MONAGHAN VERSUS ANTRIM

Colm Shalvey reports

Monaghan launch their Ulster Minor Football Championship campaign tomorrow night (Friday) when they host Antrim in Inniskeen. Monaghan will be looking for a repeat performance of their last league game, where they ran out comprehensive winners over Antrim in Belfast. Mark Counihan’s (PICTURED) side had started their Ulster MFL Section A campaign with a depleted side falling to a heavy defeat against eventual winners Tyrone, but they dug out a dramatic one-point win over Armagh in round two.

Comfortable wins over Down and Antrim saw Monaghan sign off on the league in second place in the group and, more importantly, gives them some momentum heading into the championship. Antrim, meanwhile, struggled throughout the group stage; leaking 16 goals in their four losses. The Saffrons’ attack did show enough at the start of this month (in a game where they led 20 minutes in) to suggest they can cause Monaghan problems, but they will need to tighten up their defence significantly if they are to stay in contention for longer than they did on that occasion.

Counihan – whose previous three championship campaigns at this level have included two runs to Ulster finals, leading to a provincial title in 2019 – ran the rule over….