SFC: Race for last eight hots up as McMenamin ruled out
The temperatures may have gone down a few degrees in the past week but the heat will certainly be on for Derry, Laois, Monaghan and Tyrone today as they bid to make the last eight of this year's All-Ireland football championship.
A half-full Croke Park should witness two top-drawer fourth round qualifiers as the 2003 Leinster champions take on the might on Mickey Moran's Derry in the 2pm opener, and an intriguing all-Ulster clash between NFL Division Two champions Monaghan and the Stephen O'Neill-inspired Tyrone follows at 4pm.
Derry's chances have been helped by the return of 2004 All-star forward Enda Muldoon from a hamstring problem. The Ballinderry sharpshooter is a vital inclusion as the Oak Leafers bid for a second successive quarter-final place.
Bellaghy's Fergal Doherty is also back after an ankle injury, and boss Moran will look to his midfield tandem of Doherty-Patsy Bradley to go toe-to-toe with Laois' ground-eating duo of Noel Garvan and Pauric Clancy.
That's just one of pivotal battles around the field - how the Laois defence cope with Derry's captain and top scorer Paddy Bradley (2-25) will tell much, as will the form of the midlanders' main forward hope Ross Munnelly (1-15 to date).
The Arles/Kilcruise ace ran Dublin ragged at times in the second half of the Leinster final three weeks ago, and his linking-up with former minor starlet Donie Brennan, who manager Mick O'Dwyer has opted for ahead of Brian 'Beano' McDonald, will have to be well marshalled.
The lightning pair together notched up seven of Laois' 0-13 haul last time out, but a return to attacking form from Kevin Fitzpatrick, Barry Brennan and adopted Kerryman Billy Sheehan, all held scoreless against the Dubs, will be needed if O'Dwyer's men are to progress.
Tyrone's Stephen O'Neill has been red-hot so far this summer, hitting 1-26 in five matches, and another headline-grabbing afternoon from the Clan na Gael forward will see Mickey Harte's men deservedly through against Monaghan.
Tyrone are still reeling from their controversial Ulster final replay loss to Armagh, and with the clash with the Farney men only hours away, Harte is ruing the loss of defender Ryan McMenamin, whose appeal against his four-week ban has just been overturned.
McMenamin was suspended during the week for four weeks in relation to an incident in the replay with Armagh. Harte appealed that decision last night.
At least Tyrone can definitely count on O'Neill and Peter Canavan, who is poised to come off the bench again, after they had their red cards from the reply quashed.
Harte has made just one change, opting to field Owen Mulligan rather than Martin Penrose up front for only the sides' fifth championship fixture in the past thirty years.
Monaghan lead three to two from previous meetings, but Tyrone's recent pedigree, which has seen them garner an All-Ireland, two Ulster titles and two NFL Division One crowns since 2001, will see them through.
Monaghan boss Seamus McEnaney has also left a vacancy, in attack, with Rory Woods expected to make a return from a 12-week ban at left wing forward. Dick Clerkin is shifted to midfield to make way, with Gary McQuaid returning at left half-back.
LAOIS (SFC v Derry): F Byron; A Fennelly, D Rooney, J Higgins; C Begley, T Kelly, P McMahon; N Garvan, P Clancy; R Munnelly, K Fitzpatrick, B Sheehan; D Brennan, B Brennan, C Conway.
DERRY: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, G O'Kane; F McEldowney, SM Lockhart, P Kelly; Patsy Bradley, F Doherty; P Murphy, E Bradley, J McBride; M Lynch, Paddy Bradley, E Muldoon.
TYRONE (SFC v Monaghan): P McConnell; AN Other, C Lawn, S Sweeney; D Harte, G Devlin, P Jordan; C Gormley, S Cavanagh; B Dooher, B McGuigan, O Mulligan; R Mellon, S O'Neill, E McGinley.
MONAGHAN: S Duffy; D McArdle, J Coyle, C Flanagan; D Freeman, V Corey, G McQuaid; D Clerkin, E Lennon; J McElroy, P Finlay, AN Other; T Freeman, H McElroy, S Gollogly.
