By Shaun Casey

AT the minute, Castleblayney lead the way in Group Two of the Intermediate Championship with a record of two wins and one defeat from their three outings, but that could all change between now and their next game.

They overcame Monaghan Harps last weekend but have a three-week wait until their final group stage fixture, and manager Eamon McEneaney is hoping to make the most of the lengthy break.

There are a number of dual players in the ‘Blayney ranks, and the hurlers take on Monaghan Harps in the championship semi-final on Sunday, two weeks before the next football game against Carrickmacross.

“It is a fair break, but we’re not really complaining,” said experienced boss McEneaney. “We have a few boys that are injured and on top of that, a lot of our boys play hurling, so they have the hurling semi-final this weekend and we’re happy for them to get a break.

“It’s very hard to juggle the two sports in terms of trying to keep those players that are playing both fit and healthy and fresh.

“We’ll be hoping that the guys that are out that haven’t been playing, like Mark Treanor and Charlie McQuillan, will be back fit for the next game. There are a few guys that are getting bits of games at the moment, but they are coming back from injuries as well.

“They’ll hopefully be that wee bit fitter for the next game too and that’s all you can hope for, is to have a full squad to pick from and that they’re pushing each other for places.

“When you get to a last game decider in a group like this, this group had four of the top five teams in the league in it, so it was always going to be a tough group.”

A lot can happen in the intervening weeks, but McEneaney believes a result on the final day should secure knockout football for his side and a prolonged championship run.

“The games at the weekend, there was nothing between us and the Harps and then Carrick and Truagh drew, so there’s not a whole pile in it,” he added. “It’s down to who gets the extra wee bit on the day from their players.”

“We have just one more game left, so before we actually play that game, there will be a good few games to sort things out.

“Before we play on the 15th of September, we might not be top of the group, depending on who wins the other remaining games.

“We’ll know exactly where we stand going into that last game, and I’d say if we get a win or draw that’ll puts us through to either the quarter-final or semi-final.

“There’s still a good bit of football and work to be done by then. Carrickmacross could potentially win their next two games or Emyvale could as well, you just don’t know where you’re going to stand until you see the results of those games.”