It’s another weekend free of Allianz National Football League action, but there is still plenty on the agenda.

 

Allianz National Hurling League Division 3A

Roscommon v Monaghan, Sunday, 2.00, Woodmount * Note change of venue

 

Monaghan face a tricky away game against Roscommon in round two of the NHL Division 3A on Sunday.

Monaghan looked set for an opening win when they led by six points going into the last five minutes of their opener at home to Longford last Sunday, by which stage the visitors had been reduced to 13 men, but they let it slip and lost by a point after conceding a brace of late goals. Roscommon started their campaign with an away win against Louth.

Monaghan lost all five group games in 2013 before securing their Division 3A status with a late comeback in the relegation play-off against Tyrone, while Sunday’s opponents were relegated from Division 2B before reaching the Nicky Rackard Cup Final.

Veterans Mickey McHugh, Pauric Dowdall, Séamus Loftus and Deaglán Crowe are among Monaghan’s current absentees, along with Tadhg Campbell, who made a big impact after joining the panel last year, leaving it to Trevor Hilliard, Peter and Mark Treanor, Éanna Mac Suibhne, Seán Leonard and Hugh Byrne to lead their challenge. Roscommon’s main man is Gerry Fallon, who hit 14 points last week, while other key players include Ronan O’Meara, Cillian Egan, Shane Curley, Cathal Dolan and Niall Kilroy, who recently played at Croke Park for Fuerty footballers.

This game was due to have been played in Athleague, but has now been moved to the Pádraig Pearses club in Woodmount.

 

Ladies National Football League Division One

Monaghan v Dublin, Sunday, 2.45, Inniskeen

 

Two form teams in the ladies NFL Division One go head-to-head in Sunday’s rescheduled game between Monaghan and Dublin at Páirc Grattan.

This game was due to have opened the campaign but fell foul of the weather earlier this month and both teams have since enjoyed two good wins. Monaghan cruised to victory against Laois before toppling defending champions Cork last Sunday, while Dublin have seen off Kerry and Mayo.

Gregory McGonigle, who managed Monaghan for the last three years and reached two All-Ireland finals, is now with visitors Dublin, who have also been regular contenders in recent years without making the big breakthrough, while John Morrison has made a fine start to his tenure with the Ulster champions.

Monaghan are still short some key players, but the likes of Cathriona McConnell, Sharon Courtney, Ciara and Aoife McAnespie, Therese and Gráinne McNally and Caoimhe Mohan have been featuring. Dublin will be looking to Sinéad Aherne – who scored 1-7 last weekend – Lyndsey Davey, Siobhán Woods, Noelle Healy and Sarah McCaffrey (sister of men’s star Jack) to lead their challenge.

An entertaining game is on the cards in which Monaghan will be keen to continue their winning start to 2014.

 

Bank of Ireland Ulster Club Under-21 Football Championship Semi-Final

Truagh v Portglenone, Sunday, 2.15, Creggan

 

Truagh will attempt to become the first Monaghan club to reach an Ulster Under-21 Final when they return to Creggan to take on Antrim champions Portglenone on Sunday.

Truagh, who cruised to victory against Scotstown in the 2013 Monaghan Under-21 Division One Final, recovered from a slow start to defeat Armagh’s Cullyhanna last Sunday and are full of confidence with a spine made up of players who helped capture Ulster and All-Ireland IFC titles. The north-Monaghan men should again be able to call on seven senior players who featured at Croke Park earlier this month: namely Daniel, Paudie, Christopher and Seán McKenna, Adam Treanor, John McCarron and Eoghan Kelly and other senior panellists like MacRory players Shane Treanor, Niall Rooney and Christopher McAnenly.

Portglenone beat Derry side Slaughtneil in the quarter-finals and they will be backed by a big local support in their home county. The Roger Casements will be looking for big performances from the likes of Shane and Niall Delargy, free-taker John Cassidy, Dermot McAleese and goal-poacher Kieran McKenna.

No Monaghan representative has yet made it beyond the semi-final stage of this tournament, although Blackhill and Oram amalgamation Emerald Sarsfields gave eventual winners Bryansford a scare in 2013.

 

Danske Bank Ulster Colleges MacRory Cup Quarter-Final

St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan v St. Pat’s, Maghera, Friday, 7.30, Armagh

 

St. Macartan’s College continue their bid to end the Monaghan school’s long wait for a MacRory Cup victory when they take on defending champions St. Pat’s, Maghera in a rescheduled quarter-final on Friday night at the Athletic Grounds. This eagerly-anticipated game has already been postponed twice, so it will hopefully be third-time lucky.

