Allianz National Hurling League Division 3A
Donegal v Monaghan, Sunday, 2.00, Letterkenny
Monaghan’s hurlers will bid to maintain their 100% record in the NHL when they travel to Letterkenny on Sunday.
After completing back-to-back narrow wins over Louth in another close encounter at Inniskeen, Monaghan will be aiming for a fifth consecutive victory when they face nearest challengers Donegal. One of Monaghan’s wins came in a thriller in Castleblayney last month, when they reversed their recent woes against Donegal by the narrowest of margins. Monaghan are aiming to qualify for this final for a third consecutive year, while Donegal are bidding to make a quick return to Division 2B.
Peter Treanor, Dónal and Colm Meegan, Tadhg Campbell and Fergal Rafter should be to the fore for Monaghan, with Trevor Hilliard hoping to have several players available to return to the team. Donegal will be looking for big performances from new recruits Davin Flynn and Declan Coulter, as well as established players like Danny Cullen, Lee Henderson and Ronan McDermott.
EirGrid Ulster Under-21 Football Championship Quarter-Final
Monaghan v Derry, Wednesday, 8.00, Inniskeen
Monaghan’s Under-21 footballers continue their Ulster title defence against Derry on Wednesday night at Páirc Grattan.
Monaghan go into this game on the back of a hard-earned preliminary-round win over Antrim last week. Ciarán McBride’s team won their first Ulster U-21 title since 1999 last year and they started 2017 by winning the Shamrock Cup. Monaghan beat Derry in the final of the Cremartin-run tournament, having also beaten an understrength side rom their provincial quarter-final opponents in the group stage, but they face another stern test on Wednesday.
A cruciate-ligament injury has ruled out prolific forward Barry McGinn, while James Wilson has MacLarnon Cup Final duty on St. Patrick’s Day, but Monaghan can call on the likes of James Mealiff, David Garland, Micheál Bannigan available, Mikey Murnaghan, David McAlister, Stephen Finnegan and Niall Kearns. Despite the unavailability of their Slaughtneil contingent, Derry have up to a dozen county senior panellists, including Ben McKinless, Niall Keenan, Oisín Duffin, Danny Tallon, Peter Hagan, Barry Grant and Conor McGrogan.
The fixtures continue in the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Leagues this Sunday, with the top three divisions getting underway.
Scotstown start their defence of the RFL Division 1A title with a local derby at home to Monaghan Harps, while last year’s O’Duffy Cup winner Truagh face Latton and newly-promoted Donaghmoyne travel to Clontibret. Cremartin and Emyvale host Aughnamullen and Castleblayney respectively in Division 1B, while the Division 2A fixtures are Doohamlet v Ballybay, Drumhowan v Seán McDermotts and Tyholland v Killanny. In Division 2B, it’s Clones v Carrickmacross and Rockcorry v Aghabog, with the only Division Three game seeing Oram go to Killeevan.
The 2017 Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions begin this Saturday with full rounds in all five divisions of the Under-14 Football League.
By cshalvey Fri 10th Mar
