QUEEN'S and UUJ are both involved in All-Ireland Freshers Football quarter-finals over the next 48 hours.
The Poly tackle emerging Sligo RTC this afternoon at Jordanstown while tomorrow sees Queen’s travelling west to face UCG in Galway city (both 2.30).
Despite the absence of Crossmaglen youngster Tony McEntee because of Sunday week’s AIB All-Ireland Club semi-final, UUJ go into today’s encounter as overwhelming favourites.
Poly manager Matt Bradley can call on county players like David O’Neill (Derry), Adrian McGuckin (Derry) Kieran Donnelly (Fermanagh), and Kevin Madden (Antrim).
The UUJ line-up will probably also include Armagh youngster Adrian Doran, Edendork clubman Brian McGuckin, Bellaghy’s Paul Diamond, Ballinderry’s Stephen McGeehan and possibly Longford senior star Trevor Smullen.
The Longford player has not trained much with UUJ recently because of basketball commitments but he may be available for today’s match.
Goalkeeper Paul Brogan, a Tyrone U21 player, is a doubt for the Jordanstown encounter because of a knee injury.
Ballinderry netminder Michael Conlon or Paul Carville will be drafted in by Matt Bradley if Brogan fails his late fitness test.
Queen’s, meanwhile, look to be up against in tomorrow’s A quarter-final clash against UCG.
The Malone Road received a blow two weeks ago when their skipper Emmett McGinley received a two month ban from the disturbances at the Tyrone League Football final.
Mark Graham will now be given the all-important full-back role while much responsibility will also rest on the shoulders of Down lad and new captain Bernard McAleenan plus Fermanagh player Rory McEnhill.
Queen’s team manager Cathal O’Rourke admitted last night that his team will have to improve dramatically on the pre-Christmas efforts in order to win today’s game.
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THE footballing revival at St Malachy’s College, Belfast continued at the weekend when the school reached the final of the Loch an Iuir Cup for the first time.
Goals from Ciaran O’Grady, Michael McCullough, Tony Anderson and Ciaran O’Connor helped the north Belfast school to a 4-3 to 1-7 semi-final win over St Eunan’s Letterkenny.
Ciaran Burns and Colin Brady were the other outstanding St Malachy’s players in a very impressive all-round performance.
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MICHAEL Hughes's withdrawal from the Northern Ireland squad yesterday increased the chances of Bryan Hamilton naming a youthful line-up for tonight’s international friendly against Belgium
The West Ham winger’s back injury refused to respond to treatment in London yesterday afternoon and Hughes pulled out of the squad last night.
Hughes’s withdrawal didn’t unduly perturb the Northern Ireland boss.
Like Manchester City defender Kevin Horlock, Hughes after a yellow-card against Albania, is suspended for the crunch World Cup qualifier against Portugal next month.
As soon as the squad congregated in Belfast at the weekend, Hamilton indicated the necessity of employing something of a new formation against the Belgians.
The absence of Hughes, Northern Ireland’s in-form attacking player, effectively now makes this decision a fait-accompli.
It also gives Keith Gillespie the chance to kick-start an international career which has effectively stalled over the past 18 months.
Gillespie and Port Vale’s John McCarthy will both be deployed in the all-important wide roles in the north midfield.
Hamilton gave little away at training yesterday beyond confirming that “one or two of the young lads might get a game.”
Blackpool’s James Quinn, so impressive in his lone attacker role in Palermo last month, seems certain to be retained while Gerard McMahon and St Johnstone’s George O’Boyle are in contention for recalls.
West Belfast youngster Philip Mulryne is also guaranteed to see at least some action tonight.
