All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Dublin v Monaghan, Saturday, 6.00, Croke Park

 

Monaghan‘s fourth All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final appearance in five years pits them against holders Dublin at Croke Park on Saturday.

Monaghan have five championship wins to their name this summer from six games. Malachy O’Rourke’s side saw off Fermanagh and Cavan in Ulster and although they fell to Down at the semi-final stage, they have regrouped through qualifier wins over Wexford, Carlow and the Mourne County; the last of those coming at GAA Headquarters last Saturday. Dublin, who defeated Monaghan at this stage in 2014, won a seventh consecutive Leinster title via victories against Carlow, Westmeath and Kildare. They are chasing a hat-trick of All-Irelands and a fourth Sam Maguire Cup success in five years. Monaghan have competed well with the Dubs in recent league games, most recently a thriller in Clones this April, but they have yet to get over the line.

Malachy O’Rourke has named an unchanged 26-man panel for Monaghan, who will be looking for big performances from the likes of Conor McManus, Kieran and Darren Hughes, Drew and Ryan Wylie and Colin Walshe and Jack McCarron. Jim Gavin has made one personnel change to his Dublin team, with Jonny Cooper returning from injury to replace Niall Scully, while Jack McCaffrey is named at wing-forward in one of a few positional switches. Con O’Callaghan, Ciarán Kilkenny and Paul Mannion have been showing well for Dublin, while Cian O’Sullivan, Brian Fenton and James McCarthy man central positions, as does goalkeeper and captain Stephen Cluxton, who is set to break the record for SFC appearances.

The game is followed by an all-Ulster All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final between Armagh and Tyrone at 4pm, with a capacity crowd expected.

 

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Fintan Kelly, Drew Wylie, Ryan Wylie; Colin Walshe (Capt.), Kieran Duffy, Karl O’Connell; Kieran Hughes, Darren Hughes; Gavin Doogan, Dermot Malone, Shane Carey; Ryan McAnespie, Darren Freeman, Conor McManus.

Subs: Conor Forde, Neil McAdam, James Mealiff, Brian Greenan, Vincent Corey, Dessie Mone, Dessie Ward, Owen Duffy, Thomas Kerr, Conor McCarthy, Jack McCarron.

 

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton (Capt.); Philly McMahon, Cian O’Sullivan; Michael Fitzsimons; Jonny Cooper, John Small, Eric Lowndes; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Ciarán Kilkenny, Con O’Callaghan, Jack McCaffrey; Paul Mannion, Paddy Andrews, Dean Rock.

 

TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship Qualifiers Round 3

Cork v Monaghan, Monday, 3.15, Tullamore

 

Monaghan’s ladies footballers put their All-Ireland SFC hopes on the line against holders Cork in Tullamore on Monday.

Cork are chasing an amazing seventh consecutive All-Ireland title and a 12^th in 13 years, but they are in the unfamiliar territory of the qualifier route after losing twice in the Munster series to miss out on the provincial final for the first time since 2004. It’s just three months since they lifted yet more national silverware, however, via a thrilling league final win over Donegal, who went on to dethrone Monaghan in last month’s Ulster decider.

Cork can still call on the likes of Orla Finn, Niamh Cotter, Áine O’Sullivan, Eimear Scally and Annie Walsh. Monaghan will need Ellen McCarron, Ciara and Aoife McAnespie, Caoimhe Mohan, Laura McEnaney, Sharon and Cora Courtney and Gráinne McNally on form.