NICKY RACKARD CUP ROUND 2

Monaghan v Warwickshire: Pairc na hEireann, Birmingham; Saturday May 19th @ 2.00pm

Monaghan can take a major step towards qualifying for the semifinals of the Rackard Cup when they travel to Birmingham on Saturday, their 2nd visit to the British midlands this year, to take on Warwickshire, who, like Monaghan, started their campaign with victory over Louth last weekend.

MONAGHAN MANAGER Trevor Hilliard agreed that with Warwickshire beating Louth and Monaghan defeating Longford, it made Saturday's game between Warwickshire and Monaghan in Birmingham a very important match.

"It certainly is and part of the importance we are attaching to it is that we are travelling over on Friday evening so that probably we will be a little bit more prepared than the last time we travelled over there in the league.

"Our performance was a wee bit sketchy in the national league because it was a sort of a rush, rush day and not just the right frame of mind to be going out to play a game, so we'll probably be a bit more focused this time coming into this game."

ELECTRIC IRELAND ULSTER MINOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER ROUND 3

Monaghan v Down: Healy Park, Omagh, Sunday May 20th @ 2.00pm

This Sunday the Monaghan minor footballers are on the road again, the 4th weekend in a row that they are in action and also playing away from home, when they take on Down in Omagh in their round 3 qualifier clash.

They may be away from home for the 4th match in a row but that is somewhat tempered by the fact that this game is being played as the curtain raiser to the Ulster senior football championship quarter final between Monaghan and Tyrone.

MONAGHAN MANAGER Seamus McEnaney sees this game as another test of character for his young charges.

"It certainly is, it's another character building exercise and when you are trying to develop 16 and 17-year-olds, this really is the mould that you want to mould them into and that will strengthen their character."

FIXTURES

While all roads will lead to Omagh on Sunday as the minor and senior footballers are in Ulster championship action, there is still a fairly busy club programme scheduled for the weekend with games in all 3 leagues spread over tomorrow, Friday and Saturday.

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