TYRONE place their Ulster and All-Ireland Minor titles on the line against Fermanagh on Sunday with only two of the players from the Markham Cup winning starting line-up.
Coosktown’s Owen Mulligan, who netted in the triumph over Laois, will captain the team at Clones, while Enda McGinley of Errigal Ciaran also features again.
Ferghal Donnelly, a panelist last season, comes in at centre half-back, but groin injury has ruled out Fran Loughran of Kildress, left corner-back at Croke Park.
Completing the new look is the fresh management duo of Martin Coyle and Liam Donnelly, replacing Fr Gerard McAleer and Mickey Harte, who moved up to the U21s.
“It’s a hard act to follow,” admits Coyle. “Such success does not come along very often but we’ll just have to try to live up to their achievements.”
So far management has gone well, claiming the Ulster Minor League this year, winning all four group matches before overcoming Cavan in the final.
Yet Coyle is not fooled by Fermanagh’s disappointing performance in that competition. “Their team then was not good but they have since added seven or eight players who won the MacRory Cup with St Michael’s Enniskillen.”
Fermanagh are unchanged from the side which beat Monaghan by the narrowest of margins in the last round.
On that occasion, Sean Maguire’s side won 2-8 to 2- 7 after leading by 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time.
Much will again depend on impressive full forward Ryan Carson who scored 1- 4 in the Monaghan game including the injury time winning point.
Tyrone (MFC v Fermanagh): P Ward, K McCaughey, M Anderson, P O’Farrell, G Quinn, F Donnelly, N Quinn, K Hughes, R Meenan, C Carland, E McGinley, B Collins, M McGarrity, E Mulligan (c), P McGavigan.
Subs: A McCann, O Devine, P Rouse, P McKenna, P Donnelly P O’Neill, S Hampsey, M Penrose, E O’Hanlon.
Fermanagh (MFC v Tyrone): D McKeogh, J McGovern, B Owens, S Lyons, N Cunningham, S Leonard, R McCluskey, M McGrath, C Boyle, S McCabe, N Keenan, B McBrien, P Melanophy, Ryan Carson, E Maguire.
Subs: S Boyle, D Lunny, C Rooney, A McGinnity, G Callaghan, M Little, R Brown, T Martin, F Sherry, M McKenna.
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A first half goal blitz by Crossmaglen produced a shock in last night’s Armagh camogie semi-finals in Granemore.
Patricia McAvoy grabbed three goals and Alma O’Donnell another as Cross raced into a 4-2 to 0- 2 half-time lead.
Former champions Keady clawed it back some way in the second half but still went out on a scoreline of 4-4 to 1-6.
In the first semi-final veterans Sally Rafferty and Mary Donnelly edged Ballymacnab closer to retaining the county title on a 1-6 to 1-2 scoreline.
Crossmaglen scorers: Patricia McAvoy 3-2; Alma O’Donnell 1- 0; Joan Rice 0-2
Keady scorers: Colette Conway 0-3; Coleen Conway 1-0; Deirdre Connolly 0-2; Kelly Ann Hughes 0-1
Ballymacnab scorers: Sally Rafferty 1-0; Olive McGeown, Sinead Grey & Mary Donnelly 0-2 each
Derrynoose scorer: Mary Black 1-2
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Golf: Fiona first at the Point
FIONA Healy, a six-handicapper from Headfort, shot out of the pack at Warrenpoint yesterday to be the leading qualifier in the Ulster Girls’ Open Championship. The winner will take home the Fred Daly Trophy tomorrow evening.
Teenager Healy shared a gross six-over-par with Una Marsden who plays off eight out of Tullamore, but the former took the top spot with a better back nine.
Two players from 19-plus handicap bracket qualified and one of them, Siobhan McCartan (Greenore), won the Murland Cup for the best net score. Siobhan plays off 24 and carded a superb three-under-par 69 nett.
