Christy Ring Cup Group A
Derry v Wicklow

Saturday, Owenbeg, 2pm

THE pressure is off both of these sides as they have already secured their spots in the semi-finals.

Wicklow managed that a bit more easily than the Oakleafers, but they’re both where they wanted to be.

The Garden county started their campaign with a 2-18 to 1-11 win over the Rossies – Gary Hughes and Mikey Lee with the goals.

Derry, meanwhile, earned a 0-19 to 1-15 win over the Connacht side, but it was a result earned due to their character.

They had Darragh McCloskey sent off early (he will be suspended this weekend), Sean Cassidy was sent to the sin-bin and they trailed by six points at the break.

In the second half Richie Mullan and Cormac O’Doherty really stood up to the plate while Deaghlan Foley made a good impact off the bench. He can expect a start in Owenbeg.

While both sides are through to the knock-out stages, they can still swap places in the table. A Derry win by five points would leave them top of the group and facing the easier semi-final against the winners of Roscommon and Sligo, who will meet in the quarter-final. Finish second and it’s the massive challenge of Offaly.

Derry are good enough to win here, and that could be vital to their goal of reaching the final, particularly if it allows them to avoid the Faithful county.

Verdict: Derry

Nickey Rackard Cup Group A
Leitrim v Donegal

Saturday, Avant Money Páirc
Seán Mac Diarmada, 2pm

DONEGAL look a cert to bounce back from their loss to Mayo to secure a semi-final spot at the expense of Leitrim.

Mickey McCann’s side lost out to Mayo by three points in their first outing in a repeat of last year’s final as the Connacht outfit struck a late goal through former football star Keith Higgins.

There is plenty of room for improvement for the Tir Chonaill men. That goal was as slack as they come while they racked up 14 wides at O’Donnell Park. They were also missing Danny Cullen, Gerard Gilmore and Conor O’Grady through injury with some of those expected to appear here in some capacity.

The reality is that Leitrim are a level or two below Donegal, and that will tell on the scoreboard especially as Declan Coulter remains in great scoring form.

Derry native Olcan Conway remains in charge of Leitrim, and he was left downbeat after last weekend’s 19-point loss to Mayo.

Conway is hoping to get a few players off the treatment table for the tie and in Gavin O’Hagan they have a really good attacking talent – but the challenge is just too great.

The result looks a foregone conclusion and with Mayo uncatchable at the top the deficit doesn’t matter either.

It would be a major shock if Donegal are not preparing for a semi-final meeting with Tyrone at the close of play.

Verdict: Donegal

Lory Meagher Cup Group A
Monaghan v Longford

Saturday, Inniskeen, 2pm

FOR sheer unpredictability, the Lory Meagher Cup is where it is at this season.

Let’s just consider what has happened thus far in Group A. In round one, Longford hammered Louth by 21 points.

Given that Paul Hughes’s side had already defeated Longford this season, it’s not surprising that they would be favourites ahead of last week’s clash with the Wee county. The result? Louth 3-15 Monaghan 0-17. Work that sequence out.

What it means is that any sort of victory would secure Monaghan a spot in the semi-finals while a 15-point win would see them top the group.

Longford will have revenge on their mind with their National League loss to the Oriel county condemning them to Division 3B. They played the majority of that contest with 14 players too after Shane O’Brien’s dismissal.

Monaghan started very slowly against Louth and despite good scoring contributions from Fergal Rafter, in particular, and Stephen Lambe, they were unable to get close to Paul McCormack’s side.

Home advantage will give Monaghan a fighting chance here, and as we have seen already this competition is near impossible to predict, but they could find themselves facing a quarter-final play-off with Fermanagh.

Verdict: Longford