A packed weekend of important games lies ahead for Monaghan’s county teams, with the senior footballers and minor footballers and hurlers all playing finals and the ladies footballers bidding to book their place in another final.

Allianz National Football League Division Three Final

Monaghan v Meath, Saturday, 7.00, Croke Park

Monaghan’s senior footballers’ reward for securing promotion back to Division Two of the NFL is a trip to Croke Park to take on Meath in the Division Three Final on Saturday evening.

Wins over Meath, Sligo, Fermanagh, Wicklow and Antrim, cancelling out defeats against Cavan and Roscommon, gave Monaghan top spot in the group ahead of the Royals on head-to-head records. Meath fell to heavy defeats against Monaghan and Cavan, either side of a win over Wicklow, in their first three games, but four straight victories against Sligo, Antrim, Roscommon and Fermanagh turned their season around.

Monaghan are in their second final of Malachy O’Rourke’s first year in charge – having lost to Tyrone in the Dr. McKenna Cup in January – and they will be determined to make the most of this opportunity and go into the championship on a positive note.

Monaghan will be looking for big performances from their experienced campaigners like Conor McManus, Owen Lennon, Darren Hughes, Dick Clerkin, Colin Walshe and Dessie Mone (if fit), while Meath will need Mickey Newman, Graham and Kevin Reilly, Stephen Bray and Donal Keogan on form.

Saturday, of course, sees Monaghan return to the scene of their last successful final at senior level, when they pipped Meath in a dramatic NFL Division Two decider back in 2005. They will hope that history will repeat itself and they can end an eight-year wait for silverware.

Ladies National Football League Division One Semi-Final

Monaghan v Mayo, Sunday, Ballinamore, 2.00

Monaghan’s senior ladies will attempt to move to within one win of retaining the NFL Division One when they take on Mayo in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, in Sunday’s semi-final.

Monaghan’s defence of the title has been flawless to date, as they have won all seven games by an impressive average of more than 12 points. They started off on a positive by beating All-Ireland champions Cork and carried that form throughout the campaign with wins over Dublin, Meath, Donegal, Laois, Mayo and Tyrone, who they put to the sword in the final round. Mayo won four of their games – against Dublin, Meath, Tyrone and Donegal – to finish fourth in the table, although they lost to Cork, Laois and Monaghan. These teams also clashed in the All-Ireland quarter-finals last year when Monaghan also ran out convincing winners.

Ciara McAnespie and Caoimhe Mohan have been in prolific form for Monaghan, who will also be looking for big performances from the likes of Sharon Courtney, Christina Reilly, Therese and Gráinne McNally and Aoife McAnespie. Gregory McGonigle’s side have also been boosted by the return from injury of Cathriona McConnell and the return to training of Amanda Casey after her honeymoon (although this game may come too soon for the Donaghmoyne midfielder), but Ellen McCarron and Laura McEnaney are injury doubts. Mayo are still dependent for scores on star forward Cora Staunton, but Fiona McHale, Deirdre Doherty, Martha Carter and Claire Egan are other key players.

If Monaghan can continue their recent impressive form, they should do enough to return to the league final.

Ulster Minor Hurling Shield Final

Monaghan v Donegal, Friday, 7.30, Garvaghey

Monaghan’s minor hurlers will attempt to complete another Ulster double when they take on Donegal in the shield final at the Tyrone training grounds on Friday evening.

Having beaten Cavan to retain the Ulster MHL Division Two title, Monaghan are now one game away from possibly taking a fourth trophy in two years after once again getting the better of the Breffni blues in last Friday’s shield semi-final. Arthur Hughes and his team face their biggest test to date on Friday, as Donegal competed in Division One of the Ulster league and although they lost to Armagh, Antrim and Down, they will have benefited from playing a higher standard of opposition.

Dónal Meegan and Tony Forde have provided Monaghan’s main scoring threat, so their contributions will go a long way towards deciding whether Arthur Hughes and his team can bring home more silverware, as will Conor Boyle, Cathal McAnespie and Aodh and Ronan Curran. A more complete performance will be needed to get the better of Donegal.

Ulster Minor Football League Final

Monaghan v Donegal, Saturday, 12.00, Enniskillen

Monaghan’s minor footballers will also attempt to win provincial honours when they take on Donegal at Brewster Park in the Ulster MFL Final.

