The Red Hands are hoping to reach the last eight again having seen off Donegal in the 2023 preliminaries in convincing fashion. They are the favourites on paper against Roscommon, having beaten the Connacht side in the league.
However, the 2021 All-Ireland champions will most likely be without Conn Kilpatrick following the midfielder’s red card against Cork. Kilpatrick was also sent off against Roscommon in the league, so the Edendork club-man is facing a two-game ban.
Like Derry, Monaghan are also on the road out west with Vinny Corey’s side up against Connacht champions Galway, who were unable to secure the win they needed against Armagh to claim top spot in Group One.
Galway were convincing winners over the Farney men in the league although counting Monaghan out is a perilous venture considering they reached last year’s semi-finals after dropping into the preliminaries.
Like Mayo, Galway were seconds away from topping their group, only to be denied by Armagh. However, the Tribesmen welcomed Rob Finnerty and captain Sean Kelly back for the Armagh game while Damien Comer may recover in time for this weekend.
In Sunday’s game, Louth – currently without a home venue – take on Cork at Inniskeen in Monaghan.
It should, going off recent meetings, be a close one. They have faced each other four times in the past two years. Louth won both Division Two games while Cork prevailed in the two championship collisions, with no more than four points separating the pair across that series.
Cork reached last year’s quarter-finals, where they lost to Derry, while Louth are aiming to extend an impressive first post-Harte season in which they have retained their Division Two status and reached the Leinster final.
