Football

Monaghan minors should have enough to progress past Fermanagh

James Wilson was an important player for Monaghan in last year's Ulster Minor Championship
James Wilson was an important player for Monaghan in last year's Ulster Minor Championship James Wilson was an important player for Monaghan in last year's Ulster Minor Championship

Ulster Minor Football Championship preliminary round: Monaghan v Fermanagh (today, Clones, 5pm)

IF FERMANAGH are to break their duck at this level, this is their last chance to do so.

The Erne minors, like the seniors, have never won an Ulster football championship, last competing in the final in 2003, when they lost to Tyrone. With the minor championship being replaced completely by the U17 grade next year, they are supping in the last chance saloon when it comes to etching ‘Fear Manach’ onto the Fr Murray Cup.

Monaghan, in contrast, have won Ulster at minor level on four occasions, their last success coming in 2013, when they sunk the Red Hands.

Both counties, however, will be hoping their recent U17 Championship performances are not an accurate barometer of how their minor campaigns will go.

Down travelled to Brewster Park at the end of April and inflicted a 25-point defeat on a sorry Erne outfit. In their first U17 inter-county championship game, Fermanagh never really stood a chance, with Down hitting five goals. A fine Pól McKervey point late on was little consolation for Fermanagh.

When Monaghan’s U17s came up against Down in the Ulster quarter-final a fortnight ago, it was much the same story. This time, the margin was 20 in favour of the Mourne county.

However, the young Farney men performed creditably in this year’s Ulster Minor League, beating Down by the narrowest of margins in Group A along with Armagh to reach the play-offs. The wheels came off at the semi-final stage though, with Paul O’Connor’s charges losing to Derry by five.

In Group B, meanwhile, Fermanagh pulled off a surprise win over Tyrone at Irvinestown as well as securing a point against Donegal to reach the last-four of the Shield. When they came up against Armagh in the semi-final, they were unlucky to lose by a point.

Monaghan reached the semi-finals of last year’s Ulster MFC after an impressive win over a fancied Down side, but later hit a brick wall against Donegal.

Michael Brannigan, David Garland, James Wilson, Ryan O’Connor and goalkeeper Jack Kirk were all crucial to that victory, while Wilson and Robbie McAllister excelled in the defeat to Tír Chonaill. Of that group, Brannigan made his bow at senior level earlier this year and looked far from out of his depth.

Fermanagh’s run in last year’s Ulster MFC was restricted to just the single game, losing at home to Antrim. If wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Erne county, however, with Enniskillen Gaels star Eoghan Beacom, Kevin Small and Paul Óg Reilly all performing well on the day. Eogan Curran, Darragh McGurn, Colm Jones and Michael Óg McGarrigle also provide plenty of hope for the future for Fermanagh.

Today’s game could be close, but expect Monaghan to shade it.