TG4 Ulster Ladies Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

Monaghan v Down, Saturday, 7.30, Armagh

Monaghan’s ladies will be looking to book their place in another Ulster SFC Final when they take on Down at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh on Saturday evening.

Monaghan launched their defence of the title with a comprehensive win over Armagh and they will go into this game as clear favourites against a Down team that got a bye through the first round.

Ciara and Aoife McAnespie, Amanda Casey, Therese McNally, Sharon Courtney and Ellen McCarron are key players for Monaghan, particularly after sharp-shooter Cathriona McConnell’s departure for the summer to America. Down will need big performances from Aileen Pyers, Orla and Sinéad Fegan and Niamh McGowan if they are to have a chance of causing an upset.

With the county senior footballers’ qualifier match against Offaly a week away on Saturday, this weekend’s domestic action is restricted to the Gerry’s Takeaway Junior Football League, the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Leagues and the quarter-finals of the Platinum Tanks Crawley Cup.

In the JFL, leaders Cremartin have a home game against Oram on Friday, while Toome host Aghabog on Saturday. In Sunday’s games, there are local derbies between Clones and Killeevan and Oram and Blackhill, with Emyvale making the long trip to Killanny.

The O’Duffy Cup quarter-finals take centre stage on Wednesday evening. Defending champions Castleblayney are away to RFL Division One table-toppers Clontibret, while Magheracloone, Monaghan Harps and Truagh have home advantage against Drumhowan, Latton and Cremartin respectively.

In hurling, there is a full round of games in the Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling League this evening (Thursday) when Carrickmacross host Monaghan Harps, Castleblayney take on Inniskeen and Truagh face Clontibret, while Truagh will be hoping to secure first place in the Reserve Hurling League when they play Castleblayney on Saturday.