Monaghan 1-24
Down 1-16
Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park
FIVE WEEKS ON from being upset in Ulster, Monaghan turned the tables on the Croke Park stage this evening against Down to surge into the All-Ireland quarter-finals next weekend.
A dominant second-half display paved the way for Monaghan’s success after the teams had been deadlocked a 1-9 apiece at the interval.
With Down’s dangerous full-forward Connaire Harrison – he finished with 1-4 overall from play – causing huge problems for the Monaghan defence in the opening half, the beaten Ulster finalists were well in contention at half-time but they faded badly in the second half.
Conor McManus top scored with 0-10 for Monaghan and was extremely influential after the interval while they had a couple of sparkling scoring cameos off the bench with Conor McCarthy chipping in with 0-4 from play and Jack McCarron landing another brace of points.
Both teams raised green flags towards the end of the first half, Monaghan’s supplied by an unlikely figure in defender Fintan Kelly and Down’s notched by a reliable source in attacker Harrison.
Kelly netted in the 26th minute, a thunderous finish after he got clear inside the Down rearguard when defenders were attracted firstly to Darren Hughes and then Shane Carey in possession. The Scotstown duo moved the ball on quickly and when it came to Kelly, he had the time and space to stride forward and make the opportunity count.
Down cancelled out that score six minutes later. Monaghan’s defending of a high delivery left something to be desired and when the ball spilled loose, Conor Maginn moved it inside to Harrison. The finish was scrappy given the despairing dives of the Monaghan defence and the presence of advancing goalkeeper Rory Beggan, but the ball nestled in the back of the net and Harrison celebrated with gusto.
Scorers for Monaghan: Conor McManus 0-10 (0-8f), Conor McCarthy 0-4, Darren Hughes, Kieran Hughes (0-1f) 0-3 each, Fintan Kelly 1-0, Jack McCarron 0-2, Ryan Wylie, Owen Duffy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Down: Connaire Harrison 1-4, Jerome Johnston 0-3 (0-1f), Kevin McKernan, Darragh O’Hanlon, Conor Maginn (0-2f) 0-2 each, Caolan Mooney, Shay Millar, David McKibbin 0-1 each.
Monaghan
1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)
2. Fintan Kelly (Clones)
3. Drew Wylie (Ballybay)
4. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay)
17. Kieran Duffy (Latton)
5. Colin Walshe (Doohamlet
7. Karl O’Connell (Tyholland)
8. Kieran Hughes (Scotstown)
9. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)
23. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale)
11. Dermot Malone (Castleblayney)
10. Gavin Doogan (Magheracloone)
12. Shane Carey (Scotstown)
26. Darren Freeman (St Brigid’s, Dublin)
15. Conor Mc Manus (Clontibret)
Subs
13. Owen Duffy (Latton) for Malone (half-time)
14. Jack McCarron (Currin) for Carey (half-time)
25. Conor McCarthy (Scotstown) for Freeman (46)
22. Dessie Ward (Ballybay) for Doogan (blood) (49)
20. Vinny Corey (Clontibret) for Walshe (62)
Doogan for Ward (68)
21. Dessie Mone (Clontibret) for O’Connell (71)
Down
1. Michael Cunningham (Castlewellan)
2. Niall McParland (An Ghleann)
3. Gearard McGovern (Burren)
4. Darren O’Hagan (Clonduff)
5. Darragh O’Hanlon (Kilcoo)
6. Conaill McGovern (Burren)
7. Caolan Mooney (Rostrevor)
8. Peter Turley (Downpatrick)
9. Niall Donnelly (Tullylish)
10. Kevin McKernan (Burren)
11. Conor Maginn (Bryansford)
12. Shay Millar (An Ghleann)
22. Sean Dornan (Castlewellan)
14. Connaire Harrison (Glasdrumman)
15. Ryan Johnston (Kilcoo)
Subs
13. Jerome Johnston (Kilcoo) for Dornan (48)
25. Aidan Carr (Clonduff) for Turley (52)
17. David McKibbin (Bryansford) for Millar (58)
19. Mark Poland (Longstone) for Maginn (58)
20. Donal O’Hare (Burren) for Mooney (68)
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)
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