All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final Group Stage Phase 3
Galway v Monaghan, Saturday, 6.00, Pearse Stadium
Monaghan’s final game in the new ‘Super 8s’ series sees them travel to Salthill to face Galway on Saturday with a semi-final place up for grabs.
Having beaten Tyrone in the Ulster quarter-finals, Monaghan then lost to Fermanagh, but they got their championship campaign back on track with comfortable qualifier wins over Waterford, Leitrim and Laois. Monaghan held off Kildare at Croke Park to start Group 1 on a positive and they were then held to a draw in a dramatic finish against Kerry last time out. Galway went seven games unbeaten – six wins and a draw with Dublin – through Division One of the Allianz NFL, before defeating Mayo, Sligo and Roscommon to win a second Connacht SFC title in three years. The Tribesmen are already through to the All-Ireland semi-finals after seeing off Kerry and Kildare.
These counties haven’t met in championship for all of 80 years, but Monaghan have already gone west to Galway this year, falling to a four-point league defeat. Malachy O’Rourke has announced a team showing two changes, with Dessie Mone and Owen Duffy named in place of Colin Walshe and Dermot Malone.
Galway have had Damien Comer, Shane Walsh, Seán Kelly, Thomas Flynn, Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh, Éamonn Brannigan and Ian Burke in form, although Paul Conroy is out injured. Monaghan will be looking for the likes of Conor McManus, Rory Beggan, Darren Hughes, Karl O’Connell, Fintan Kelly and Ryan McAnespie to lead the way, with Kieran Hughes and captain Colin Walshe among the subs.
Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Kieran Duffy, Drew Wylie (Vice-Capt.), Ryan Wylie; Dessie Mone, Vincent Corey, Karl O’Connell; Niall Kearns, Darren Hughes; Ryan McAnespie, Shane Carey, Owen Duffy; Conor McCarthy, Fintan Kelly, Conor McManus.
Subs: Conor Forde, Conor Boyle, Barry Kerr, Colin Walshe (Capt.), Neil McAdam, Kieran Hughes, Dessie Ward, Dermot Malone, Paudie McKenna, Jack McCarron, David Garland.
By cshalvey Fri 3rd Aug
