TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Group One: Mayo v Monaghan (tomorrow, Ballinamore, 2pm)
MONAGHAN manager Ciaran Murphy is focusing on the positives ahead of their TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship clash with Mayo tomorrow afternoon.
The Farney lost their opening group game to Armagh last weekend, meaning this one is crucial if they are to keep any hopes of making the knockout stages alive. A win, after Mayo’s win over Cavan a week ago, would also throw the group wide open going into the final round of games next weekend. Defeat would see them having to battle it out against Cavan in a bid not to finish bottom of the group and face a relegation play-off.
Murphy says they switched off for a time in both the first and second halves of last week’s game against Armagh and it proved costly as they went down 4-17 to 1-12 with Armagh hitting them for an unanswered 3-5, with three goals in as many minutes during the second half.
“We were very disappointed with last weekend,” he said.
“We thought we should have put in a better show based on what we had been doing at training and a couple of weeks ago when we played Kerry.
“Armagh were clinical. They are a good side. When you play a side like Armagh you go to sleep like we did and you make the individual and the team errors that we did then you are going to get punished. They have quality forwards to do that.
"I suppose we slept for seven or eight minutes at the end of the first half and the same in the second half and especially in the second half that killed us but it’s all guns blazing now for Mayo.
“We are actually looking forward to it and the quick turnaround time. We had a team meeting on Monday and discussed what went on on Saturday against Armagh and you can look back and see all the negatives but you would rather look forward and see the positives you have in the squad and try to improve on the small things we did wrong against Armagh so hopefully we will have them eradicated and be better for it against Mayo come Saturday.”
Monaghan are still struggling with injuries to a number of key players including Ciara McAnespie and Amanda Casey and they are still on the doubtful list for the weekend. But for Murphy it’s a chance for players to stand up and make themselves count.
“Unfortunately we are still carrying a few injuries. It’s a small squad so every girl is very important to us so when you are missing the calibre of players it does make a difference but that is why you have a panel and you have numbers there and come in.
“We are looking forward to Saturday and hopefully we can come out with the result and bring us on into the Cavan game.”
TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Group Four: Down v Louth (Sunday, Pairc Esler, Newry, 3pm)
DOWN can qualify for the All-Ireland knockout stages with a win over Louth this weekend. The Mourne girls had a hard fought opening round win over Offaly and with the top two qualifying for the quarter-finals, victory for Peter Sloan and Caoibhe Sloan’s will see them finish top of the table.
This is Louth’s first taste of championship action and following their Division Four league final win a few weeks ago they will be keen to continue that winning form. It’s another tough test for Down but with home advantage, it is one they will hope to pass.
TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship: Antrim v Carlow (Sunday, Lannleire, Dunleer, 1.30pm)
ANTRIM face Carlow on Sunday knowing they need to come away with a win to get back on track in their pursuit of an All-Ireland semi-final spot.
The Saffrons lost their opening round game to Derry last weekend 1-7 to 0-7 and with tough games coming up against Wicklow and Limerick, this game against Carlow, with no disrespect to them, is one that Antrim should be winning.
Carlow, like Derry up until last weekend, have not won a game so far this year, and were not in round one action. However, Antrim will certainly have learned a lesson against their neighbours not to take anything for granted and will look to get the job done on Sunday.
TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship: Derry v Limerick (Sunday, Kinnegad, 2pm)
DERRY travel to Kinnegad on Sunday hoping to make it two wins from two against Limerick.
The Oak Leafers grabbed their first win of the season with a deserved victory over Antrim while Limerick lost to junior championship favourites Wicklow.
Derry will be keen to show that win, their first competitive win since March 2019, was not a one off, but if they perform to the same levels they will be well on their way to a second successive victory.
The sides met in the first round of the competition last year with Limerick easing to victory and they do have the upper hand on their opponents but Derry did record a championship win over them in 2018.
Fixtures
Tomorrow (2pm unless stated)
All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 1 Round 2: Mayo v Monaghan (Ballinamore), Armagh v Cavan (St Tiernach’s Park Clones, 5.30pm live on TG4) All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 2 Round 2: Tipperary v Cork (Sean Treacy Park, Tipperary) All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 3 Round 2: Dublin v Waterford (Baltinglass) All-Irelands Senior Championship Group 4 Round 2: Donegal v Galway (Markievicz Park, 4pm)
Sunday (2pm unless stated) All Ireland Intermediate Championship Group 1 Round 2: Longford v Wexford (Clane), Westmeath v Sligo (Mullahoran) All Ireland Intermediate Championship Group 2 Round 2: Clare v Leitrim (Duggan Park, Ballinasloe) All Ireland Intermediate Championship Group 3 Round 2: Laois v Kildare (O’Moore Park, Portlaoise) All Ireland Intermediate Championship Group 4 Round 2: Down v Louth (Páirc Esler, Newry, 3pm) All Ireland Junior Championship - Round 2: Antrim v Carlow (Lannleire, Dunleer, 1.30pm), Derry v Limerick (Kinnegad)