Monaghan recovered from an opening-round loss to Down to beat Armagh and Cavan and finish second in Group A, booking their place in a second semi-final in a row, where they produced an impressive performance to defeat Group B winners Tyrone. Donegal edged into second place in a competitive Group B ahead of Fermanagh and Antrim on score-difference. They lost their first two games against Fermanagh and Tyrone, but have won their last three against Derry, Antrim and Down; the latter in a closely-contested semi-final last Saturday.

Monaghan have plenty of firepower up front in the likes of Conor McCarthy, Fearghal McMahon, Adam Treanor, Dónal Meegan and Ryan McAnespie, but they will need to compete better at midfield, where Kevin Loughran could come into the reckoning alongside David McAlister and Micheál McCarville after his successful move from full-back for the closing stages of the Tyrone match. Donegal’s star players include Darrach O’Connor, who scored 1-3 last Saturday, Eamon McGrath, Conor O’Donnell, Cian Mulligan and Lorcan O’Connor.

Monaghan will need to repeat their performance that saw them past Tyrone, but if they can manage that, they could well be celebrating a rare MFL success.

There is a limited programme of club games over the weekend, owing to the rescheduling of senior football matches to Wednesday, but there is still plenty going on over the course of the week.

The Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling League begins on Thursday. Defending champions Castleblayney are away to Clontibret, while there are local derbies between Carrickmacross and Inniskeen and Truagh and Monaghan Harps. In the Silver Hill Foods Minor Hurling League on Sunday, Carrickmacross play Cootehill and Clontibret face Truagh Harps.

The joint-leaders of the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football League Division 1A, Cremartin and Truagh, clash on Sunday. Inniskeen have a busy weekend in Division 2A with away games against Emyvale in Friday and Killeevan on Sunday, while Seán McDermotts host Castleblayney in Division 2B on Friday.

The McElvaney Recycling Under-21 Football Leagues continue over the weekend. Truagh are at home to Clontibret in Division One on Friday, while Scotstown face St. Patrick’s on Sunday. Friday’s Division Two games see Carrickmacross and Donaghmoyne host Monaghan Harps and Magheracloone, with Donaghmoyne and Magheracloone out again on Sunday against Aughnamullen and Killanny respectively.

It’s top versus bottom in the GRM Minor Football League Division One on Tuesday when early pace-setters Carrickmacross make the short trip to Magheracloone, while there are also local clashes between Emyvale and Scotstown and Truagh and Monaghan Harps. MFL Division Two leaders Donaghmoyne, St. Patrick’s and Cúchulains Sarsfields are away to Cremartin, Clontibret and Killanny respectively, while Seán McDermotts have home advantage against Latton. Division Three leaders St. Tiarnach’s travel to Corduff, while Killeevan meet Inniskeen and Emerald Sarsfields challenge neighbours Castleblayney.

Wednesday is a busy evening, with games in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior Football Leagues.

Scotstown will attempt to stretch their winning run in the Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League to five games when they travel to Magheracloone (who are just a point behind in second), while the other two teams in the top four also go head-to-head when Ballybay host Monaghan Harps. Elsewhere, Carrickmacross and Doohamlet will both be chasing their first points when they meet in Carrick, while the other teams yet to get off the mark – Latton and Rockcorry – are away to Clontibret and Castleblayney respectively.

Two of the four teams who share first place in the Monaghan Electrical Intermediate Football League in Currin and Donaghmoyne cross swords on Wednesday, while Truagh host fellow north-Monaghan side Tyholland and Corduff go to Cremartin. The other games see Aughnamullen and Drumhowan host Clones and Inniskeen respectively.

The Eurotech Junior Football League continues with a game between Blackhill and Killanny on Friday and a full round on Wednesday, when Blackhill and Killanny are back in action away to Aghabog and Oram respectively. There is also a local derby between Emyvale and Éire Óg, while Killeevan entertain Scotstown and Seán McDermotts make the trip to Toome.

Action in the Gerry’s Prepared Veg. juvenile competitions is dominated by Under-12 and Under-14 games, including an Under-14 Football Championship Division One semi-final replay between Emyvale and Killanny on Thursday and the Under-14 Hurling Championship Final between Castleblayney and Monaghan Harps on Monday.