Monaghan and Cavan reveal semi-final teams
Dick Clerkin has been included in the Monaghan team for Saturday's Ulster SFC semi-final against Cavan in Clones (throw-in 7pm) despite doubts over his fitness.
Clerkin remains a serious doubt for the St. Tiernach's Park clash having broken a bone in his hand - the middle metacarpal - during a recent game involving his club Currin.
The experienced midfielder was ruled out of contact work for the past two weeks, but manager Malachy O'Rourke is still hoping he can recover in time for the showdown with Cavan. He is due to have an all-important scan at the Santry Sports Clinic tomorrow.
Clerkin, who burst onto the scene back in 1999, missed the 2003 season but has been ever-present for Monaghan in the Championship over the past decade.
He has been listed at wing forward in the team named by O'Rourke. There are two changes to the side that started the quarter-final victory over Antrim.
Drew Wylie and Stephen Gollogly get the nod at full-back and right half-forward respectively, with Fintan Kelly and Owen Duffy, who is nursing an ankle injury, the players to make way.
Despite missing training over the past fortnight with a calf problem, captain Owen Lennon is rated fit enough to start at centre-field in what is the counties' first Ulster Championship encounter since Cavan's 2001 semi-final win.
Meanwhile, Cavan boss Terry Hyland has kept faith with the 15 players who took to the field for their quarter-final triumph over Fermanagh ten days ago.
Much of Cavan's attacking threat will rest on the shoulders of full-forward Martin Dunne who began the Championship with a 0-9 haul against Armagh and followed up with 0-5 against the Ernesiders.
Speaking to BBC Northern Ireland, Hyland said: "It is a measure of the team's progress and hard work that we have come this far. The players are very resilient mentally and have not yet reached their peak.
"Monaghan have more experience at this level, but we expect a close game and hope that we come out on the right side of the result."
The winners of Saturday night's duel will qualify to play defending champions Donegal at the same Clones venue on July 21.
MONAGHAN (SFC v Cavan): Rory Beggan; Dessie Mone, Drew Wylie, Colin Walshe; Vincent Corey, Neil McAdam, Kieran Duffy; Owen Lennon (capt), Darren Hughes; Stephen Gollogly, Paul Finlay, Dick Clerkin; Christopher McGuinness, Kieran Hughes, Conor McManus.
CAVAN: Conor Gilsenan; Jason McLoughlin, Rory Dunne, Killian Clarke; James McEnroe, Alan Clarke (capt), Ronan Flanagan; Damien O'Reilly, David Givney; Cian Mackey, Jack Brady, Feargal Flanagan; Niall McDermott, Martin Dunne, Eugene Keating.
