Allianz National Football League Division Three
Monaghan 5-13 Wicklow 3-10 16/3/13
Monaghan stayed top of the NFL Division Three with a high-scoring win over Wicklow in Clones on Sunday. The in-form Conor McManus hit 2-7 as Monaghan recovered from a very slow start to ease to victory, with Colin Walshe, Paul Finlay and Dermot Malone also getting goals. Neil McAdam, Owen Lennon and Darren and Kieran Hughes (before going off injured) also contributed well to Monaghan’s victory, while Austin O’Malley, substitute Seánie Furlong, Darren Hayden and Ciarán Hyland led Wicklow’s challenge.
Monaghan made a dreadful start, allowing Wicklow to open up a six-point lead. Austin O’Malley opened the scoring with a goal in the fourth minute after a long ball from Anthony McLoughlin went over the head of Fintan Kelly, while Brendan McCrea added a good point after a pass from Nicky Mernagh. Austin O’Malley tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Dean Healy for Wicklow, who had another goal chance when Jack Dalton raced through, only to lose possession. Monaghan belatedly got off the mark when Paul Finlay, who had earlier missed a scoreable free, converted a close-range free for a foul on Tommy Freeman. Darren Hayden kicked a fine point for Wicklow, but Monaghan got back into the game when Conor McManus fired to the net at the end of a superb run.
Kieran Hughes linked up with Finlay to blaze over, before Darren Hughes did likewise at the end of a move started by Conor Galligan. Kieran Hughes punched a Finlay cross over the bar, before Dalton fired a great chance wide, following a high ball in by Hayden. Dalton did manage a point a minute later, but Monaghan took charge when substitute Dermot Malone’s first act was to set up Finlay to slot past Wicklow keeper John Flynn. McManus added a point from a free after a foul on Colin Walshe and although Conor McGraynor replied from a well-struck 45-metre free, Neil McAdam got on the end of a move involving Walshe, Owen Duffy and Gavin Doogan to split the posts. McGraynor converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Hayden to make the half-time score Monaghan 2-6 Wicklow 1-6.
Malone set up McManus to kick the first point of the second half, before Tommy Freeman got on the end of a well-worked attack to kick his only score. A ’45 by McManus continued Monaghan’s dominance and although Seán Furlong won and scored a free for Wicklow, Freeman and Finlay combined to set up McManus to drill home his second goal with his left foot. McManus and Furlong swapped points from frees, after fouls on Owen Duffy and Furlong himself, before McManus converted another free for a foul on Darren Hughes.
Monaghan scored their third goal in some style when McManus made a great catch from a high ball by Darren Hughes and laid it off for Walshe to fire a superb finish into the top corner. McManus tagged on a couple of fine points from play, but O’Malley rounded Keogh to tap home his second major for Wicklow, who took another point off their deficit via a Furlong free. Furlong punched an O’Malley cross past Keogh for Wicklow’s third goal and James Stafford closed the gap to six when he blasted over after a high ball in by Hayden. They had another effort from sub Kevin Murphy blocked by Dessie Mone, before Monaghan sealed the win when Darren Hughes, McManus and Owen Duffy linked up to set up Malone to punch home goal number five from point-blank range. Monaghan now know that a win in Roscommon next Sunday will all but assure them of promotion.
Monaghan: M Keogh; D Mone, F Kelly, K Duffy; C Galligan, D Hughes (0-1), C Walshe (1-0); O Lennon (Capt.), N McAdam (0-1); G Doogan, P Finlay (1-1, 0-1f), O Duffy; K Hughes (0-2), C McManus (2-7, 0-3f, 0-1 ’45), T Freeman (0-1).
Subs: D Wylie for Galligan (25), V Corey for Kelly (45), S Gollogly for Doogan (52), D Clerkin for Lennon (63), P Donaghy for Finlay (70).
Temporary subs: D Malone (1-0) for K Hughes (inj., 24 mins), C McGuinness for Freeman (inj., 44).
Wicklow: J Flynn; C Hyland, A Byrne, L Benson; D Hayden (0-1), R Finn, D Healy; J Stafford (0-1), A McLoughlin; N Mernagh, P McWalter, J Dalton (0-1); C McGraynor (0-2f), A O’Malley (2-1, 0-1f), B McCrea (0-1).
Subs: S Furlong (1-3, 0-3f) for McCrea (H-T), P Dalton for Benson, P McLaughlin for Mernagh (both 47), J McGrath for McGraynor (50), K Murphy for McWalter (58).
Referee: F Kelly (Longford).
By michael Sat 16th Mar
