MONAGHAN AND DERRY BATTLE FOR FINAL SPOT

Colm Shalvey reports

Much talk has centred on the new All-Ireland series format, but for now, staying in contention for a first Ulster SFC title since 2015 will be the focus for Monaghan as they return to Omagh to take on Derry in Saturday’s semi-final. It is, of course, a repeat of the counties’ meeting at the same stage of last year’s provincial campaign, where Derry won en route to ending a 24-year wait for an Anglo-Celt Cup success.

Monaghan will be hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself, both in terms of their 2022 clash and of their last provincial semi-final at Healy Park, when an exciting win over Tyrone was followed by a demoralising loss to Fermanagh, although they would later regroup to reach the last four of the All- Ireland series. Vinnie Corey, still a mainstay of that team back in 2018, made a winning managerial debut in this arena in the most dramatic fashion just under a fortnight ago, when that goal deep into added time from…