Hastings Shield Semi-Final

Kerry v Monaghan, Saturday, 2.00, Emo, Co Laois

* Note change of venue

 

Monaghan are in the shield semi-finals of the U-21 Hastings Cup, where they will play Kerry at Emo, Co Laois this Saturday. It’s a unique pairing at this level and a real examination of Monaghan’s credentials.

Monaghan finished second in Group C after coming from behind to defeat Westmeath last Saturday, a result which followed a narrow win over Wicklow and a heavy loss away to Mayo. Kerry were unlucky not to progress in the cup section, as their first-round draw with Roscommon was followed by convincing wins over Cavan and Meath, only for the Munster men to finish second to the Connacht side on score difference.

Kerry have promoted the likes of Micheál Burns, Barry O’Sullivan, Cormac Coffey, Liam Carey and Matthew Flaherty from last year’s All-Ireland winning minors to their U-21 team, who also feature Jack Savage and last weekend’s hat-trick hero Conor Keane. If available, county senior panellists Ryan Wylie Ryan McAnespie and Brian Greenan should be key to Monaghan’s chances, along with the likes of Pádraic Keenan, Dónal Meegan, Conor McCarthy and Fearghal McMahon.

 

AIB All-Ireland Club Junior Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Castleblayney v Fullen Gaels, Sunday, 1.00, Parnells, Dublin

 

Castleblayney will bid to become the first Monaghan club to qualify for an All-Ireland final when they take on British champions Fullen Gaels in Coolock on Sunday.

Blayney resumed their dominance of Monaghan hurling when dethroning Inniskeen in the county final and they went on to win their second Ulster title, crushing Cootehill and battling past Con Magees from Antrim, before getting the better of Derry side Na Magha. Blayney’s only previous appearance in this fixture saw them lose to eventual champions Fr. O’Neills of Cork in 2006, while Inniskeen were beaten by Kilkenny outfit John Lockes in 2011. Manchester-based Fullen Gaels are no strangers to the latter stages of this competition, having contested the final two years ago, when they lost a high-scoring shoot-out against Kilkenny’s Thomastown. The Gaels, who lost to eventual winners Creggan in last year’s semi-finals, turned over Munster junior champions Modeligo from Waterford a fortnight ago in Birmingham.

Blayney have a team full of players with plenty of big-game experience with club and county. They will need big performances from the likes of Mark and Peter Treanor, Fergal Rafter, Niall Garland, Deaglán Crowe, Brian McGuigan, Jim McHugh, Paddy Finnegan and Tony Forde. Vincent Morrissey, Colm O’Callaghan, Réamonn McEntee and captain Cónall Maskey, who also captained Warwickshire to win the 2013 Lory Meagher Cup.

 

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

Glen Watty Grahams v Scotstown, Sunday, 2.00, Creggan

 

Scotstown enter the Ulster Club Under-21 Football Championship in this Sunday’s quarter-final against favourites Glen Watty Grahams at Creggan, Co Antrim.

Scotstown will hope to call on four players who have been representing Monaghan Under-21s in recent weeks in Conor McCarthy, Donnacha Dolan, Micheál McCarville and Conor Forde, along with Myles Treanor, Ruairí Sheehan, Seán Mohan and Caolán McElwain. They are up against a formidable Maghera side who have won the last four Ulster Club MFC titles and will now be seeking to progress that to the next level. Derry senior Emmett Bradley, Conor Convery, Ciarán McFaul, Cathal Mulholland, Ryan Dougan and Danny Tallon are among the conveyor belt of talent available to Glen.

Cavan amalgamation St. Joseph’s and St. Eunan’s, Letterkenny are already through to the semi-finals of the sixth year of the Creggan Kickhams tournament. No Monaghan club has yet won the Paddy McLarnon trophy, with Truagh coming closest when they reached last year’s final, which they lost to Tyrone side Clonoe.