Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the first of today’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals at Croke Park. First on the bill is the clash of Ulster rivals Tyrone and Monaghan.
Monaghan have tasted defeat at this stage of the summer in all three of their quarter-finals and will be hoping to end that streak this afternoon.
But Malachy O’Rourke’s men come into this game off the game of a provincial title and will be brimming with confidence.
Who will progress to meet Kerry on 23 August? Throw-in is at 4pm.
Let’s take a look at today’s teams. As you would expect, Malachy O’Rourke has stuck with the same side that defeated Donegal in the Ulster final last month.
Tyrone, meanwhile, have made one change for this afternoon’s game from the XV that easily dispatched Sligo in the final round of the qualifiers.
Cathal McCarron returns at corner back in place of Trillick’s Rory Brennan.
Monaghan:
1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)
2. Colin Walshe (Doohamlet)
3. Vinny Corey (Clontibret)
4. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay)
5. Dessie Mone (Clontibret)
6. Neil McAdam (Monaghan Harps)
7. Karl O’Connell (Tyholland)
8. Owen Lennon (Latton)
9. Fintan Kelly (Clones)
10. Kieran Duffy (Latton)
11. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)
12. Owen Duffy (Latton)
13. Dermot Malone (Castleblayney)
14. Kieran Hughes (Scotstown)
15. Conor McManus (Clontibret) (Captain)
Tyrone:
1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)
2. Aidan McCrory (Errigal Ciarán)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)
4.Cathal McCarron (Dromore)
5. Ronan McNabb (Dromore)
6. Joe McMahon (Omagh)
7. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciarán)
8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
9. Mattie Donnelly (Trillick)
10. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)
11. Mark Bradley (Killyclogher)
12. Conor Meyler (Omagh)
13. Darren McCurry (Edendork)
14. Sean Cavanagh (Capt., Moy)
15. Connor McAliskey (Clonoe)
Throw-in is fast approaching and Croke Park is filling up nicely for what promises to be an entertaining afternoon of football.
To whet the appetite, here’s some of our pre-match offerings:
This supporter is in place early as we near throw-in. How do you see this one going?
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Sky Sports’ coverage has just started and here’s a look at the two managers and their respective careers.
News coming through of two late changes for Monaghan. In the half-forward line, Stephen Gollogly is drafted in for Owen Duffy while Ryan McAnespie replaces Dermot Malone at corner-forward.
Our GAA editor Fintan O’Toole is at Croke Park this afternoon and will have a report on the full-time whistle plus all the reaction from both camps.
Tyrone have been forced to take the long road to Croke Park after losing to Donegal way back in May. Since then, Mickey Harte’s men have overcome Limerick, Meath, Tipperary and Sligo in the qualifiers.
Will that have any bearing on today’s game?
The teams are out on the pitch and referee Martin Duffy is about to get proceedings underway. Beautiful afternoon in the capital.
Quick look at the subs for both sides:
Monaghan: Cian Mohan, Drew Wylie, Conor Doyle, John McCarron, Dick Clerkin, Paul Finlay, Owen Duffy, Shane Carey, Thomas Kerr, Dermot Malone, Christopher McGuinness.
Tyrone: Michael O’Neill, Lee Brennan, Rory Brennan, Conor Clarke, Richie Donnelly, Danny McBride, Conall McCann, Justin McMahon, Padraig McNulty, Ronan O’Neill, Barry Tierney.
And we’re away at Croke Park.
Monaghan 0-0 Tyrone 0-1
2 mins - Almost immediately, Monaghan launch it towards Sean Cavanagh and he’s fouled by Vinny Corey. Connor McAliskey makes no mistake and we’re up and running.
Monaghan 0-2 Tyrone 0-1
3 mins - A perfect riposte from Monaghan with two fantastic scores on-front of Hill 16. Firstly, Kieran Hughes kicks a superb left-footed point and Mone follows it up with a long-range score of his own.
