This weekend the Ulster College scene will kick back into life as St Patrick's Maghera and St Mary's Magherafelt prepare for their play-off games in this season's MacRory Cup.
St Mary's Magherafelt will face the biggest test of all when they face MacRory Cup champions St Patrick's Cavan on Friday afternoon (3pm) in Killygarry. The holders finished higher in the league sections and were rewarded with a home draw.
Manager Kevin Brady will be hoping that his Creggan trio Kevin Small, Matthew Rogers and Liam Quinn all came through their All-Ireland semi final on Sunday unscathed and are available to play against the holders. Peter Lagan limped out of a pre Christmas challenge game and didn't feature against a Derry minor select last weekend as they put the final touches to their preparations.
Goalkeeper Ben McKinless and defender Conor McGrogan had the upper hand over Cavan in Clones last summer but a number of the Cavan minors are still back playing in the MacRory. Thomas Edward Donohoe scored two goals in last year's final and will need to be well marked. Forward Conor Smith, playmaker Paul Leddy and utility player Darragh Kennedy will give Cavan plenty of options.
St Patrick's Maghera are tipped to see off the Abbey in Sunday's playoff (12noon in Loup) but in the MacRory Cup form doesn't always carry through.
Manager Paul Hughes will be hoping Jack Doherty and Conor Glass have fully recovered after Glen's win over Clonduff last weekend. A contractual agreement with AFL outfit Hawthorn have stipulated that Glass can only play school and club U21 football. It's bad news for Derry U21 boss Fergal P McCusker who won't have access to his Glen clubmate. Glass has just returned from 'down under' after joining his AFL team mates for two weeks of pre-season ahead of joining them in the summer.
Maghera have a strong panel, with the likes Shea Downey, Paddy Quigg, Shane McGuigan, the Kearney twins and the Higgins twins among their ranks, though Seamus Higgins is sitting out at the minute with injury.
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