Previews

Ulster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Monaghan v Tyrone, Sunday, 2.00, Clones

Monaghan start their defence of the Ulster SFC title against Tyrone on Sunday at St. Tiernach’s Park.

Monaghan, of course, won the Anglo-Celt Cup for the first time since 1988 on a memorable day in Clones last July and although they were knocked out of the All-Ireland race by Tyrone at the quarter-final stage, they have come back stronger this year; sealing a second consecutive NFL promotion by winning the Division Two title. Tyrone just missed out on qualifying for the Division One semi-finals, but they have played two championship games already; seeing off Down after a replay in the preliminary round.

The team named by Malachy O’Rourke shows three changes from the last competitive outing against Donegal at the end of April, with Dick Clerkin, Pádraig Donaghy and Jack McCarron in for Owen Lennon, Stephen Gollogly and Conor McManus. 11 of the Ulster final team from last July have been named, along with championship debutant Paudie McKenna and first-time SFC starter Jack McCarron. Mickey Harte has gone for three changes from the replay against Down, as Conan Grugan, Martin Penrose and Stephen O’Neill replacing Conor Clarke, Emmet McKenna and Kyle Coney.

Tyrone have been free-scoring this year and they have amassed 26 goals, but Monaghan’s defence has been in good form; keeping eight clean sheets, with goalkeeper Rory Beggan and full-backs Colin Walshe, Drew Wylie and Fintan Kelly in fine form, along with Dessie Mone. Darren and Kieran Hughes and Paul Finlay will be the focal points going forward, with McCarron picking up much of the scoring burden from McManus. Tyrone have threats up front in Seán Cavanagh, Darren McCurry and the O’Neills, as well as Mattie Donnelly and Peter Harte from deep.

A cracking game is in prospect, with a big crowd expected at St. Tiernach’s Park. Tickets are still available from www.tickets.ie and in local SuperValu and Centra shops.

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Colin Walshe (Vice-Capt.), Drew Wylie, Fintan Kelly; Dessie Mone, Vincent Corey, Kieran Duffy; Dick Clerkin, Darren Hughes; Paul Finlay, Pádraig Donaghy, Paudie McKenna; Dermot Malone, Kieran Hughes, Jack McCarron.

Subs: Gerard McCaffrey, Conor Boyle, Ryan Wylie, Karl O’Connell, Conor Galligan, Owen Lennon, Owen Duffy, Stephen Gollogly, Thomas Kerr, Christopher McGuinness, Conor McManus (Capt.)

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Aidan McCrory, Justin McMahon, Ronan McNamee; Ronan McNabb, Mattie Donnelly, Peter Harte; Colm Cavanagh, Conan Grugan; Martin Penrose, Seán Cavanagh (Capt.), Ciarán McGinley; Darren McCurry, Stephen O’Neill, Rónán O’Neill.

Subs: Michael O’Neill, Dermot Carlin, Kyle Coney, Mark Donnelly, Conor Gormley, Peter Hughes, Plunkett Kane, PJ Lavery, Connor McAliskey, Danny McBride, Shea McGuigan.

Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).

Ulster Under-21 Hurling Shield Semi-Final

Monaghan v Fermanagh, Wednesday, 7.30, Inniskeen

Monaghan take on Fermanagh in the Ulster Under-21 hurling shield semi-finals at Páirc Grattan on Wednesday evening.

Monaghan have competed well at minor level in recent years and will hope to step that up to U-21, especially if they can call on the likes of Tony Forde, Dónal Meegan, Niall Garland, Conor Boyle and Cathal McAnespie. Fermanagh will hope to have Daniel Teague and Ciarán Corrigan (who played big parts in their seniors’ run to the Lory Meagher Cup Final), as well as the likes of Conor McElroy and Matthew Martin.

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 1A

Blackhill v Toome, Saturday, 6.00, Castleblayney

Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 1A Replay

Killanny v Scotstown, Sunday, 7.30, Castleblayney

The JFC continues with a double-header of the two remaining first-round games in Castleblayney on Saturday evening.

Blackhill and Toome already have wins under their belt as they go head-to-head in the first game. Blackhill, who reached the final last year and took eventual Ulster JFC winners Emyvale to a replay, had a comfortable preliminary-round win over Killeevan, while Toome needed two games, plus extra-time, to get past Drumhowan. Toome have been vastly improved so far in 2014 and even though key players Gavin Flanagan, Liam McCooey and Jason Murphy didn’t start last Sunday, they still had enough in the tank, with that trio all coming on to see them over the line. Blackhill took advantage of their chance to overtake Toome in third place in the league when they cruised to victory against Killeevan last Sunday, but these sides have yet to meet this year.

Colin Woods, Ryan, Dónal and Ciarán Courtney and Dermot Daly are key players for Blackhill, while Flanagan, Gary Wilson, Liam and Stephen McCooey and Stephen Lambe are among the main men for Toome.

Second up is the replay between Killanny and Scotstown, who were inseparable the week before last.

Scotstown led the drawn game by ten points in the early stages of the second half, but Killanny came storming back, inspired by the introduction of veteran player-manager Andy Callan, and were minutes away from snatching victory. That game, following on from the league clash which Killanny won by a point, underlined how close these teams are despite the JFL table showing table-toppers Killanny seven places and 12 points ahead of Scotstown’s mainly youthful junior side.

Killanny will hope that Peter Dooley is fit to return to boost their scoring power, with Tiernan Duffy, Steven McMahon, Daryl Traynor, Conor Vernon and Callan also likely to lead their challenge. Seán Mohan, Micheál McCarville, Paul Sherlock and Elliott Maguire should be to the fore for Scotstown.

Round two of the Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship sees Castleblayney and Truagh attempt to build on winning starts when they play Clontibret and Carrickmacross respectively on Thursday. Clontibret are back in action on Monday against Inniskeen, who have got a walkover from Monaghan Harps for Thursday’s fixture.

Friday evening’s Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Championship O’Duffy Cup semi-final sees 2009-2012 four-in-a-row winners Castleblayney host last year’s runners-up Truagh, while the other clash sees Scotstown host defending champions Clontibret on Wednesday. The RFC Crawley Cup semi-finals are also down for decision on Wednesday, with league front-runners Aughnamullen and Donaghmoyne up against Carrickmacross and Éire Óg respectively.

There is also Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League action on Wednesday, with Monaghan Harps and Magheracloone at home to Truagh and Latton in Division 1A and Ballybay, Castleblayney and Cremartin taking on Tyholland, Emyvale and Drumhowan in Division 1B. Emyvale face Monaghan Harps in Division Three on Saturday, while Killanny make the long journey to Currin on Wednesday.

Two teams who suffered championship defeats last weekend will be seeking to return to winning ways when Éire Óg welcome Drumhowan to Smithborough for a Eurotech Junior Football League game on Friday.

The Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile action continues at pace over the next week. The Under-14 Football Championship Division Five Final between Scotstown and Carrickmacross and semi-finals in Divisions Two, Three and Four take centre stage on Thursday, with the Under-12 Football and Hurling Leagues continuing on Saturday and Monday respectively.