Monaghan 0-2 Tyrone 0-2
4 mins - We’ve had some sublime scores already in this game as McMahon restores parity with a curling effort which sails between the posts.
8 mins - Big blow for Tyrone as Joe McMahon is forced off inside the opening ten minutes as his brother Justin slots into the sweeper role.
Monaghan 0-2 Tyrone 0-3
9 mins - That’s superb from McCurry as he makes a yard of space for himself down the right and with his weaker foot, arrows a score over from a tight angle.
Monaghan 0-2 Tyrone 0-4
11 mins - McCurry strikes a free sweetly after Donnelly is fouled and Tyrone have a two-point advantage.
13 mins - McManus gets involved for the first time today and is fouled on the left touchline. Goalkeeper Rory Beggan comes up to take the setpiece from all of 50 yards but just pulls his effort wide of the posts.
Monaghan 0-3 Tyrone 0-4
14 mins – Monaghan do reduce the deficit shortly after as Fintan Kelly registers his first championship point of the summer.
Monaghan 0-3 Tyrone 0-5
15 mins - Another McAliskey free restores Tyrone’s two-point lead again. It’s been a tight opening to this game between these two Ulster rivals.
Monaghan’s defence swarms around McCurry and they eventually win a free out but it’s the Tyrone forward who comes out worse after getting a knee to the head.
After some treatment, McCurry is fine to continue.
20 mins - Monaghan kick their fourth wide of the tide as Tyrone defend in numbers and look to shut down the space available to their opponents.
21 mins - Tyrone have been defensively sound so far as Kieran Hughes is double marked and Justin McMahon comes away with possession.
Monaghan 0-3 Tyrone 0-6
22 mins - Big call! Conor Meyler is shown a black card after running straight into Kieran Hughes with Conall McCann his replacement.
At the other end, Tyrone stretch their advantage as Harte dissects the points.
Monaghan 0-3 Tyrone 0-6
25 mins - Monaghan haven’t scored in 13 minutes as Rory Beggan comes forward but is unable to convert a ’45.
Monaghan 0-3 Tyrone 0-6
29 mins - Off the bar! McAliskey’s latest effort bounces back off the bar and Monaghan clear the danger. They’re enjoying plenty of possession but have been unable to penetrate Tyrone’s rearguard.
Monaghan 0-4 Tyrone 0-7
29 mins – That was a moment of brilliance from McManus as he scores his sides’ first score in 16 minutes. But, at the other end, McCurry pops over a free from close range after McAliskey was fouled.
It’s been a tight, tense encounter so far.
We’re going to have four minutes of additional time at the end of this first period.
Monaghan 0-5 Tyrone 0-7
35 mins - Timely score for Monaghan as McManus curls over a free on-front of the Hill to bring his side within two points. Sean Cavanagh picked up a yellow card for a high tackle and McManus slotted over the resulting set-piece.
HALF-TIME: Monaghan 0-5 Tyrone 0-7
And that’s half-time at Croke Park where Tyrone head into the interval with a narrow advantage.
Tyrone are good value for their lead but it’s been far from exhilarating.
Teams back on the pitch for the second-half.
Back underway at Croke Park as Monaghan look to overturn this two-point half-time deficit.
Monaghan 0-5 Tyrone 0-10
40 mins – Apologies for the break in updates at the start of this second period as Tyrone begin to pull clear. Mickey Harte’s side have opened up a five point lead now and this game will be beyond Monaghan very quickly if they’re not careful.
Monaghan 0-6 Tyrone 0-10
41 mins – McManus scores Monaghan’s first point of the half after McCann went in late on Darren Hughes.
Monaghan 0-7 Tyrone 0-10
43 mins - Bit of handbags now as Darren Hughes is fouled. After consulting with his umpire, the referee hands out yellow cards to McMahon and Donnelly for Tyrone and Kieran Hughes for Monaghan.
