In a packed weekend, Monaghan’s senior men and women are in National League action, while the Under-21s continue their defence of the Shamrock Cup and Truagh head off to Croke Park to contest the All-Ireland Club IFC Final.

 

Allianz National Football League Division Three

Monaghan v Meath, Sunday, 2.00, Clones

 

Monaghan play their first home game of this year’s National League against Meath in Clones on Sunday.

Monaghan looked set to make a winning start to the league when they opened up a good lead against Down in Newry last Sunday, but they eventually had to settle for a draw. That followed a Dr. McKenna Cup campaign where an experimental Monaghan panel reached the semi-finals and lost to Cavan. Meath have started 2014 in flying form; racking up big scored in the O’Byrne Cup on their way to the final, which they lost against Kildare. The Royal County won a high-scoring shoot-out against Galway last Sunday.

These counties have clashed regularly in recent years, including twice in 2013, which both resulted in wins for Monaghan, who cruised to victory in their league opener at Sunday’s venue before coming out on the right side of a thrilling Division Three Final at Croke Park, after both sides had secured promotion.

Malachy O’Rourke has named an unchanged team for Sunday, keeping the faith with the team that drew with Down. Newcomers Ryan Wylie, Conor Boyle, Pádraic Keenan and Thomas Kerr keep their places, while experienced players Owen Lennon, Conor McManus, Kieran Hughes, Vincent Corey and Kieran Duffy remain on the bench from the start. Jack McCarron has started the year in great form and will be expected to lead the scoring again, while Paul Finlay, Colin Walshe, Dessie Mone and Drew Wylie backbone the team.

Meath manager Mick O’Dowd has also retained the starting 15 that proved too strong for Galway. Graham Reilly, Éamonn Wallace, Stephen Bray and free-taker Mickey Newman are the main threats in a dangerous Meath attack, while Andrew Tormey and Shane O’Rourke (back after a long injury struggle) are going well at midfield and Bryan Menton, Kevin Reilly and Dónal Keogan anchor the defence.

Monaghan have not lost on home soil in the league or championship since 2011, so they will be determined to maintain that record and get important points on the table, although Meath will be equally keen to avenge last year’s double reversal, so an intriguing tussle awaits.

 

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Ryan Wylie, Drew Wylie, Fintan Kelly; Dessie Mone, Colin Walshe, Conor Boyle; Gavin Doogan, Paul Finlay; Thomas Kerr, Stephen Gollogly, Pádraic Keenan; Dermot Malone, Jack McCarron, Christopher McGuinness.

Subs: Gerard McCaffrey, Kieran Duffy, Conor Galligan, Karl O’Connell, Vincent Corey, Owen Lennon, Pádraig Donaghy, Shane Carey, Shane Smyth, Conor McManus, Kieran Hughes.

 

Meath: Paddy O’Rourke; Dónal Keogan, Kevin Reilly, Mickey Burke; Pádraic Harnan, Bryan Menton, David Dalton; Andrew Tormey, Shane O’Rourke; Cillian O’Sullivan, Damien Carroll, Graham Reilly; Éamonn Wallace, Stephen Bray, Mickey Newman.

 

AIB All-Ireland Club Intermediate Football Championship Final

Truagh v Kiltane, Sunday, 4.00, Croke Park

 

Truagh will bid to become the second Monaghan club to win an All-Ireland title and the first since Inniskeen also won the IFC in 2006 when they take on Kiltane from Mayo at Croke Park on Sunday.

Truagh, who were relegated in 2012 after spending four consecutive years in senior football, suffered an early championship setback when losing to Donaghmoyne, but comfortable wins over Corduff, Drumhowan and Clones got them to the county semi-finals. They overcame stern tests from Currin and Tyholland to win a second IFC title, before moving up through the gears for their Ulster title bid, with convincing wins over Drumgath from Down, Derry’s Foreglen and Eskra of Tyrone. Truagh had to survive a late scare in their All-Ireland semi-final against Louth and Leinster champions Geraldines, when they needed a late goal to secure their progression.

Like Truagh, Kiltane were relegated in 2012, but their record on this championship run to date is a 100% perfect ten wins, beginning with victories over Ballyhaunis, Achill and Kiltimagh which saw them top group four of the Mayo IFC. Burrishoole and The Neale were also brushed aside en route to the county final, where Kiltane had eight points to spare over Kilmaine.

A double-scores win over Menlough (Galway) and a dramatic one-point defeat of Sligo’s Drumcliffe/Rosses Point saw Kiltane march on to the Connacht final, where they were far too strong for Boyle of Roscommon. A dominant first-half performance in the All-Ireland semi-final proved enough then for the Mayo men to see off Cork and Munster representatives Clyda Rovers on Sunday week last, seeing them through to Croke Park. Truagh won 24 of their 29 competitive matches in 2013, but Kiltane trumped that with 32 wins out of 35.

