Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup Section B

Fermanagh v Monaghan, Wednesday, 8.00, Enniskillen * Note change of time

Monaghan will attempt to qualify for the McKenna Cup semi-finals when they take on Fermanagh at Brewster Park on Wednesday night.

Monaghan bounced back from losing their opener against Derry with a comfortable win over St. Mary’s on Sunday, while Fermanagh are out of contention after losing to the Oak Leaf County and the Belfast teaching students.

Malachy O’Rourke has made five changes for this game. Cremartin goalkeeper Damien Lavelle follows Gerard McCaffrey in making his debut, while Conor Boyle comes in for his club-mate Dessie Mone in the half-back line and Shane Carey, Stephen Gollogly and Dermot Malone replace Thomas Kerr, Jack McCarron and Christopher McGuinness in attack.

Paul Finlay, Gollogly, Kieran Duffy and Gavin Doogan backbone an otherwise fairly inexperienced Monaghan side, while Séamus and Seán Quigley will be expected to do most of the scoring for a Fermanagh team which has begun life under Pete McGrath adopting a defensive formation. Eoin Donnelly, Conor Quigley, Ruairí Corrigan and Marty O’Brien are other key players for the Erne County.

Monaghan beat Fermanagh twice last year – in the McKenna Cup and the National League – and they will be optimistic of again seeing off their manager’s native county. A win would leave Monaghan in with a good chance of finishing as the best runners-up and taking the last place in the semi-finals.

Monaghan (v Fermanagh): Damien Lavelle; Fintan Kelly, Kieran Duffy, Ryan Wylie; Karl O’Connell, Conor Boyle, Conor Galligan; Gavin Doogan, Paul Finlay; Shane Carey, Stephen Gollogly, Pádraig Donaghy; Dermot Malone, Shane Smyth, Pádraic Keenan.

Subs: Gerard McCaffrey, Rory Beggan, Vincent Corey, Martin McElroy, Thomas Kerr, Christopher McGuinness, Jack McCarron, Paudie McKenna, Daniel McKenna, Dick Clerkin, Conor McManus.