ANTRIM'S fine win over Dublin last month firmly ridiculed the suggestion that the Saffrons were ill-equipped to deal with the challenges of this most competitive section.
The Dubs went into that clash on the back of a deserved win over Galway at Parnell Park so Antrim will feel they can match the Connacht champions Galway at Casement Park, Belfast this afternoon.
One of the most intriguing individual contests will be the expected duel between Galway full-forward Joe Rabbittee and Antrim’s Eoin Colgan.
The Ballycastle man seems to have thoroughly regained his appetite for the game after missing several competitive matches last year and his return has been a major steadying influence for Antrim.
Alistair Elliot also produced an outstanding hour in Antrim’s win over Dublin and his importance to Antrim’s chances this afternoon, and indeed prospects for the remainder of this season, cannot be over-stated.
With both sides on two league points going into today’s fixture, the losers will be staring relegation in the face with the final round of games to come.
Galway selectors have dropped Michael Coleman and Justin Campbell for today’s clash.
Coleman has been arguably the most consistent midfielder in the country over the past dozen years. However, his level of performance has dipped in recent matches and he loses out to U21 star Vinnie Maher for the Belfast match.
Galway: R Burke, F Gantley, B Feeney, L Hodgins, M Donoghue, N Shaughnessy, P Hardiman, V Maher, L Burke, A Kerins, C Moore, F Forde, D Coen, J Rabbitte, O Fahy.
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ULSTER GAA fans who don’t have RTE will face a TV blackout of tomorrow’s National Football League semi-finals.
Neither BBC Northern Ireland nor UTV will broadcast a Sunday evening highlights programme – even though three Ulster teams have qualified for tomorrow’s semi-finals at Croke Park.
BBC has the TV rights to the closing stages of the National League but a spokeswoman confirmed last night that the station plans only to cover the final later this month when at least one Ulster team is certain to be involved.
The spokeswoman added it was likely the local channel would show brief snatches of the action on their evening news bulletin.
BBC’s decision is in contrast to semi-finals day in recent years when the corporation has broadcast highlights programmes on the evening of the matches
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THE pragmatic Walter Smith would deny it, but tomorrow’s Old Firm game at Ibrox – the second in eight days – could make or break his side’s bid to win 10 league titles in a row.
A win for Celtic will put them six clear of Rangers and a possible seven ahead of Hearts. A draw would see Celtic stay three points in front of their city rivals with Hearts only able to pull within one point of Wim Jansen’s side.
With Rangers winning last week’s cup tie, the odds in this see-saw title race may have swung back towards Rangers once again.
But Celtic’s performance for the hour up until Ally McCoist scored the crucial opener at Parkhead last Sunday, will give them confidence that they can repeat the feat for 90 minutes this time around. And the psychological effect on Rangers
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DARREN Clarke gained sweet revenge yesterday on the hole at the Augusta National Course which had threatened a premature end to his first sojourn in the US Masters.
A horrendous seven at the 17th on the opening day saw him sign for a four over par 76 and in real danger of not making the half way cut. But yesterday the big Dungannon man birdied the hole on his way to a one over 73 and a half way total of 149.
With more than half the field still out when Clarke finished his round on five over par and the winds gusting up to 25mph the confident prediction from the Ulsterman’s camp was that he would be involved in the weekend action
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TOM Mohan is assured of a special welcome when he returns to first team action with Derry City against Dundalk at Brandywell this evening.
Mohan has missed almost all this season with various illnesses and injuries and Derry have missed his enthusiasm and willingness to take on opponents on the right wing.
The Brandywell club still need a few points to be absolutely safe from the resignation play-off and Mohan’s return will help this cause.
THE following is the Monaghan team to play Derry in the semi-final of the Church and General NFL at Croke Park on Sunday.
The team is the same one that started against Down last Sunday with the only change coming on the subs bench where Gerry Mone comes in at No 24 in place of the injured Lorcan Kelly
Monaghan: J O’Connor, E Murphy (C), G McGuirk, N Marron, D McArdle, S Mullen, J Conlon, P McShane, C Ronaghan, D Freeman, M Daly, K Hughes, D Smyth, D McKiernan, S McGinnity.
Substitutes:G Murphy, D Swift, P Duffy, N Magennis, P McDonald, C McAree, E Hoey, F Duffy, G Mone, M Slowey.
