Monaghan’s minor hurlers and footballers both play crucial matches this weekend, with places in Ulster finals on offer, while there is also a busy schedule of club fixtures.
Ulster Minor Hurling Shield Semi-Final
Monaghan v Cavan, Friday, 7.30, Inniskeen
Monaghan’s minor hurlers will attempt to move to within one of another Ulster double when they renew acquaintances with Cavan in the shield semi-finals at Páirc Grattan on Friday.
Monaghan beat the same opposition in the final of the Ulster MHL Division Two and, having already retained that title, they now defend their status as shield winners from last year. These teams are already very familiar with each other, as this is their third meeting already this year.
Dónal Meegan and Tony Forde hit 7-8 between them in that league final, so their contributions will go a long way towards deciding whether Arthur Hughes and his team can bring home more silverware, as will Aodh Curran, Conor Boyle, Cathal McAnespie and Tiarnán Bramley. Neasán Neary, Caoimhín Carney, Seán Keating and Fiachra Hughes should play central roles for Cavan.
Ulster Minor Football League Semi-Final
Tyrone v Monaghan, Saturday, 12.00, Omagh
Monaghan’s minor footballers will also bid to qualify for a provincial final when they take on Tyrone at Healy Park in the Ulster MFL semi-finals.
Monaghan recovered from an opening-round loss to Down to beat Armagh and Cavan and finish second in Group A, booking their place at this stage for the second year in a row. This will be Frank Brady’s sides toughest test to date, however, as a highly-rated Tyrone team breezed through Group B, winning all four games against Antrim, Derry, Donegal and Fermanagh by an average of 11 points. These counties also contested the Ulster MFC Final last year, which Tyrone won to extend Monaghan’s long wait for a minor championship.
Monaghan have had Conor McCarthy, Fearghal McMahon, Adam Treanor, Dónal Meegan and Ryan McAnespie in good form in attack, while David McAlister and Micheál McCarville, Aodh Curran and Michael Murnaghan could also play key roles. Ruairí McGlone, Seán Fox, Lee Brennan, Tiarnán Donnelly and Che O’Donnell are among the main men for Tyrone.
The Senior, Intermediate and Junior Football Leagues continue this weekend. There is a local derby between Latton and Ballybay in the Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League on Saturday, while Magheracloone are at home to Rockcorry. Leaders Scotstown are away to Doohamlet on Sunday, with Monaghan Harps and Clontibret hosting Carrickmacross and Castleblayney respectively.
Two of the joint leaders in the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League are in action on Saturday, when Truagh are at home to Drumhowan and Donaghmoyne travel to Cremartin. The other two teams on four points play on Sunday, with Corduff taking on Aughnamullen and Currin away to Tyholland, while the other game sees Inniskeen make the long trip to Clones.
Scotstown will be chasing their first points in the Eurotech Junior Football League on Saturday when they host Aghabog, while Éire Óg have home advantage against Oram. Table-toppers Seán McDermotts entertain Killanny on Sunday, with Blackhill and Killeevan up against Emyvale and Toome respectively.
Before all that, round three of the Silver Hill Foods Development Hurling League takes place on Thursday evening. The early pace-setters Inniskeen and Monaghan Harps have away games against Truagh and Castleblayney respectively, while Clontibret face Carrickmacross.
There is one game in the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division 3 between Clontibret and Monaghan Harps on Saturday, followed by action in all divisions on Wednesday evening, when the same clubs cross paths again in Division 1A, where the other game is Magheracloone v Scotstown. Ballybay host neighbours Doohamlet in Division IB, while Drumhowan meet Tyholland. Division 2A leaders Donaghmoyne travel north to Emyvale, with Carrickmacross and Corduff having home advantage against Killeevan and Inniskeen respectively. The Division 2B games are between Aughnamullen and Castleblayney, Oram and Rockcorry and Truagh and Seán McDermotts, while the Division 3 fixtures are Currin v Blackhill, Killanny v Éire Óg and Toome v Clones.
There is a south-Monaghan derby between Carrickmacross and Killanny in the McElvaney Recycling Under-21 Football League Division Two on Friday, while there is also an all north-Monaghan clash between Emyvale and Seán McDermotts in Division Three.
Round four of the GRM Minor Football League Division One takes place on Tuesday. There is a local derby between Monaghan Harps and Emyvale, while Scotstown and Truagh both head south to play Carrickmacross and Magheracloone respectively.
Clontibret are at home to Donaghmoyne in Division Two on Sunday, while Tuesday’s games see Cúchulains Sarsfields, Latton and St. Patrick’s host Seán McDermotts, Cremartin and Killanny respectively.
In Division Three, Doohamlet, Inniskeen and St. Tiarnach’s take on Corduff, Emerald Sarsfields and Killeevan respectively.
It’s also another busy week in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions, starting with the Under-16 Football Leagues on Thursday, followed by games in the Under-14 Football Leagues, the Under-12 Football Spring Leagues and the Under-14 Hurling Championship semi-finals.
By michael Thu 18th Apr
