Ulster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final
Cavan v Monaghan, Saturday, 7.00, Kingspan Breffni
Monaghan enter the Ulster SFC with a derby away to Cavan on Saturday evening.
Both counties enter the championship in the wake of a challenging spring in Division One of the Allianz NFL, where Monaghan just managed to avoid the fate of their neighbours, who dropped to the second tier. Mickey Graham can report a clean bill of health for his panel for his first SFC game in charge of Cavan, with Gearóid McKiernan, Killian Clarke, Dara McVeety, Conor Moynagh and Martin Reilly among those expected to play key roles.
Monaghan have managed a string of narrow wins in this fixture over recent years, but they enter this championship without a few seasoned campaigners due to injury. Malachy O’Rourke has named Stephen O’Hanlon for his SFC debut in a team showing five changes from the last league game against Mayo.
Cavan: Raymond Galligan; Jason McLoughlin, Pádraig Faulkner, Conor Moynagh; Gerard Smith, Killian Clarke, Conor Rehill; Conor Brady, Gearóid McKiernan; Martin Reilly, Dara McVeety, Niall Murray; Oisín Kiernan, Thomas Galligan, Conor Madden.
Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Drew Wylie, Conor Boyle, Ryan Wylie; Karl O’Connell, Colin Walshe (Capt.), Kieran Duffy; Fintan Kelly, Kieran Hughes; Dessie Ward, Dermot Malone, Shane Carey; Ryan McAnespie, Conor McManus, Stephen O’Hanlon.
Subs: Conor Forde, Dessie Mone, James Mealiff, Vincent Corey, Niall Kearns, Gavin Doogan, Paudie McKenna, Owen Duffy, Conor McCarthy, Barry McGinn, Micheál Bannigan.
Nicky Rackard Cup Group 1 Round 2
Monaghan v Longford, Saturday, 3.00, Inniskeen
Monaghan will hope to get off the mark in the Nicky Rackard Cup when they face Longford in Inniskeen on Saturday.
Both teams will have taken positives from their performances last Saturday, when Monaghan fell just short in Armagh and Allianz NHL Division 3B winners Longford were pipped by Warwickshire. Monaghan won this fixture last year en route to a semi-final appearance.
Monaghan will be looking to Fergal Rafter, Mark and Peter Treanor and Taidhg Campbell to lead the way, with David Buckley, Cathal Mullane, Paddy Corcoran and John Mulhern key men for Longford.
Having started their Development League campaign in Group 2 of the Leo Murphy Cup with a narrow defeat against Armagh, Monaghan’s U-20 footballers welcome Down to Inniskeen on Wednesday night.
By cshalvey Sat 18th May
