By Colm Shalvey

The knockout stages of the Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cups begin this weekend, while places in the Lory Meagher Cup Final are also up for grabs.

Christy Ring Cup

The first of Saturday’s Christy Ring Cup semi-finals sees Meath face Derry in Armagh.

Meath won the Christy Ring for the first time in 2016, before being relegated from the Joe McDonagh Cup last year. They were also the highest-ranked Christy Ring competitor in the league, where they stayed up in Division 2A, before powering their way through the group stage, topping their section via wins over London, Kildare and Roscommon. Derry, meanwhile, made it through the group on score difference for the second year in a row, with wins over Down and Donegal proving enough, despite a narrow defeat against Wicklow last weekend. The 2019 Allianz Hurling League Division 2B finalists reached the Christy Ring decider in 2015, before being relegated and later securing their return by winning the 2017 Nicky Rackard title.

Jack Regan, Pádraig O’Hanrahan, Barry Slevin and Alan Douglas should be among the main men for Meath, who are set to welcome Eamonn Ó Donnacadh back but are almost certain to be without James Toher. Derry will need big performances from Cormac O’Doherty, Richie Mullan, Brian Óg McGilligan, Liam Óg Hinphey, Sé McGuigan and Gerard Bradley.

Roscommon enter new territory when they take on Down in Inniskeen.

Roscommon have been competing at this level since winning their second Nicky Rackard title in 2015, but this is their first time to make the semi-final stage after their eye-catching form in Group 2, where they turned over both of last year’s finalists, Kildare and London, before losing narrowly to Meath. 2013 champions Down are in the last four for the first time since 2016, having topped Group 1 on score difference. The Mourne County lost to Derry in the opening round, but bounced back to beat Wicklow, before ruthlessly putting Donegal to the sword.

Roscommon will hope for Cathal Dolan, Shane Curley, Pádraig Kelly, Éamon Flanagan and Cillian Egan to continue to lead their challenge. Daithí and Eoghan Sands were in lethal goal-scoring form last weekend for Down, who will also need to have Paul Sheehan and Oisín McManus on song.

Donegal and London put their Christy Ring status on the line in the relegation play-off at Crossmaglen.

These teams are at different stages of their development, with Donegal having just competed at this level for the first time, while London have had a disappointing campaign to date. The Exiles were in the Christy Ring Final last year, where they lost to Kildare, but they are now in their second relegation play-off of 2019. Having lost the first of those against Mayo to drop to Division 2B of the league, London struggled through recent weeks with defeats against Meath, Roscommon and Kildare. Donegal acquitted themselves well despite losing to Wicklow and Derry, but a heavy defeat against Down sends them into this game needing a big response. Donegal have also lost a relegation play-off already this year, with a loss to Warwickshire sending them down to Division 3A in the league.

Top scorer Aaron Sheehan returned to London’s starting team last time out. The 2012 winners will also need the likes of Shane Lawless, Mark O’Dwyer and Fergal Collins to the fore. Donegal have been without the injured Declan Coulter, although Lee Henderson made his comeback midway through the Down game. They will also hope for big impacts from Danny Cullen, Ciarán Matthewson, Joe Boyle and Seán McVeigh.

Nicky Rackard Cup

Neighbours Armagh and Tyrone contest the first Nicky Rackard Cup semi-final in Inniskeen on Saturday.

Armagh are bidding to qualify for their seventh Nicky Rackard Final and their fourth in five years, while Tyrone have also been regulars in the latter stages, losing a string of semi-finals since they won the title in 2014. Armagh topped Group 1 unbeaten after wins over Monaghan and Longford sandwiched a dramatic draw against Warwickshire. Tyrone beat Mayo and Louth in Group 2, either side of losing to Sligo. Both teams competed in Division 3A of the league, where the final round saw Tyrone managed a first win in this derby in several years. Armagh still went through to the decider on score difference, only to lose out to Christy Ring semi-finalist contenders, Roscommon.

Armagh should be able to rely on the prolific Dean Gaffney, as well as Danny Magee, Nathan and Odhrán Curry and Dylan McKenna, while Tyrone talisman Damian Casey has also been contributing big tallies, with support from the likes of Dermot Begley, Matthew Mulgrew and Ryan McKernan.

Celtic Park in Derry hosts Sunday’s semi-final between Sligo and Warwickshire.

