Eirgrid Ulster Under-21 Football Championship Quarter-Final
Monaghan v Fermanagh, Wednesday, 8.00, Inniskeen
Monaghan put their Ulster U-21 FC hopes on the line when they host Fermanagh under the lights of Páirc Grattan on Wednesday night.
Monaghan haven’t won this title since 1999, but hopes are high that a team backboned by the 2013 Ulster MFC winners can change the county’s fortunes at U-21 level. Monaghan reached the final of the Shamrock Cup, where they lost to Tyrone, while Fermanagh got to the final of the North West U-21 Shield, which saw them edged out by Sligo.
Conor McCarthy, Ryan McAnespie and Barry McGinn have been featuring in the Allianz NFL for Monaghan, who will also be looking for big performances from Kevin Loughran, Fearghal McMahon and Dessie Ward. Cian McManus, who captained St. Patrick’s College, Cavan to win the MacRory Cup last year, should lead Fermanagh’s challenge, along with the likes of Eoin McManus, Danny Leonard and Seán Keenan.
Danske Bank Ulster Colleges MacLarnon Cup Final
Patrician High School, Carrickmacross v Holy Trinity College, Cookstown, Thursday, 11.00, Athletic Grounds
A year after losing the MacLarnon Cup Final, Patrician High School to fellow Monaghan school Our Lady’s, Castleblayney, Patrician High School, Carrickmacross return to the decider in Armagh on St. Patrick’s Day.
Patrician have seen off St. Mary’s CBS, Belfast and St. Louis, Ballymena in the knock-out stages, while Holy Trinity have accounted for Our Lady’s and St. Columb’s, Derry (the latter after extra-time in a game where the Tyrone school battled back from six points down going into the final quarter).
Patrician, who last won the Senior B title on consecutive occasions in 1997 and 1998, are spearheaded by a combination of returning players from last year’s side and others promoted from their Rannafast Cup-winning team. David Garland, Allan Kieran, Ronan McDonald and Fergal Hanratty are among the main men for the High School. Holy Trinity have a Tyrone Under-21 star in David Mulgrew, while Conan McLernon, Tomás Carney and prolific goal-scorer Paul Donnelly have also played key roles.
The MacLarnon decider will be followed by the MacRory Cup Final between St. Patrick’s College, Maghera and St. Paul’s High School, Bessbrook.
By cshalvey Wed 16th Mar
