Eirgrid Ulster Under-21 Football Championship Semi-Final

Armagh v Monaghan, Wednesday, 8.00, Newry

Monaghan bid to qualify for the Ulster Under-21 FC Final for the first time since 2007 when they take on Armagh at Páirc Esler on Wednesday night.

Monaghan haven’t won this title since 1999, but hopes are high that a team backboned by the 2013 Ulster MFC winners can change the county’s fortunes at this level. Ciarán McBride’s Monaghan team reached the final of the Shamrock Cup, where they lost to Tyrone. Both of these teams eased through their quarter-finals, with Monaghan putting Fermanagh away in the second half and Armagh enjoying an even more comprehensive win over Down.

Conor McCarthy, Ryan McAnespie and Barry McGinn have been featuring in the Allianz NFL for Monaghan, who will also be looking for big performances from Kevin Loughran, Dessie Ward and Mikey Murnaghan. Oisín O’Neill, Shane McPartlan, Cathal McKenna and Conor Martin were all in prolific form for Armagh a fortnight ago.