The Sem impressed when winning the MacCormack Cup late last year, but this game is a new test; not only because it is knock-out football, but also in terms of opposition, with Maghera being among the front-runners again this season. St. Pat’s didn’t manage to qualify automatically from Section B but they eased past fellow Derry school St. Mary’s, Magherafelt last Wednesday. Whether that extra game – in contrast to the Sem’s lack of competitive fixtures since early December – is an advantage to Maghera will soon become apparent.

The Sem can call on several players who helped Monaghan win a first Ulster MFC title since 1945 last July and who now hope to reach another milestone by ending the Sem’s 58-year wait for a tenth MacRory Cup. Maghera didn’t win Ulster Colleges’ premier competition until 1977, but they have become a real powerhouse; winning it 13 times since, along with five Hogan Cups, the most recent of which came last year.

Like the successful Monaghan minors of 2013, the Sem’s main strength is in attack, where they have a star in Conor McCarthy, along with last year’s Cavan minor captain Tom Hayes, Aodh Curran, Michael O’Dowd, David McAlister, Daithí Colton and Christopher McAnenly. Francis Hughes is likely to again partner Niall Rooney at midfield, while the defence is backboned by Ulster minor-winning captain Kevin Loughran and his county team-mate Shane Treanor.

St. Pat’s feature several of the players who led their path to glory last year, some of whom have also enjoyed Ulster minor club dominance with Glen Watty Grahams. The much-talked-about Conor Glass is a key player at midfield, while Danny Tallon, Conor Convery and Paul McAtamney are threats up front, as is attacking half-back Cathal Mulholland, with Oisín Hegarty and Cormac O’Doherty reliable defenders.

 

Danske Bank Ulster Colleges O’Doherty Cup Semi-Final

Our Lady’s, Castleblayney v Holy Cross, Strabane, Friday, 12.30, Garvaghey

 

Also on Friday, Our Lady’s, Castleblayney go for a place in the senior colleges ‘C’ final when they take on Holy Cross, Strabane at the Tyrone training grounds.

Our Lady’s were knocked out of the ‘B’ MacLarnon Cup before Christmas, but they remained in the trophy hunt with a win over St. Patrick’s, Keady last Thursday. The Castleblayney school are the only team remaining in the O’Doherty Cup with an Ulster Colleges All-Star in Barry Kerr, who will be expected to spearhead their challenge along with Barry McGinn, Conor Marray, Jamie Walshe, Michael Bannigan and Damien Ward.

 

 

Danske Bank Ulster Colleges MacLarnon Cup Semi-Final

Patrician High School, Carrickmacross v Coláistí Inis Eoghain, Sunday, 3.30

 

Patrician High School also search for an Ulster Colleges senior final place when they contest Sunday’s ‘B’ MacLarnon Cup semi-final against Coláistí Inis Eoghain.

Patrician cruised past Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock in the quarter-finals and with Dónal Meegan returning from suspension to boost a forward line which also includes Alan McCahey, Dáire Rowe and Paudie Kirk, the Carrick school will be confident they can advance to the final, with Michael Metzger and Ronan McDonald other key men. Donegal side Coláistí Inis Eoghain, who won the MacLarnon blitz last October, will be depending on players such as Kevin McLaughlin (hat-trick hero in the quarter-final win over Downpatrick), John Campbell, Caolán McGonagle and Stephen O’Donnell.

 

Doohamlet are at home to Steelstown from Derry in the Quinn’s Corner Ulster Club Senior Football League Group A on Saturday, while Inniskeen travel to Tyrone side Aghaloo in the Ulster Club Intermediate Football League Group B on Sunday.

 

Elsewhere this weekend, a strong contingent of Monaghan players bid for glory in the Sigerson Cup finals weekend, featuring Colin Walshe, Kieran Hughes and Rory Beggan with UUJ and Ryan Wylie with UCD. There is also Monaghan representation in the Trench Cup (including Thomas Kerr with Letterkenny IT and ten players with Dundalk IT) and Corn na Mac Léinn at the Queen’s University grounds in Belfast.

Meanwhile, Conor McManus joins Walshe, Hughes and Beggan on the Ulster panel for the inter-provincial football championship final against Connacht in Tuam on Sunday.