Good afternoon and welcome to our live minute-by-minute coverage of this afternoon’s second EirGrid All-Ireland U21 football semi-final.
To those of us who were with us for Mayo’s stunning win over the Dubs a few minutes ago, welcome back! To those of you who missed it, if this game is even a fraction as entertaining, you’re in for a treat!
Throw-in is imminent so let’s get that team news…
TEAM NEWS: Cork line out as named.
1. Anthony Casey (Kiskeam)
2. Michael Mc Sweeney (Newcestown)
3. John Mullins (Eire Og)
4. Dylan Quinn (St Finbarrs)
5. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)
6. Stephen Cronin (Nemo Rangers)
7. Kieran Histon (Cobh)
8. Sean White (Clonakilty)
9. Sean O Leary (Bantry Blues)
10. Sean O Donoghue (Inniscarra)
11. Sean Powter (Douglas)
12. Ryan Harkin (Mallow)
13. Brian Coakley (Carrigaline)
14. Peter Kelleher (Kilmichael)
15. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven)
TEAM NEWS: One change for Monaghan — Adam Treanor starts in place of Michael O’Dowd
1. Conor Forde (Scotstown)
2. Barry Kerr (Cremartin)
3. Mikey Murnaghan (Donaghmoyne)
4. Kevin Loughran (Monaghan Harps)
5. Dessie Ward (Ballybay)
6. James Mealiff (Clones)
7. Niall Rooney (Truagh Gaels)
8. Niall Loughman (Carrickmacross)
9. Aaron Lynch (Carrickmacross)
10. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale)
11. Barry McGinn (Doohamlet)
12. Donal Meegan (Inniskeen)
19. Adam Treanor (Truagh Gaels)
14. Conor McCarthy (Scotstown)
15. Ferghal McMahon (Monaghan Harps)
THROW IN: We’re underway. Who will face Mayo in this year’s decider?
2 mins — Cork 0-1 Monaghan 0-0: Sean Powter does well to hold off his marker and points the opening score of the afternoon.
2 mins — Cork 0-1 Monaghan 0-1: Barry McGinn immediately levels it up for Monaghan.
4 mins — Monaghan 0-2 Cork 0-1: Brilliant running by Ryan McAnespie and he sets up McGinn for his second.
4 mins — Monaghan 0-2 Cork 0-2: This could be another absolute belter. Brian Coakley sells Kevin Loughran a beautiful dummy solo and then taps over the point.
5 mins — Cork 0-3 Monaghan 0-2: Barely time to catch breath before Seán O’Donoghue points Cork into the lead.
8 mins — Cork 0-3 Monaghan 0-3: Fearghal McMahon levels it up at three apiece.
11 mins — Monaghan 0-4 Cork 0-3: Barry McGinn points a free to nudge Monaghan into the lead.
12 mins — GOAL FOR CORK! Cork 1-3 Monaghan 0-4 First blood Cork and while it’s Peter Kelleher’s name that will go down on the scoresheet, Sean Powter deserves serious credit for carving out the chance. His powerful running opened up the Monaghan defence and when he squared it, Kelleher was in the right place to poke it home.
13 mins — GOAL FOR MONAGHAN! Monaghan 1-4 Cork 1-3 WHAT A RESPONSE! Barry McGinn has been absolutely electric in this opening quarter of an hour and he immediately hits back with a Monaghan goal. His finish loops over Cork keeper Anthony Casey and nestles in the corner. Just like that, Monaghan are back in front!
17 mins — Monaghan 1-5 Cork 1-3: Donal Meegan swings over a point from out near the right touchline. Fine score.
21 mins — Monaghan 1-5 Cork 1-4: Oooooh, great stop by Conor Forde to deny Sean O’Donoghue. Ryan Harkin goes some way towards making amends by gathering the loose ball and pointing.
22 mins — Cork 1-6 Monaghan 1-5: Super spell for Cork and they make it count. Brian Coakley and Sean O’Donoghue point in quick succession to put them back in front.
23 mins — GOAL FOR CORK! Cork 2-6 Monaghan 1-5 Smashing composure by Ryan Harkin! He keeps his head when clean through on goal and sidefoots the ball past Conor Forde at his near post. No chance for the Monaghan keeper.
24 mins — Cork 2-6 Monaghan 1-6: Big penalty shout for Monaghan but it’s waved away. Possession is recycled and Conor McCarthy points to cut Cork’s lead to three.
27 mins — Cork 2-7 Monaghan 1-6: Michael McSweeney cleverly holds up play to allow the Cork forwards to get into scoring positions and then picks out Michael Hurley who points.
28 mins — Cork 2-7 Monaghan 1-7: Monaghan are no one-man team but Barry McGinn has been outstanding so far today. He points to take his individual tally to 1-4 and you shudder to think what this game might be like for Monaghan without him.
