Rouse minding house
DONEGAL will heed the warning shot from Fermanagh when they hunting an Ulster final place tomorrow.
The Ernesider’s stunning win over hot favourites Monaghan last week to reach a first final in 10 years served as a warning call to Donegal not to underestimate Down in tomorrow’s second semi-final showdown in Clones.
“If last weekend showed anything it’s a small margin between success and failure, very small indeed,” said Donegal boss Declan Bonner.
“It happens every year and we have to be ready for that too, because it does not matter who you are playing.
“Every game has to be like a final.”
Down shocked Monaghan in last year’s Ulster semi-final to
SFC QUALIFIERS
Offaly Antrim
reach the final against the odds. They’d love to repeat that feat.
While they were relegated from Division Two in the spring and Donegal went down from Division One, they did what they had to do in this year’s Ulster opener against Antrim.
“Down come Championship are always different animals and it’s basically the same Down team that got to the Ulster final last year.
“They’re strong going forward with Kevin Mckernan, Connaire Harrison (inset), Donal O’hare and Ryan Johnston all good players.
“But they have changed and set up more defensively in the past 12 to 18 months but it’s a Championship game.
“You have to play and perform and if you don’t perform, you will be caught out.”
Donegal are the last county to
Bord na Mona O’connor Park, 6pm
AFTER the blaze of publicity that surrounded their Leinster Championship exit at the hands of Wicklow and Stephen Wallace’s subsequent axing as boss, Offaly return to action in a low-key qualifier.
Paul Rouse, joined by his brother John and Rhode duo Stephen Darby and Alan Mcnamee, has been drafted in as Wallace’s replacement.
Antrim made Down work for their win in the Ulster quarter-final but there isn’t a whole lot else to redeem their year.
With Offaly bolstered by the return of a number of key players, they get the nod.
VERDICT: Offaly
Meath
win the Ulster title via the preliminary round, doing it back-to-back in 2011 and 2012.
They will have to come that route again if they’re to be successful in Bonner’s first year back in his second stint in the job (he was previously in charge in the late 90s).
They’ve already beaten Cavan and Derry and the crunch clashes are coming thick and fast, with just two weeks between each game, leaving little or no room for players to relax in between.
“The lads going out for a drink on a Sunday night is not on because you have to get back into recovery the next day,” added Bonner.
“You meet up and plan out the next two weeks and hope you don’t pick up any knocks or injuries.
“Once a match is finished the focus switches to your next opponent.”
Tyrone Navan, 5pm (Live Sky)
FOR the winner of this one , it could kickstart their season.
Losing to Longford would not have been on Meath’s radar. Instead of closing the gap on Dublin, they are falling further back into the pack. Tyrone have injury problems with forwards Lee Brennan and Mark Bradley ruled out and Peter Harte suspended.
That makes them vulnerable, and Mickey Harte (inset) knows too well how hard Meath pushed them in the qualifiers three years ago.
Meath also produced one of their best displays to run Donegal close last year in Navan, the scene of today’s clash (5pm). Tyrone have been warned.