Articles in the Sports News Category

KEVIN ÓG CARNEY Former All-Star Niamh Kindlon (CIRCLED) is hoping to revive memories of her own youth when Monaghan under 14 footballers take to the field against the girls of Tyrone in the U14 All-Ireland final this coming Saturday at a venue to be confirmed. The joint county boss (along with sister Fiona) won an Under 14 all-Ireland medal in the mid-nineties with Monaghan and she is hoping that history can repeat itself this weekend. Joined in the county’s thinktank by another former Under 14 all-Ireland medallist in selector Aisling Tierney ...

Monaghan County Council hosted a barbeque at Carrickmacross Civic Offices recently, in memory of their late colleague Katrina Coleman Ó Roideáin, who worked in the Tourism Section of the Local Authority. A cheque of the proceeds of €4000.77 was accepted by Michael McMahon on behalf of Carrickmacross Cancer Society. Pictured left to right: Zac Rooney (baby) Pauline Clarke, Geraldine Gilmartin, Sean O’Riodain, Fiachra O’Riordain, Michael McMahon, Kathleen Coleman, Aoife Ni Riordain, Marie Rooney, Peter Coleman, AnnaKate Gilmartin and Ellie Rooney.

COLM SHALVEY – Championship round-up Donegal and Cavan will contest the Ulster SFC Final on Sunday week. Donegal were first to qualify after an impressive performance against Tyrone in Cavan on Saturday. Jamie Brennan and Michael Murphy were influential for Donegal, with the former’s first-half goal helping the holders to a commanding 1-9 to 0-5 lead. Tyrone were unfortunate to lose Peter Harte to a black card early on and with several of their big players making little impact, it was a disappointing evening for the provincial SFC favourites, who had ...

BY PATRICK SMYTH As he fielded questions from a posse of journalists gathered in the bowels of St. Tighernach’s Park last Sunday afternoon, it was obvious that relief was the name of the game for Malachy O’Rourke. The Monaghan manager was his usual composed self in the immediate aftermath of his team’s victory over Fermanagh in the All-Ireland SFC Qualfiers in Clones but he made it quite clear that his charges made life hard for themselves. After a hesistant start which saw them trail by 0-0 to 1-1 after seven minutes, ...

COLM SHALVEY COMMENTARY Monaghan put their 2019 campaign on the line when they host a local derby qualifier against Fermanagh in Clones on Sunday. Monaghan will be looking for a much-needed response when they take on a familiar foe, who of course ended their Ulster hopes last summer. Having failed to perform anywhere near their best when losing another derby against Cavan last time out, Malachy O’Rourke’s side know they need to raise their game if they are to avoid what would be their earliest exit of the Fermanagh native’s reign. ...

COLM SHALVEY Monaghan ladies will hope to put a challenging league campaign behind them when they face Armagh in Sunday’s TG4 Ulster LSFC semi-final at the Athletic Grounds. Monaghan were relegated from Division One of the league, while Armagh almost went in the opposite direction as they won six of their seven group games in Division Two, only to fall short in a semi-final against Kerry. Monaghan have been a traditional power of ladies’ football in Ulster, but Donegal …

Fermanagh await in familiar Ulster duel COLM SHALVEY COMMENTARY A familiar foe awaits Monaghan in Sunday week’s All-Ireland SFC Round One Qualifier after Monday morning’s draw paired them with Fermanagh. This local derby in Clones on June 9 will be an eighth time for Malachy O’Rourke to face his native county since he took charge in Monaghan for the 2013 campaign. Monaghan had enjoyed a good record against their near-neighbours, including Ulster championship wins in 2015 and 2017, but Fermanagh, of course, turned the tables on a fancied Oriel side in last ...

Senior Football League ROUNDUP Clontibret remained seven points clear at the top of the Shoe City Senior Football League after making it seven games unbeaten last Friday. Clontibret have already matched their points total from the 2018 SFL after they continued their unbeaten start with a sevenpoint win away to Castleblayney. The teams shared the first six points of the game evenly, but a Conor McCooey brace moved Clontibret ahead, before Michael O’Dowd netted a penalty to leave them 1-5 to 0-4 up at half-time. Kieran and Brian Greenan added points ...

CAVAN 1-13 MONAGHAN 0-12 …an attack saw Cavan win a free out, while Stephen O’Hanlon was narrowly wide at the end of a good move before Cavan struck for their second point through Niall Murray in the fourth minute. A minute later one of the controversial decisions in the game when Conor Madden was adjudged to have been fouled in the area after he had been picked out with an inch perfect pass from Martin Reilly and referee Lane spread his arms for a penalty. The decision was harsh in the extreme ...

KEVIN ÓG CARNEY REPORTS For all the whooping and hollering, beating of chests, gnashing of teeth and thumping of feet spawned by Saturday’s championship tie, the final result mightn’t even appear in bold in the annals of Cavan and Monaghan GAA. In terms of the quality of the fare, the size of the crowd and the prevailing atmosphere, Kingspan Breffni last weekend was no big deal. Indeed, the football overall was bang average, just like the attendance. As for the atmosphere, it was strangely more Cavan- Roscommon than Cavan- Monaghan. Perhaps…