Tom Byrne, 24 May
Derry host Monaghan at Celtic Park in the first round of
the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship group stage this Saturday,
May 27 - throw-in is at 7pm.
Ulster champions Derry begin the All-Ireland series this weekend where
they will aim to get off to a winning start against Monaghan, who they
defeated in the semi-final of this year's Ulster Championship.
On that occasion, the Oak Leaf County won the encounter by eight points
in Omagh having comfortably beaten Fermanagh by 12 points in the
quarter-final stage. Derry's clinical forward Shane McGuigan showed his
class the last time the two counties met thanks to his contribution
of 0-9 (5f) of the overall 1-21 scored in that last four tie. This time
around, Monaghan will try to keep tabs on the in-form Slaughtneil
marksman who also played a key role in the Ulster Championship final.
It was Armagh who stood in the way of Derry in the provincial final in
Clones on May 14. Both sides could not be separated at the end of both
full-time and extra time with the scoreline finishing 1-15 to 0-18
after the final whistle - resulting in penalties.
McGuigan, who scored an important 0-7 (2fs) during the game, was one of
Derry's penalty scorers along with Conor Glass and Ciaran McFaul.
Goalkeeper Odhran Lynch was the hero of the shoot-out as his three
penalty saves ensured that Derry retained the Ulster Championship
crown.
Attention now turns to achieving a high finish in a group where Derry
will face Donegal, Clare as well as this week's opponents Monaghan. The
top team in the group advances to the All-Ireland quarter-finals while
the counties finishing in second and third place will meet at the
preliminary quarter-final stage.
Derry, who reached last year's All-Ireland semi-finals, will be
favourites going into Saturday's fixture but Monaghan have shown that
they are no walk-over having scored a late winner to triumph over
Tyrone in the quarter-final stage of the Ulster Championship. Ciaran
Meenagh will be in charge of the team for the rest of the campaign
following Rory Gallagher's recent departure.
Supporters will be out in their numbers to support their county this
weekend as Derry set about earning their first points on the board in
the All-Ireland round-robin series.
For those that are unable to make the match, Derry v Monaghan will be
live on GAAGO.