Northern Bank Ulster Club Minor Football Championship Preliminary Round

Truagh v Glen Watty Grahams (Derry), Saturday, 1.30, St. Paul’s, Belfast

After winning their first-ever Minor Football Championship Division One title in October, Truagh take another step forward this Sunday when they take on Glen Watty Grahams from Maghera at the St. Paul’s grounds in west Belfast.

Truagh, who won the Minor Football League Division One in 2009 and 2010, had a tough path through to the county final, as they battled their way to one-point wins over Carrickmacross and Castleblayney. Defending champions Clontibret stood in the way in the decider, but Truagh produced an impressive performance to run out worthy winners by a three-point margin which, if anything, flattered Clontibret on the day.

Meanwhile, Glen started their Derry championship campaign with a convincing win over Kilrea and they followed it up beating Slaughtneil in the semi-finals, before ending a 24-year wait for a minor championship with a 1-12 to 0-6 defeat of Magherafelt.

Both clubs can call on players who have been playing for schools teams in the MacRory and Rannafast Cups in recent weeks and this may give the Derry side a psychological advantage, as St. Pat’s, Maghera have beaten St. Macartan’s, Monaghan in both competitions by a point.

Truagh’s preparations have been hit by a hand injury to their star player Pádraig McKenna, but the former handball world champion managed to play the full game for the Sem in the MacRory on Tuesday and he could still feature. The north-Monaghan men will need McKenna at the top of his game, along with Christopher McKenna, Christopher Curran, Adam Treanor and John and Christopher McAnenly, while Glen will be looking for big performances from Conor Convery, Oisín Hegarty, Ciarán McFaul, Danny Tallon, Emmet Bradley, Cathal Mulholland and Ryan Dougan.

Glen will go in as favourites, although Truagh have revelled in the underdogs’ tag so far this year and will be determined to cause another shock on Saturday and improve Monaghan’s underwhelming record – the county’s only success to date in the St. Paul’s-organised competition was Clontibret in 2002. St. Eunan’s from Letterkenny await the winners in the first round next Sunday (December 11).