TG4 Ulster Senior Ladies Football Championship First Round
Monaghan v Tyrone, Saturday, 3.00, Ballybofey
Monaghan’s senior ladies start their defence of the Ulster SFC title when they play old rivals Tyrone at Mac Cumhaill Park on Saturday.
With the O’Dowd Cup and the National Football League Division One already in the bag this year, Monaghan will have their eye on more silverware this year, especially after beating Cork in the final to overturn last year’s All-Ireland decider result. Tyrone also competed in the top flight of the league, but their only two wins came against Donegal and Kildare, leaving them third from bottom in the table. Monaghan had six points to spare when they travelled to Omagh in March.
Monaghan have plenty of firepower up front in the likes of Cathriona McConnell, Caoimhe Mohan, Ellen McCarron, Ciara McAnespie and Niamh Kindlon, who scored an impressive 14-83 between them in the league campaign, while it was the defence that led the way against Cork, thanks to Sharon Courtney, Gráinne McNally, Christina Reilly and Aoife McAnespie. Amanda Casey, Therese McNally and Laura McEnaney should also play key roles for Monaghan. Tyrone will need big performances the likes of Gemma Begley, Jolene and Sarah Donnelly, Mairéad Conwell, Maura Kelly and Orla O’Neill.
Monaghan ran out comfortable winners when these sides met in last year’s first round and they will be tipped to repeat the trick on Saturday.
The game is being played as a curtain-raiser to the Ulster men’s SFC quarter-final between Donegal and Derry.
Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Championship O’Duffy Cup Final
Castleblayney v Drumhowan, Sunday, 7.00, Blackhill
Castleblayney bid for a fourth O’Duffy Cup in a row when they take on Drumhowan in the final on Sunday.
Blayney have dominated this competition in recent years and they have beaten Castleblayney, Corduff and Scotstown to move within one win of yet another title. The Faughs have also shown fine form in the RFL Division One, where they currently sit top of the table with 13 points from eight games. Just two years after Tyholland reached the O’Duffy Cup Final while playing in the RFL Division Two, Drumhowan have upset the odds to do the same, with wins over fellow Division Two sides Cremartin and Killeevan, as well as Division One side Magheracloone in the semi-finals. The Geraldines are currently joint-second in their league.
Castleblayney have the benefit of the experience of playing Division One football and they can call on a number of players with senior experience, while Drumhowan’s senior and reserve teams have both been playing at a lower level, so the odds are stacked in Blayney’s favour. The likes of Kieran Mooney, David Caulfield, Brendan Duffy and Ciarán Deery will put it up to Blayney, but with players of the calibre of Keith Hill, Francis Moore, Jerry Brady, Damien Hughes, Jim McHugh, Patrick Finnegan and Jerry Brady, it seems set up for another Blayney victory
With just over a week until the Monaghan senior footballers play Down in the Ulster semi-finals, there are no games involving county senior footballers this weekend, but there are two fixtures each in the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League and the Eurotech Junior Football League.
Rockcorry will be looking to continue their recent good form in the IFL when they host struggling Toome, while Corduff go head-to-head with Cremartin.
Just a week after Blackhill beat Killanny in the JFC, they lock horns once more in the JFL, while Oram have a home match against Killeevan.
Magheracloone host Clontibret in the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division One on Sunday, while Tuesday’s games see leaders Castleblayney take on third-paced Monaghan Harps, second-placed Scotstown face Latton and Truagh meet Tyholland.
There is one RFL Division Two game between Donaghmoyne and Killeevan on Friday, before Corduff and Doohamlet entertain Cremartin and Drumhowan respectively on Wednesday.
In Division Three, there are local derbies between Emyvale and Truagh and Castleblayney and Oram, as well as the meeting of Scotstown and Rockcorry.
Division Four leaders Clones are at home to Aghabog on Friday, while Monaghan Harps make the short trip to town rivals Fergal O’Hanlons on Saturday and Éire Óg challenge Emyvale on Sunday.
The McElvaney Recycling Under-21 Football Leagues get underway on Wednesday. In Division One (North), defending champions Scotstown and Clontibret have home games against Monaghan Harps and Truagh respectively, while the South section sees Aughnamullen go up against Castleblayney. Ballybay and Finn Rua have home advantage in Division Two (North) against Emyvale and Tyholland, while Division Two (South) has games between Carrickmacross and Donaghmoyne as well as Killanny and Magheracloone.
There is also plenty of action in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions. Carrickmacross and Inniskeen contest the Under-14 Hurling League semi-final on Thursday for the right to play Monaghan Harps in the final at Clontibret on Sunday, after the shield decider between Truagh and Cootehill. There is a double-header of Under-14 Football Championship Finals in Drumhowan on Tuesday, when Aughnamullen and Éire Óg battle it out in Division Three and Truagh B take on Rockcorry for the Division Six title. There are also games down for decision this week in the Under-14 Football Leagues.
By michael Thu 14th Jun
