Harte is determined to land blow
IN a bumper weekend for the Allianz Leagues, glamour fixtures are popping up everywhere.
Most eyes will be drawn to the meeting of Mayo and Dublin in a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final, but one of the hardest-fought games will be at St Mary’s Park in Castleblayney where home side Monaghan host neighbours Tyrone.
It really is simple for Tyrone —lose tonight and their season could go into a tailspin with Donegal, Mayo and Kerry left to come in the remainder of the league campaign.
With an extra win to their name, Monaghan are in slightly more comfortable territory but they don’t want the Red Hands to gain any ground, especially with Donegal, a resurgent Galway and Dublin to follow.
The neighbours also meet in the Ulster Championship later in the summer, so it is no surprise that manager Mickey Harte has named his strongest-looking Tyrone side for this one.
The other game involving Ulster representation in the top flight is Donegal meeting Kildare, with both sides rooted to the bottom with no points from their first three games.
However, Donegal’s situation looks a little less desperate. Declan Bonner’s men claimed the Dr McKenna Cup last weekend, but they also showed enough in opening narrow defeats to Dublin, Kerry and Galway that their younger breed are maturing nicely, with Niall O’Donnell flashing over three points from play in last weekend’s triumph.
In Division Two, Down can build on their promising start when they host Clare in Newry.
Early wins over Roscommon and Louth were offset against the loss after a long trip to Cork, but there is reasonable optimism that Eamonn Burns’ men can start looking up the table rather than below them.
A test of character was in store in the last game away to Roscommon, but the Mourne defence