Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup Final

Monaghan v Tyrone, Saturday, 7.30, Armagh

Monaghan and Tyrone return to the Athletic Grounds in Armagh this Saturday evening for the Dr. McKenna Cup Final.

The teams both won at the same venue last Sunday, when Monaghan finished strongly to edge past Down and Tyrone rarely got out of third gear in their game against Fermanagh. Both counties also won all three of their group games, with Monaghan getting the better of St. Mary’s University, Donegal and Fermanagh and Tyrone proving too strong for Derry, Antrim and UUJ.

Malachy O’Rourke will be much more familiar with the abilities of the Monaghan panel after using 30 players in the four competitive outings to date. He has blooded a number of new players, but maintaining a strong spine featuring Darren Hughes, Conor McManus, Owen Lennon and Dick Clerkin. The team for Saturday shows five changes from the one that defeated Down. Two of those are enforced, with injuries to Drew Wylie and Owen Coyle making room for Fintan Kelly and Dessie Mone to come into the starting team, while Martin McElroy and Shane McQuillan return in place of Karl O’Connell and Neil McAdam and Paul Finlay replaces Pádraig Donaghy for his first start of 2013.

Mickey Harte has also been using a mixture of newcomers and more experienced players this month, with the likes of Stephen O’Neill, Seán Cavanagh, Peter Harte and Joe McMahon providing the leadership which has allowed Plunkett Kane, Conor McAlliskey and Darren McCurry to flourish. The three-time All-Ireland-winning manager has made eight changes to his team, with Niall Morgan, Barry Tierney, Ronan McNamee, Danny McBride, Tiernan McCann, Peter Harte and Matthew and Mark Donnelly replacing John Devine, Cathal McCarron, Conor Gormley, Ryan McKenna, Kevin Gallagher, Martin Penrose, Johnny Lafferty and Darren McCurry.

Monaghan have won this competition 13 times and they beat Tyrone in the final ten years ago for their last success, but the Red Hand County have won it five times since then, including 2006 when they beat Monaghan in the decider. Tyrone are also the defending champions.

This is sure to be another competitive match for both teams, with the start of the National Football League just a week away. Tyrone will go in as favourites, but Monaghan will be keen to spring a surprise and stretch their unbeaten run to five matches. The counties possess the joint top scorers in the McKenna Cup to date, as O’Neill and McManus have racked up 1-16 apiece and whoever comes out on top of that duel will be well placed to take home the cup.

Monaghan team (v Tyrone): Mark Keogh; Ronan McNally, Fintan Kelly, Kieran Duffy; Dessie Mone, Darren Hughes, Martin McElroy; Dick Clerkin, Owen Lennon; Owen Duffy, Paul Finlay, Shane McQuillan; Kieran Hughes, Conor McManus, Dermot Malone.

Subs: Rory Beggan, Karl O’Connell, Conor Galligan, Neil McAdam, Stephen Smyth, Paul McArdle, Pádraig Donaghy, Gavin Doogan, Owen Coyle.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Aidan McCrory, Conor Clarke, Barry Tierney; Ronan McNamee, Joe McMahon, Danny McBride; Plunkett Kane, Seán Cavanagh; Tiernan McCann, Peter Harte, Matthew Donnelly; Conor McAlliskey, Stephen O’Neill, Mark Donnelly.