Monaghan’s Ulster SFC clash with Down is the centre of attention this weekend.
Ulster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final
Monaghan v Down, Sunday, 2.00, Clones
Monaghan start their defence of the Ulster SFC title when they take on Down at St. Tiarnach’s Park on Sunday.
Monaghan have won the Anglo-Celt Cup in two of the last three years, but will need no reminders of what happened when they last met Down in the championship, as the Mourne County came from nine points down to stun Monaghan in the 2012 semi-finals. Down go into this one on the back of a tough Allianz National Football League campaign that ended in relegation from Division One, while Monaghan’s fate went down to the last minute of the last game against Donegal, when a late point from Colin Walshe secured their top-flight status.
Malachy O’Rourke has named a Monaghan team showing two changes from their last competitive game against Donegal, with Shane Carey and Owen Duffy in for Fintan Kelly and Daniel McKenna. An experienced team should be led by the likes of Conor McManus, Darren and Kieran Hughes and a stellar full-back line of Colin Walshe and Drew and Ryan Wylie. Down will be looking for big performances from Dónal O’Hare, Mark Poland, Conor Maginn, Darragh O’Hanlon, Aidan Carr and Kevin McKernan (if Éamonn Burns’ captain has recovered from injury in time to take up a starting place).
Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Colin Walshe, Drew Wylie, Ryan Wylie; Dessie Mone, Vincent Corey, Karl O’Connell; Neil McAdam, Kieran Hughes; Shane Carey, Dermot Malone, Ryan McAnespie; Owen Duffy, Darren Hughes, Conor McManus (Capt.).
Subs: Conor Forde, Conor Boyle, Fintan Kelly, Kieran Duffy, Dick Clerkin, Paul Finlay, Stephen Gollogly, Thomas Kerr, Conor McCarthy, Daniel McKenna, Jack McCarron.
Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Championship Crawley Cup Final
Blackhill v Seán McDermotts, Saturday, 7.00, Rockcorry
The RFC Crawley Cup Final takes place on Saturday evening, with Blackhill up against Seán McDermotts.
Blackhill have beaten Doohamlet and Drumhowan to reach this final, while Seán McDermotts saw off Tyholland. The Seáns have won all five league games so far to sit top of the RFL Division Two table, four points ahead of Blackhill, who fell to an eight-point defeat when they travelled to Threemilehouse ten days ago.
Niall Donnelly, Paul and Jason Finnegan and Thomas Geehan could play key roles for Blackhill, with Niall Kearns, Adam O’Driscoll, James McAleer and Philip Farrell big players for the Seáns.
The Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Championship O’Duffy Cup semi-finals are down for decision on Saturday, with Donaghmoyne at home to Latton and Truagh hosting Monaghan Harps.
There are Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division 1B games between Ballybay and Cremartin and Castleblayney and Aughnamullen on Saturday, while in Division Three, Inniskeen face Clones. Division Three continues on Tuesday with Truagh v Oram and on Wednesday with Aghabog v Killeevan and Monaghan Harps v Carrickmacross.
The Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League continues on Thursday with a derby between leaders Donaghmoyne and Inniskeen.
Truagh will attempt to build on their Silver Hill Foods Development Hurling League success when they travel to Carrickmacross in the Senior League on Thursday, while Monaghan Harps are at home to Craobh Rua.
Following a third consecutive win in the Celtic Challenge Group E away to the previously-unbeaten Sligo on Wednesday evening, Monaghan’s Under-17 hurlers take on Derry in the Division Three preliminary round at Garvaghey on Saturday at 2.30.
In the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile football competitions, there are games in the Under-14 and Under-12 Football Leagues this week, while there are Silver Hill Foods U-14 Hurling League semi-finals down for decision on Monday evening.
By cshalvey Sat 4th Jun
