie brothers Drew and Ryan also involved, Ballybay won't lack for motivation in trying to end Scotstown's run.
Speaking in the Irish News, Finlay said: "There’s a certain level of frustration and disappointment that we haven’t been back in a county final in six years. We would feel we have the guts of a decent team, but we’ve had a couple of near misses in semi-finals.
"The set up is good, preparation has been great, but it has been a bit of a whirlwind championship – it has come along very quickly with the run Monaghan were on, and with the Monaghan champions being out in the Ulster Club in the preliminary round, it’s meant the county board has had to run it off fairly quickly.
Scotstown, who accounted for last year's finalists Magheracloone in the other semi, can boast the presence of county stars Rory Beggan, Conor McCarthy, Shane Carey and Darren and Kieran Hughes in their ranks.
A @PalatineGAA supporter dropped by @Carlow_GAA Offices yesterday to offer some advice to the Staff prior to Sunday’s @michaellyngmtrs SFC Final.
— Carlow GAA (@Carlow_GAA) October 5, 2018
She had a special word for @Eireogcarlow Captain Seán Gannon...........😈🇬🇳 !! #LeaveYourClubAtTheDoor 🇬🇳 #CarlowRising 🇬🇳 pic.twitter.com/8W97fK3CtJ
In Carlow, holders Éire Óg seek a 28th victory against a Palatine side who were twice winners in this decade - 2015 and 2016 - and so far have six titles to their name. Both clubs topped their respective groups en route to the semis where Éire Óg had a hard fought 0-10 to 0-05 win over Mount Leinster Rangers.
A strong first-half performance from Palatine a fortnight ago, where they led 0-09 to 0-00 at the break against Rathvilly, was telling in them reaching the Dr Cullen Park showdown.
A repeat of last year's final sees holders Mullinalaghta take on Abbeylara in Longford.
The word out of the midlands county is that Mullinalaghta are strongly favored to make it a hat-trick of titles and a fifth in all. With incoming Cavan manager Mickey Graham at the helm, they have been unbeaten so far and finished strongly to account for Clonguish in the semis.
Abbeylara, after finishing behind Clonguish and Mostrim in the group stages, then accounted for St Mary's Granard and Colmcille to leave them 70 minutes away from winning a third title.
HURLING
For the first time since 2008, Abbeyside will contest a Waterford hurling final. An absorbing semi-final saw them account for De La Salle by the bare minimum 0-14 to 0-13. The sides were level on nine occasions and a superb point out on the sideline from Mark Ferncombe with five minutes left settled the issue.
It''s a case of the 'drive for five for Ballygunner and they clearly signalled their intent with an emphatic 25-point win over Passage in the last four. With the likes of Pauric Mahony, Philip Mahony, Stephen O’Keeffe, Barry Coughlan, Wayne Hutchinson and Shane Sullivan to pick all having represented the Déise at county level, it's not surprising that Ballygunner are seen as hot favourites to reign supreme again.
Writing in the Munster Express, Brian flannery said: "Abbeyside will need kamikaze levels of courage if they are to take the game to their vaunted opponents".
The Countdown is well and truly on!! County Hurling Final Day Sunday 7th October. pic.twitter.com/dFwGgvR2xE
— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) October 3, 2018
In Offaly, Kilcormac-Killoughey put their title on the line against a Coolderry outfit who were last victorious in 2015.
A goal in injury time from Tommy Geraghty set Kilcormac-Killoughey on their way to a 1-16 to 1-11 win over St Rynagh's in the semi-final, with the club standing on the cusp of a fifth title this decade.
Cooldery go in search of a 31st title and held off a late rally by Belmont that included two goals from Oisin Kelly to win by a single point - 4-13 to 3-15 - in their last-four encounter.
Holders Camross are after a 26th win in Laois, as is their final opponents Rathdowney-Errill.
After guiding Kilcormac-Killoughey to county and provincial success in his native Offaly, Danny Owens is now in charge of Camross. Earlier this year, the two-time All-Ireland winner with the Faithful steered Camross to league success when accounting for Sunday's opponents.
Looking ahead to the O'Moore Park showdown, Owens told the Leinster Express: "We’re looking forward to the final, and we’re aware of the enormity of the task. The games with Rathdowney-Errill this year have all been tight, very hard-fought.
"They have a lot of talent, and we’re aware of that, but we’re also aware that we have a lot of talent ourselves. It’ll come down to the little things on the day. We’ll be doing our best to come out ready to go."
Elsewhere, in Meath, Kiltale aim for a fifth win on the spin against a Trim side who were last victorious in 2001.
Athleague and Four Roads have 51 Roscommon titles between them, with the former seeking a first win since 2007, while the latter last took home the Mickey Cunniffe Cup in 2015.