30+1 mins — Cork 2-7 Monaghan 1-8: Another Monaghan point… and guess who it is?! Yep, Barry McGinn now has 1-5 in this first half!
30+2 mins — Cork 2-7 Monaghan 1-9: Monaghan are sticking to their task and picking off points as the opportunities arise. It’s Ferghal McMahon this time, and there’s only a point between the sides as we near the end of a blistering half-hour.
HALF TIME: Cork 2-7 Monaghan 1-9
It was very wishful thinking to hope that we might get anything close to the drama, excitement and quality of the first semi-final… but here we are. That was an absolute cracker, and it’s beautifully poised as we prepare for the second 30.
High praise from two inter-county stars…
SECOND HALF: We’re underway again. Which way will this one twist and turn?
34 mins — Cork 2-8 Monaghan 1-9: Cork strike first and it’s Michael Hurley who puts them two up.
36 mins — Cork 2-8 Monaghan 1-10: McGinn’s free is caught by the breeze and hits the post but when it drops, Ferghal McMahon is quickest to react and points.
38 mins — Cork 2-9 Monaghan 1-10: Monaghan switch off for a moment and they’re punished. Cork take a quick free and Sean Powter has all the time in the world to steady himself and point.
38 mins — Cork 2-10 Monaghan 1-10: Monaghan can’t get the ball out of the danger zone and Sean O’Donoghue points. Cork starting to get on top here now.
39 mins — Cork 2-11 Monaghan 1-10: Michael Hurley bounces off a tackle and points.
40 mins — Cork sub: Ronan O’Toole comes on to replace Dylan Quinn
42 mins — Cork 2-12 Monaghan 1-11: Two big points in quick succession, one at either end.
First up, Monaghan keeper Conor Forde booms over a long-range free, but Cork respond immediately through Ronan O’Toole who is only on the pitch a matter of moments before landing a monster score.
42 mins — Cork 2-12 Monaghan 1-12: Conor McCarthy points to keep Monaghan within three. Cork are on top now but they still can’t shake the Ulstermen.
43 mins — BLACK CARD! How important might that be? Brian Coakley is shown to the line and Stephen Sherlock comes on to replace him.
48 mins — Cork 2-12 Monaghan 1-13: Magnificent composure by Dessie Ward who doesn’t panic when the ball finds him in space and curls over a crucial point.
49 mins — Cork 2-13 Monaghan 1-13: Cork hit back immediately and it’s the black card sub Stephen Sherlock.
50 mins — OH WHAT A CHANCE! Monaghan are so nearly level as Dessie Ward twists and turns back inside one Cork defender and then another but whistles his shot past Anthony Casey’s post!
51 mins — WOODWORK! Cork nearly scramble a goal at the other end but it’s blocked onto the post and Monaghan eventually manage to clear their lines.
52 mins — Cork 2-13 Monaghan 1-14: Conor McCarthy knocks over a free and Monaghan close the gap. Again. This is frantic.
52 mins — Cork 2-14 Monaghan 1-14: And for every question Monaghan have asked so far in this second half, Cork have had the answer. Sean O’Donoghue puts a goal between the sides again with eight minutes on the clock.
55 mins — Cork 2-15 Monaghan 1-14: Brilliant composure by Sean Powter who pauses for a second in possession, enough time to find a gap in the Monaghan defence, and then takes a couple of strides between defenders before pointing.
57 mins – Chance for Monaghan keeper Conor Forde to cut the gap again with a free but it’s left and wide. It looks like the Ulstermen will need a goal here…
60 mins – Into the final minute and time is running out for Monaghan. They have a free in… do they need to go for goal?
60 mins — Cork 2-15 Monaghan 1-15: McGinn chooses to pop it over the bar and there’s a goal between the sides.
Three additional minutes to be played…
60+1 mins — Cork 2-15 Monaghan 1-16: Ryan McAnespie makes it a two-point game… but Monaghan will need to win the kick-out.
60+3 mins – Chance for Cork to effectively seal it as Hurley wins a free but O’Donoghue’s effort is off the mark. Will Monaghan get one last chance to snatch a draw?
60+4 mins – Free in to Monaghan. They’ll have to drop it on the edge of the square and pray…
FULL TIME: Cork 2-15 Monaghan 1-16
A Cork hand is first to it — AND THAT’S IT! Cork win by two points and they’re into the EirGrid All-Ireland U21 final where they’ll face Mayo.
Cork corner-forward Michael Hurley is named man of the match. Remarkably, all of their 2-15 total came from play!
So that’s it from us for today. Two absolute classics in Tullamore and at the end of it all, it’s Cork who will Mayo in this year’s U21 decider.
Thanks for reading.