Kiltane’s Tommy Conroy starred at corner-forward for the All-Ireland-winning Mayo minors last September and he has plenty of support up front from the likes of Mikey Sweeney, Ultan Corrigan and Shane Lindsay. Tony Gaughan, Stephen Sweeney, Darragh Carey and Seán Gaughan will backbone the Kiltane defence and John Reilly and Jason Neary form an established midfield partnership.

Adam Treanor, Christopher, Daniel and Paudie McKenna, Coyle and Mark Counihan have between them hit 14-104 on the road to Croker or four-fifths of Truagh’s total. Treanor was a Monaghan minor in the last two years, while the McKenna trio have all been involved with county teams and veteran Counihan’s guile really came to the fore in the Geraldines game. Barry Cuddy, Neil McRory and Pauric Treanor will have to do the spadework in the midfield battle, with Niall Feely, John McCarron and Rory Treanor anchoring the defence in front of Ian Treanor.

No club from Mayo has yet won this competition, with Galway’s Moycullen in 2008 the only Connacht side to have won it to date, while three of the last four titles have gone to Ulster. Last year’s winners Cookstown edged out Doohamlet along the way and they also scraped past Monaghan Harps en route to their 2010 victory, while Doohamlet were also pipped by eventual 2011 All-Ireland winners Lisnaskea at the Ulster final stage, so this can be regarded as an overdue return to this stage for a Monaghan club.

Truagh have scored slightly more on average (18 points to 17.4) and conceded slightly less than Kiltane (10.6, compared with 11.4) on the path to the final. It is also noticeable that the Mayo side have leaked a considerably higher number of goals (14, contrasting to just three by Truagh). Much will depend on which team can settle quickest and put away their nerves on Sunday in a huge occasion for all involved and a game that is likely to go down to the wire

 

Truagh IFC scorers 2013/14: Adam Treanor 7-15 (0-1f); Christopher McKenna 1-28 (0-17f, 0-2 ‘45s); Daniel McKenna 0-29 (9f); Pádraig McKenna 0-18 (7f); Niall Coyle 4-4; Mark Counihan 2-10 (0-1 pen, 0-2f); Daniel Finnegan, Seán McKenna 1-4 each; Damian McRory 1-1; Neil McRory 0-4; Barry Cuddy 0-3; John McCarron, Rory Treanor, Gary Todd, Eoghan Kelly 0-2 each; John Treanor 0-1.

 

Ladies National Football League Division One

Monaghan v Laois, Sunday, 2.00, Inniskeen

 

Monaghan’s senior ladies belatedly begin their NFL campaign and life under new manager John Morrison when they host Laois on Sunday, a week after their scheduled opener against Dublin was postponed.

Monaghan blitzed their way into the league semi-finals last year and went on to convincingly retain the Ulster title and reach the All-Ireland final, only to again find Cork a hurdle too far. Monaghan beat Laois twice last year; once in the league and then a comprehensive hammering at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage. Laois, who also have a new manager in Des Cooney, started with a convincing win over Donegal last weekend, so will be confident of at least giving a better account of themselves.

Morrison gave the Donaghmoyne players an extended break after their run to another All-Ireland club final late last year, so the likes of Cathriona McConnell and the Courtneys may not play on Sunday, but Caoimhe Mohan, Ciara and Aoife McAnespie, Christina Reilly and Laura McEnaney should be available. Tracey Lawlor, Nóirín Kirwan, Maggie Murphy and Martina Dunne are key players for Laois.

 

Under-21 Shamrock Cup Round Two

Antrim v Monaghan, Saturday, 2.00, Corrigan Park, Belfast

 

Monaghan’s Under-21 footballers will attempt to build on Monday’s opening-round win over Louth when they take on Antrim on Saturday.

Monaghan got off the mark with a hard-earned come-from-behind victory at Cloghan on Monday night and they will be keen to continue in the same vein in this one as they bid to defend the Cremartin-run competition which they won last year. Meanwhile, Antrim lost their first game against Tyrone.

Monaghan will be without county seniors Pádraic Keenan, Ryan Wylie, Thomas Kerr and Conor Boyle plus their Truagh contingent, but they should still be able to call on the likes of Johnny McGuigan, David Freeman, Mark McGuirk, Cillian Cromwell and the recalled Mel Boyce. Antrim could include Ryan Murray, Kevin Quinn and Dermot McAleese, but Monaghan should have enough to repeat last year’s win in Belfast.

 

 

Inniskeen host Derrylaughan from Tyrone in the Quinn’s Corner Ulster Club Intermediate Football League on Saturday, while Doohamlet travel to Bryansford of Down in the Ulster Club SFL on Sunday.