When play eventually resumes, McManus’ long-range free sails over the bar and all of a sudden the gap is back to three.
Mickey Harte looks to change things as he brings Padraig McNulty off the bench to replace McCann.
Monaghan 0-7 Tyrone 0-12
46 mins - Monaghan are contributing to their own downfall here. After McAliskey nails another free, goalkeeper Beggan tries for a quick kick-out but it goes straight to Sean Cavanagh and the Tyrone forward isn’t in any mood to turn down such gifts.
Monaghan 0-8 Tyrone 0-13
49 mins - Just when Monaghan look to find a route back into the game, Tyrone strike back at the other end. Owen Duffy produces a superb score but McNabb cancels it out on-front of the Hill.
Monaghan 0-9 Tyrone 0-13
50 mins - Duffy is on fire as he slots over another point with his sweet right foot. Monaghan are four points in arrears now with a little under 20 minutes remaining. They just about remain in this contest.
Monaghan 0-9 Tyrone 0-14
51 mins - It’s a five-point game again as Sean Kavanagh wins a free after being fouled by Wylie. The Tyrone skipper is in inspired form as he rises highest to win the aerial ball and McCurry makes no mistake.
Monaghan 0-10 Tyrone 0-15
53 mins – While Cavanagh is having a superb game at one end, Conor McManus is almost single handedly keeping Monaghan in this tie but Tyrone go straight up the other end and McAliskey points.
Cavanagh is down receiving treatment and we’ve a moment to catch our breath. The Tyrone skipper looked to have been hit late there and Finlay is shown a yellow card.
Play resumes and we’ve just 15 minutes remaining.
Monaghan 0-10 Tyrone 0-16
56 mins - Rampaging run and score from McNamee as he pierces straight through the Monaghan defence to create further daylight between the sides.
It’s been very stop-start in the lost few minutes and this game is threatening to peter out. If Monaghan are to produce a late rally, they’ll have to do it now.
Monaghan 0-11 Tyrone 0-16
65 mins - Clerkin with the point but time is running out for Monaghan.
Monaghan 0-12 Tyrone 0-17
67 mins – Kerry await for Tyrone now as Donnelly powers through midfield and dissects the posts before rallying the Red Hand supporters inside Croke Park. They’re nearly into the last four now and Monaghan have had no answer.
Monaghan 0-13 Tyrone 0-17
69 mins - McManus scores his 6th point of the day but it’s going to be in vain as the clock edges closer to that 70 minute mark.
Darren McCurry, meanwhile, has been named man of the match by Sky. Hard to disagree.
Monaghan 0-13 Tyrone 0-17
70 mins – Red card! Darren Hughes is shown red for an off-the-ball incident involving Tiernan McCann.
71 mins - Colm Cavanagh claims the high ball and he’s hit late by Hughes. As the referee intervenes, Hughes then brushes McCann’s head and the Tyrone man falls to the ground in a heap.
Moments later, McNamee is shown his second yellow and this is a sour end for Monaghan.
Monaghan 0-14 Tyrone 0-17
73 mins - It’s been a pretty frenetic last few minutes. Amidst it all, we’ll have six minutes of injury time and McManus then slots over a free to bring Monaghan within three. Is there time?
Monaghan 0-14 Tyrone 0-18
75 mins - Monaghan throwing everything at Tyrone but they lose possession and Tyrone break to seal the win.
Monaghan 0-14 Tyrone 0-18
77 mins - More scuffles ensue and when we eventually resume, a goalmouth scramble follows as McManus’ low effort is cleared.
Paul Finlay is then the latest Monaghan player to see red for a second yellow for a high fist on Peter Harte.
FULL-TIME: Monaghan 0-14 Tyrone 0-18
And that’s it. Tyrone are through to the All-Ireland semi-final to face Kerry on 23 August.
Thanks for joining us for the first of today’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals. Mayo v Donegal is next up and you can follow it all over here with Niall Kelly.
