ULSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:Derry V Monaghan: Tomorrow, throw-in – 2pm Celtic Park, Derry Live RTÉ 2, BBC 2 www.rte.ie
BOTH COUNTIES’ respective difficulties in the volatile Ulster theatre should not overshadow the fact that this is a match between two able and ambitious sides.
Even without Niall McCusker, Enda Muldoon and Seán Marty Lockhart Derry looks solid.
Monaghan’s Séamus McEnaney has handed three players their Ulster debuts. Goalkeeper Pádraig McBennett gets the nod ahead of Shane Duffy. Darren Hughes, who captained Jordanstown in the Sigerson Cup, starts at wing back and Mark Downey gets his chance to impress at corner forward.
DERRY:B Gillis; K McGuckian, K McCloy,
G O’Kane; P Cartin, B McGoldrick,
SL McGoldrick; F Doherty, Diver; B McGuigan, P Murphy, E Lynn; E Bradley,
P Bradley, J Keilt.
MONAGHAN:P McBennett; D Mone, V Corey, D McArdle; D Freeman, G McQuaid,
D Hughes; E Lennon, D Clerkin; C McManus, P Finlay, S Gollogly; M Downey, R Woods,
T Freeman.
In the last episode:Shocked by the manner in which Fermanagh briskly shunted them out of Ulster last year, the two teams were inevitably drawn to face each other in the first round of the qualifiers. It was one of those tense Clones matches that seem to last longer than a cricket match and, in the end, Monaghan had the stomach to grind out a result, winning 1-13 to 1-12.
You bet:Derry are posted at 8/13 while Monaghan come in at 7/4. A draw, at 15/2, is not bad value.
On your marks:Paddy Bradley has delivered big for Derry, but their tendency to trust in the one- man show has been fatal in the past. In Bradley's brother Eoin and young James Keilt, Derry have a potentially excellent forward line.
Gaining ground:Celtic Park has been given a £1.8 million face-lift to bring it into line with the best provincial grounds in Ireland, with an increased capacity to 22,000.
Just the ticket:The match is all-ticket, with sales through the county boards during the week.
Crystal gazing:A heavyweight rumble beckons, but there is a sense that Derry mean business this year and should advance.