This is the meeting of the two most recent winners of the Lory Meagher Cup, with Sligo having succeeded Warwickshire as champions last June. Sligo caught the eye by topping Group 2 on their return to this tier, having beaten Louth and Tyrone, before surviving a second-half comeback from Mayo to draw their Connacht derby. Warwickshire are hoping to reach a third championship final in as many years, after following their 2017 Lory Meagher success by going straight to the Nicky Rackard decider last year, only to lose to Donegal.

Sligo’s veteran forward Keith Raymond has had plenty of support from Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, Liam Reidy, Kevin Gilmartin and Gary Cadden, while Warwickshire also have a range of threats in Niall Kennedy, Ian Dwyer, John Collins, Emmet McCabe and Kelvin Magee.

Saturday’s Nicky Rackard Cup relegation play-off sees Louth and Monaghan make the short journey to Crossmaglen.

Louth are in this fixture for the second year in a row, having beaten Leitrim 12 months ago to stay in the competition. The Wee County have struggled since winning the Lory Meagher in 2016, with that win over Leitrim being their only one at Nicky Rackard level since. They lost to Sligo, Mayo and Tyrone in recent weeks. Monaghan have been ever-present in the Nicky Rackard Cup, also having to win a play-off back in 2014. They lost to Armagh and Longford, before drawing with Warwickshire last week.

Teenager Darren Geoghegan has been a leading light for Louth, who will also need big contributions from Seaghán Connelly, David Kettle and Gerry McKeown. Monaghan will need Fergal Rafter, Mark and Peter Treanor and Taidhg Campbell at their best.

Lory Meagher Cup

It’s all to play for in the final round of group games in the Lory Meagher Cup on Saturday, with numerous permutations.

Fermanagh are on the brink of a place in the final ahead of their away game against Leitrim.

Fermanagh are in pole position after wins over Cavan and Lancashire, although they still need a point to confirm their progress. The Erne County contested three finals between 2012 and 2015, with the last of those eventually seeing them lift their first title. 2017 Lory Meagher runners-up Leitrim started this campaign slowly, losing to Lancashire in the opening round, but they got back to winning ways at the expense of Cavan. Fermanagh have already won in Carrick-on-Shannon this year in the league, where neither side could gain promotion from the bottom division.

Ryan Bogue’s return has boosted Fermanagh, who should also feature JP McGarry, Barry McPhillips, Francis McBrien and top scorer John Duffy. Veteran Clement Cunniffe has returned to spearhead Leitrim, alongside the likes of James Glancy, Stephen Goldrick, Gavin O’Hagan, Colm Moreton and Ben Murray.

Ballyconnell hosts Cavan v Lancashire.

Lancashire are within two points of the table-toppers, but even though Cavan have yet to get off the mark, a home win could even move them into contention to qualify. Lancashire, who lost a high-scoring Lory Meagher Final last year, were relegated from the Allianz Hurling League Division 3A this spring, The Exiles followed up a hard-earned win over Leitrim with a similarly narrow loss against Fermanagh. Cavan have fallen to back-to-back defeats by slim margins against both Fermanagh and Leitrim.

Ronan Crowley has been in free-scoring form for Lancashire, who will also be looking for big efforts from Darren Crowley, Dáire Maskey, JJ Dunphy and Greg Jacob - if the Wexford native is cleared to play after shipping a knock last time out. Cavan will need Diarmaid Carney, John and Colm Sheanon and Kevin Conneely on form.

FIXTURES

Saturday, June 8

Christy Ring Cup Semi-Finals

Derry v Meath, Athletic Grounds, Armagh, 2pm

Down v Roscommon, Inniskeen, 3pm

Christy Ring Cup Relegation Play-Off

Donegal v London, Crossmaglen, 1pm

Nicky Rackard Cup Semi-Final

Armagh v Tyrone, Inniskeen, 1pm

Nicky Rackard Cup Relegation Play-Off

Louth v Monaghan, Crossmaglen, 3pm

Lory Meagher Cup (1pm)

Cavan v Lancashire, Ballyconnell

Leitrim v Fermanagh, Avantcard Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada

Sunday, June 9

Nicky Rackard Cup Semi-Final

Sligo v Warwickshire, Celtic Park, Derry, 1.30pm