Sport

Malachy O'Rourke resists urge to change a winning side

Conor McManus will likely come face to face with Down duo Shay Millar and Gerard McGovern for the second time in over a month after he was named in an unchanged Monaghan team for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC Qualifying clash at Croke Park Picture by Philip Walsh
Conor McManus will likely come face to face with Down duo Shay Millar and Gerard McGovern for the second time in over a month after he was named in an unchanged Monaghan team for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC Qualifying clash at Croke Park Picture by Phi Conor McManus will likely come face to face with Down duo Shay Millar and Gerard McGovern for the second time in over a month after he was named in an unchanged Monaghan team for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC Qualifying clash at Croke Park Picture by Philip Walsh

MONAGHAN manager Malachy O’Rourke has opted to stick with the starting 15 who defeated Carlow for tomorrow’s Croke Park All-Ireland SFC Qualifying clash with Down.

Last time out, the Farney county beat the Barrowsiders by five points in round 3B, although they were pushed all the way by the underdogs from Leinster.

Ultimately, though, the inspirational performance of Kieran Hughes was enough to see Monaghan over the line. Hughes chipped in with three points on the day, as the Farney forward line struggled to make an impact at Netwatch Cullen Park.

O’Rourke will be hoping Hughes can prove as influential tomorrow and that the likes of Jack McCarron and Conor McManus have a more fruitful afternoon in front of the posts at Headquarters.

Down have already beaten Monaghan in this year’s Championship, at the

semi-final stage in Ulster, and the Farney full-back line of Fintan Kelly and Drew and Ryan Wylie will have to be in more formidable form this time around. In Ulster, they were given the runaround by the Mourne county’s Connaire Harrison, Shay Millar and Jerome Johnston.

Darren Hughes, who was one of the few to acquit himself in that defeat to Down, is named at midfield alongside his brother Kieran.

Monaghan (All-Ireland SFC v Down): R Beggan; F Kelly, D Wylie, R Wylie; C Walshe, N McAdam, K O’Connell; K Hughes, D Hughes; G Doogan, D Malone, S Carey; O Duffy, J McCarron, C McManus