Two clubs with very different recent histories meet in the Monaghan Junior Football Championship final on Saturday 24 October, when Drumhowan take on Aghabog Emmets at Scotstown at 4pm. Niall Finnegan is the referee, according to Monaghan GAA's fixture list, and the winners go into the Ulster Junior Club Championship against St Mary's Rasharkin of Antrim on 1 November.

Drumhowan: unbeaten and going for the double

Drumhowan are back in the final for the first time in two years. In 2024 they beat Eire Óg in the decider on a wet day in Scotstown, the club's seventh Monaghan junior title and the fifth of this century, the Anglo-Celt notes. They also hold an Ulster junior club title, won against Lissan of Derry in 2008.

This season they have already won the Junior League and secured promotion before the championship began, and they have come through the championship unbeaten. Joint-manager Paddy Kelly admitted that winning the double is the target. "It is," he said. "But we never looked at that. We got promoted, parked that, then it was one game at a time to see where it takes us."

Drumhowan have bounced between grades often, with promotion or relegation in 13 seasons this century. Club chairperson Seamus Duffy said a final-day loss to Monaghan Harps sent them back down from intermediate last year. "The guys knuckled down, a few minors came in, no retirements," he said, crediting Kelly and Stephen Creighton, who have come in to manage the team.

The squad includes Darragh McElearney, who has played senior football for Monaghan, and Monaghan U20 players Tom Doherty, Caolan Reilly, Martin Quinn and Killian McAdam. Reilly is this year's captain. "You're waiting for a final. The days are flying by," he said of the long build-up.

Aghabog: a long road back

For Aghabog, Saturday ends a long wait. The club has not played in a championship final since it beat Doohamlet in the 2003 Intermediate final, which was its first championship win since 1934. Its last junior final was against Sean McDermotts in 1990. The Celt found that 12 players from that 1990 team have sons involved this weekend, and that seven members of the 2003 side are involved or have family on the panel, with Patrick O'Brien a selector.

Marty Fox's side beat neighbours and old rivals Currin 1-12 to 0-10 in the semi-final, a win that also secured promotion to intermediate for the first time since 2008. Aghabog had spent every season since 2010 at junior level.

The panel is built on family ties. The O'Hanlon brothers, Fergal, Tyler, Jack and Cormac, are regulars, along with Ryan Gleeson, Fergal Kierans and goalkeeper Michael Smith. Senan Carolan and Cian Greenan have played for Monaghan at underage level. The club had 40 registered players last season and entered a third adult team this year.

Captain Oisin Gleeson said the club's commitment had been "unwavering" over the past four or five years. "Yes, we didn't get the results, but boys had put the foundations in place to get to this stage," he said.

A busy finals weekend

The junior final is part of a packed weekend of Monaghan finals. The Ladies Senior League final between Donaghmoyne and Magheracloone is on Friday night, and Ballybay Pearse Brothers play Donaghmoyne in the Intermediate Championship final at Clontibret on Sunday at 3pm (all times and venues). Monaghan GAA says tickets for the junior and intermediate finals are on sale in participating SuperValu and Centra stores. With Storm Boelo forecast for Saturday evening, supporters should check for any late fixture updates before travelling.