Cadbury’s Ulster Under-21 Football Championship Quarter-Finals
Derry v Monaghan, Wednesday, 8.00, Celtic Park
Monaghan’s Under-21 footballers will attempt to give the county a much-needed boost in the wake of the seniors’ disappointing defeat last Sunday when they travel to Derry for their Ulster Under-21 FC opener tonight (Wednesday).
Celtic Park hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Monaghan teams – most recently in the National Football League at the start of this month – but the Farney men did see off Derry at this stage last year and this group of players won at the Derry-city venue in the 2009 Ulster Minor Football Championship, so they will aim to repeat those results. Monaghan made an encouraging start to the Shamrock Cup, with wins over Antrim and Meath booking their place in another final, but they lost to Tyrone in their last group game before being beaten by the same opposition in the decider for the second year in a row.
Monaghan are still without sharp-shooting forward Jack McCarron, who is recovering from a shoulder operation, and the Currin man’s absence will hurt his side’s scoring power. They can still call on the likes of Keith McEnaney, Daniel McKenna, Shane Carey and Thomas Kerr up front, however, while Pete Dooney is certain to play a big part at midfield and Johnny McGuigan, Conor Boyle and Owen Coyle are key players in defence, where they will also hope senior player Kieran Duffy is fit to start. Emmett McGuckian, Ryan Moore, Aaron Devlin, Benny Herron and Ryan Ferris are among the main men for Derry.
By michael Wed 21st Mar
