Football

Derry face a Royal challenge

ULSTER sides will go in search of All-Ireland glory in Inniskeen today with Derry and Antrim playing in the Minor 'B' Championship and Shield finals respectively, while Cavan and Monaghan will battle it out in the Minor 'C' Shield Final.

In the Minor 'B' Championship final (4pm), Derry will take on Meath. The Oak Leafers were in impressive form when they claimed the Ulster minor title last weekend and will be hoping to put in a similar performance today.

The two sides met before in the league stages of the competition with the Oak Leafers coming away with a one-point win.

Megan Thynne and Aoife Minogue provided a tough test for the Derry defence on the last outing and the Oak Leafers will need another stern performance from players like Shauneen McGuckin, Aoife NcNabb, Shannon McWilliams and Roisin Cassidy to keep their threat at bay.

Up front, Derry will look to Shauna Doherty, Caroline Rafferty and Eimear McGuigan to provide the main threat to Meath's blackline, for which Maeve Clince and Fia O'Brien have been resolute all season.

In the Shield final, Antrim will face Laois at 2:15pm. The Saffrons will look to midfielders Dervla Cosgrove and Niamh Enright who have been in fine form so far this season.

Niamh McKee and Sinead Convery will provide the main attacking threat for Ryan O'Neill's charges for whom Laoise McKenna and Una McKeown have had stand out seasons.