Conor McGurk Cup semi-finals
Antrim v Donegal (Monday, Owenbeg, 7.30pm)
Queen’s University, Belfast v Ulster University (Monday, the Dub Arena, 7.30pm)
THE Antrim team which lines out at Owenbeg ton Monday night will be hoping to fare better than the one which fell to defeat in the Walsh Cup on Saturday.
It would be a major surprise if whatever selection Darren Gleeson picks were to be put to the sword by Donegal.
The Saffrons are at this stage thanks to last Monday’s quarter-final win over Armagh. Ballycastle’s Séamus McAuley impressed in that 1-25 to 0-21 victory at the Dub, hitting 1-4 against the Orchard.
Although McAuley made an appearance midway through the second-half at Abbotstown, he could feature again tonight.
Others to impress against the Orchard county, were Eoin O’Neill when he made an appearance in the second-half, while Aaron Bradley was lively throughout.
In defence, Niall O’Connor was solid at full-back, while Enda Óg McGarry and captain Gerard Walsh were also mentioned in dispatches.
Mickey McCann’s Donegal were fitter, faster, more physically powerful and deadly clinical in front of the posts as they racked up a 3-31 to 0-8 quarter-final win over Monaghan two Saturdays ago.
What was perhaps most impressive about that victory was that they achieved it without Davin Flynn (unavailable), Danny Cullen (holidays), Bernard Lafferty, Gerry Gilmore and Mark Callaghan.
In their absence, Burt’s two young giants Conor Gartland and Liam McKinney turned in powerful displays, while Brian McIntyre and an in- form Richie Ryan up front showed no mercy to the Farney county.
McCann will be happy if his charges can keep it competitive for a sustained period tonight.
In Monday night’s other last-four tie, the two university sides, Queen’s and Ulster, will go head-to-head for a place in Wednesday’s final.
UU staged a stirring comeback in their quarter-final victory over Fermanagh, with Aodhan O’Brien and Fearghal McManus leading the charge.
Jordan Murtagh, Daire Murphy, Tom McGrattan and Sean Hughes have all impressed for Queen’s in their wins over Louth and Down to date, and they will seek to maintain that momentum tonight.
