Monaghan produce another great escape to break Kildare hearts

All-Ireland senior football championship preliminary quarter-final

Monaghan 1-11

Kildare 0-13

Paul Keane reports from Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore

CONOR McCARTHY RODE to Monaghan’s rescue with a cracking score in the last minute of stoppage time to seal a dramatic All-Ireland SFC quarter-final place.

Trailing by three points with half an hour or so remaining, Monaghan looked to be in real danger of crashing out of the championship, but they finished strongly to secure their place in Monday morning’s last-eight draw.

They outscored Kildare by 0-6 to 0-2 from there on to firstly draw level and then pinch a famous win with McCarthy’s 75th-minute point.

He finished with 1-2 overall at O’Connor Park while Michael Bannigan and Jack McCarron blasted three crucial points each in front of 7,893.

Kildare will kick themselves for not hitting at least one goal on the evening, however, as they carved out four great chances but wasted the lot.

They will also rue the fact that they scored just four points in the entire second-half and only two in the last half hour or so.

Glenn Ryan’s side still looked set to escape with at least a draw as the scores were tied with the allotted four minutes of stoppage time played but were suckered by McCarthy’s sliced point from the left wing in the very last action of an intense contest.

Daniel Flynn was a late addition to the published Kildare team, along with last week’s matchwinner Kevin Feely, and moved immediately to the edge of the square.

He was picked up by Killian Lavelle who despite wearing number nine tracked the Johnstownbridge score poacher.

It was an intriguing head to head while at the other end Monaghan danger man Jack McCarron was trailed by experienced Kildare defender Mick O’Grady who returned to the starting team.

McCarron slipped away from the Celbridge man for the game’s opening score though Kildare responded with points from Neil Flynn and Alex Beirne.

gary-mohan-and-michael-bannigan-celebrate Monaghan's Gary Mohan and Michael Bannigan celebrate. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Monaghan got a giant boost in the fifth minute when McCarthy netted, Stephen O’Hanlon setting him clear down the left channel. McCarthy still had plenty to do but outpaced Eoin Doyle before blasting a low shot beyond Mark Donnellan.

Kildare’s response, three points in a row from Neil Flynn and Ben McCormack, swung the lead back their way again and a tit-for-tat scoring encounter unfolded in that manner with both sides enjoying patches of dominance in front of the posts.

Monaghan briefly led by two points but Kildare would finish the half strongly to take a narrow interval lead, 0-09 to 1-05.

Darragh Kirwan’s 38th minute score for Kildare, the last action of the half, drew huge applause as it came after more than three minutes of Monaghan possession. The Farney had played a game of keep ball as Kildare dropped back and refused to engage but when Shea Ryan eventually won the ball around his own 45-meter line, the Lilies broke at speed and worked the ball to Kirwan for an important score.

They doubled their advantage after the restart with a similar point on the break from Kevin Flynn.

Kildare, now with the wind advantage, were beginning to stretch Monaghan and moved three ahead thanks to Neil Flynn in the 42nd minute.

It wasn’t until roving goalkeeper Rory Beggan picked out Darren Hughes for a 46th minute mark, which he converted, that the Ulster men ended a near 20-minute scoring drought.

Kildare could have gone a long way towards killing the game shortly after when they worked a goalscoring opportunity for Kirwan but his rifled shot cannoned off the crossbar. Daniel Flynn swept up the crumbs for a second goal chance but blasted wide.

It was a real let off for Monaghan who took advantage with a terrific point from McCarron to reduce the deficit to the minimum, 0-11 to 1-07.

With 20 minutes to go, it was anyone’s game but Monaghan made sure victory was theirs with late points from Gary Mohan, McCarron and matchwinner McCarthy.

Monaghan scorers: Conor McCarthy 1-2, Michael Bannigan 0-3 (0-2f), Jack McCarron 0-3 (0-1f), Rory Beggan 0-1 (0-1f), Darren Hughes 0-1 (0-1m), Gary Mohan 0-1 (0-1m).

Kildare scorers: Neil Flynn 0-5 (0-3f, 1 45), Ben McCormack 0-4 (0-1m), Alex Beirne 0-2, Darragh Kirwan 0-1, Kevin Flynn 0-1.

MONAGHAN

1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)

6. Conor Boyle (Clontibret)
9. Killian Lavelle (Clontibret)
3. Kieran Duffy (Latton – Captain)

2. Ryan O’Toole (Scotstown)
21. Dessie Ward (Ballybay)
5. Karl O’Connell (Tigh Thalainn)

14. Gary Mohan (Truagh Gaels)
20. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)

7. Conor McCarthy (Scotstown)
11. Michael Bannigan (Acadh Na Muileann)
10. Stephen O’Hanlon (Carraig Mhachaire Rois)

8. Karl Gallagher (Scairbh Na gCaorach)
12. Ryan McAnespie (Scairbh na gCaorach)
13. Jack McCarron (Scotstown)

Subs:

15. Shane Carey (Scotstown) for McAnespie 33
18. Conor McManus (Clontibret) for Gallagher h/t
4. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay) for Lavelle 41-43, blood
Wylie for O’Toole 59
26. Colm Lennon (Ballybay) for O’Connell 59-61 blood
17. Kieran Hughes (Scotstown) for Ward 68
19. Sean Jones (Iniskeen) for Carey 71

KILDARE

1. Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)

2. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge)
4. Eoin Doyle (Naas)
3. Shea Ryan (Sarsfields)

5. David Hyland (Athy)
6. Kevin Flynn (Celbridge)
7. Jack Sargent (Eadestown)

8. Kevin O’Callaghan (Celbridge)
17. Kevin Feely (Athy)

10. Paddy McDermott (Naas)
12. Alex Beirne (Naas)
11. Ben McCormack (Sarsfields)

14. Darragh Kirwan (Naas)
18. Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge)
13. Neil Flynn (Maynooth)