Barrett Sports Lighting Dr. McKenna Cup Section B

Monaghan v Cavan, Wednesday, 7.30, Inniskeen

Monaghan conclude their Dr. McKenna Cup campaign with the rescheduled local derby against Cavan under the lights of Páirc Grattan, Inniskeen. Monaghan are out of the running in Section B, while Cavan need to win to have any chance of squeezing through to the semi-finals. Monaghan have lost their two games so far against Queen’s University and Derry, while Cavan beat Queen’s after narrowly losing to Derry. This game was due to have been played last Wednesday, but it was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Although, he has used the McKenna Cup to try out a number of new players, Eamon McEneaney will still be looking to get a first win of his second term as Monaghan manager in the run-up to the National League opener against Galway on February 6. McEneaney has handed competitive debuts to ten players in the QUB and Derry games – Mark Keogh, Stephen Driver, Darren Duffy, James Turley, Keith Hill, James O’Hara, Colin Woods, Ted Duffy, Pat Kieran and Darren Connolly. Dublin native Val Andrews has returned to Cavan, this time with the assistance of former Breffni Under-21 manager Terry Hyland. Seánie Johnston, Ronan Flanagan, James Reilly, Ger Pierson and Michael Brennan are among the more experienced members of the Cavan panel.

With a long list of absentees for a variety of reasons, including injuries and college commitments, Dick Clerkin and Paul Finlay are the only two of last year’s starting 15 from the Ulster final, so Monaghan will be looking to them to lead the way.