All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifiers Round Two

Laois v Monaghan, Sunday, 3.00, Portlaoise

 

Monaghan will try to get their SFC campaign back on track when they travel to Portlaoise on Sunday.

After beating Antrim in the Ulster first round, Monaghan had a provincial final place in their sights when they led Down by nine points at one stage coming up to half-time of their semi-final, but the game turned on its head in the second half and Eamon McEneaney’s side were pipped at the post. Meanwhile, Laois, who were relegated from Division One of the National Football League, lost narrowly to Longford, before edging past Carlow in the first round of the qualifiers.

Monaghan will be looking for big performances from their full-forwards Paul Finlay, Conor McManus and Tommy Freeman, who are all fit and available for one of the first times in the last few years, as well as Darren Hughes, who moves to centre-forward; midfielders Owen Lennon and Dick Clerkin and in-form defenders Colin Walshe and Dessie Mone. The team shows two personnel changes from the Down match, with Kieran Duffy and Freeman coming in for Stephen Gollogly and Kieran Hughes.

Laois are a big, physical side, with the likes of Colm Begley, Kevin Meaney, Brendan Quigley, John O’Loughlin and Pádraig Clancy making up a very strong spine of the team. MJ Tierney and Paul Cahillane were left on the bench for the Carlow match, but both contributed on the scoreboard after coming on and they will be pushing for places for Sunday’s match, while the experienced Ross Munnelly is still the main man in the Laois attack. A close game is on the cards, which will need a 70-minute performance from Monaghan to book their place in the third round.

 

Monaghan team (v Laois): M Keogh; D Wylie, V Corey, C Walshe; K O’Connell, D Mone, K Duffy; O Lennon, D Clerkin; P Dooney, Darren Hughes (Capt.), J Turley; P Finlay, C McManus, T Freeman.

 

Monaghan SFC scorers 2012:

 

Conor McManus 0-7 (5f)

Paul Finlay 0-6 (4f)

Tommy Freeman 1-2

Karl O’Connell 1-0

Dick Clerkin 0-3

Kieran Hughes (1f), Darren Hughes (1f, 1 ’45) 0-2 each

Pete Dooney, Dessie Mone, Owen Lennon 0-1 each

 

 

Ulster Ladies Senior Football Championship Final

Monaghan v Donegal, Sunday, 2.45, Clones

 

Monaghan will attempt to win the Ulster SFC title for the third year in a row when they take on Donegal in the final at St. Tiernach’s Park on Sunday.

With the pre-season O’Dowd Cup and the National Football League Division One already in the trophy cabinet for this year, Monaghan will be determined to keep their winning run going on Sunday, having eased past Tyrone in their championship opener. Donegal won just one of their seven games in Division One of the league, but they also saw off Tyrone to reach this stage.

Monaghan have plenty of firepower up front in the likes of Cathriona McConnell, Caoimhe Mohan, Ellen McCarron, Ciara McAnespie and Niamh Kindlon, while Laura McEnaney has also emerged as an attacking threat. Captain Sharon Courtney anchors the defence, with the help of Gráinne and Therese McNally, Christina Reilly and Aoife McAnespie, while Amanda Casey is the leader in the middle of the field. Donegal are dependent on star player Geraldine McLaughlin to lead their scoring, but Róisín Curran, Gráinne Houston and Róisín Friel will also take watching.

Monaghan are strong favourites to not only retain the provincial crown, but also take a further step on their All-Ireland tilt and they should be too strong in this one.

 

Monaghan senior ladies competitive scorers 2012:

 

Cathriona McConnell 4-25

Caoimhe Mohan 5-14

Ellen McCarron 2-15

Ciara McAnespie 3-11

Niamh Kindlon 0-18

Laura McEnaney 0-6

Natasha Mohan, Therese McNally 0-3 each

Aoife McAnespie, Isabel Kieran 0-2 each

Amanda Casey, Sharon Courtney, Cora Courtney, Eileen McKenna, Gráinne McNally 0-1 each