Monaghan’s senior men and women and Under-21s are all in action again this weekend.
Allianz National Football League Division One
Monaghan v Cork, Sunday, 2.00, Castleblayney
Allianz National Football League action returns to Castleblayney this Sunday after an absence of almost nine years when Cork return to the scene of their crucial 2006 win.
Monaghan were relegated after losing that final-round game in ’06, but confidence was raised that they can avoid a similar fate this time by last Saturday evening’s impressive win over Tyrone in Omagh. Cork, who fell to a shock defeat against Waterford in Munster’s McGrath Cup semi-finals, also made a statement in their league opener by beating holders Dublin. These teams have met a number of times in the top two divisions of the league in recent years, with Cork winning the last of those – a top-flight encounter at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 2011.
Monaghan have named an unchanged team from the win over Tyrone, with Conor McManus, Paul Finlay and Vincent Corey again providing lots of experience on the subs bench. Cork have made one change from the team that beat Dublin, as Paul Kerrigan (who impressed on his introduction last Sunday) gets a start in place of Dónal Óg Hodnett.
A competitive game beckons, bringing back memories of many big occasions at the mid-Monaghan venue, which has undergone extensive redevelopment in the last couple of years. See https://www.monaghangaa.ie/2015/02/castleblayney-parking/ for travel and parking details for Sunday’s game.
Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Conor Boyle, Drew Wylie, Ryan Wylie; Dessie Mone, Fintan Kelly, Kieran Duffy; Neil McAdam, Dick Clerkin; Darren Hughes, Stephen Gollogly, Ryan McAnespie; Dermot Malone, Daniel McKenna, Kieran Hughes.
Subs: Enda Duffy, John McCarron, Paddy McGuigan, Karl O’Connell, Vincent Corey, Paul Finlay, Conor McManus, Pádraig Donaghy, Owen Duffy, Brendan McElroy, Paul Meegan.
Cork: Ken O’Halloran; Tomás Clancy (Fermoy), Tom Clancy (Clonakilty), James Loughrey; Conor Dorman, Eoin Cadogan, Brian O’Driscoll; Fintan Goold, Ian Maguire; Mark Collins, Donncha O’Connor, Colm O’Driscoll; Colm O’Neill, Paul Kerrigan, Brian Hurley.
Subs: Michael Martin, Jamie O’Sullivan, Daniel Hazel, Stephen O’Donoghue, Michael Cussen, Dónal Óg Hodnett, Luke Connolly, John Hayes, John O’Rourke, Barry O’Driscoll, Kevin O’Driscoll.
Shamrock Cup Round Two
Tyrone v Monaghan, Friday, 8.15, Garvaghey * Note change of venue
Monaghan and Tyrone will both attempt to build on winning starts to the Shamrock Cup when they go head-to-head on Friday night – note the switch of this game to Tyrone’s Training Centre at Garvaghey.
Monaghan, who got to a shield semi-final in the Hastings Cup, began the Cremartin-run tournament with a comfortable win over Louth last Sunday, while Tyrone’s first competitive U-21 fixture of 2015 saw them hammer Antrim on Friday.
County seniors Ryan McAnespie and Ryan Wylie will again be absent for Monaghan, with Conor McCarthy, Alan McCahey, Pádraic Keenan and ever-present duo Kevin Loughran and Fergal Malone set to play key roles. Ruairí McGlone, Ruairí Sludden and Mark Kavanagh are among the main men for Tyrone.
Ladies National Football League Division One
Monaghan v Tyrone, Friday, 7.30, Emyvale
Monaghan’s senior ladies will hope to bounce back from a disappointing start to the league in Friday night’s derby with Tyrone in Emyvale.
Monaghan fell to a heavy defeat away to Dublin last Sunday, but they will be aiming to put that behind them in their first competitive home game under Peter Clarke against a Tyrone team who lost to Kerry in their opener.
Monaghan will be looking to the likes of Cora and Sharon Courtney, Caoimhe Mohan, Ciara and Aoife McAnespie, Cathriona McConnell and Gráinne McNally to help get them off the mark.
Our Lady’s Secondary School, Castleblayney will bid to join fellow Monaghan side Patrician High School, Carrickmacross in the Danske Bank Ulster Colleges MacLarnon Cup semi-finals when they take on St. Ciarán’s, Ballygawley in Emyvale on Saturday.
By cshalvey Fri 6th Feb
