Nicky Rackard Cup Semi-Final
Donegal 5-12 Monaghan 2-9 25/5/13
Monaghan exited the Nicky Rackard Cup with this semi-final defeat against Donegal in Letterkenny last Saturday. Monaghan were unable to build on a promising first half, which featured a brace of goals from Brian McGuigan, as Lee Henderson came off the bench to inspire Donegal, who dominated from there to the final whistle. The supersub, who ended up as top scorer, was ably assisted by Ciarán Matthewson, Danny Cullen, Jamesie Donnelly and Enda McDermott, while Monaghan were too dependent on McGuigan, Mickey McHugh and Trevor Hilliard.
After Donegal had missed a few early chances, Monaghan took advantage when Brian McGuigan pulled on a loose ball to find the net in the tenth minute. Donegal got off the mark with a point from play by Danny Cullen and a 30-metre free by Ciarán Matthewson, after a foul on Paddy Hannigan, but Monaghan hit back through Mark Treanor, following good work by McGuigan.
Mickey McHugh then converted a ’65 and a long-range free for a foul on Trevor Hilliard, although Matthewson replied from a 20-metre free, following a foul on Jamesie Donnelly, and Enda McDermott added one from play. Monaghan moved further clear when a strong run by Mark Treanor set up McGuigan to find the net for the second time, before McHugh tapped over a 30-metre free for a foul on Fergal Rafter. Stephen Boyle got on the end of a long ball from Cullen to bring Donegal back into it with their first goal and a point from play by Matthewson left them trailing by just 2-5 to 1-5 at half-time.
Donegal wasted no time in hitting the first point of the second half through Cullen and although McHugh replied from a 45-metre free for a foul on Rafter, a harsh call then gave Donegal a long-range free, which saw Lee Henderson’s effort evade Gerard Ruddy and end up in the net. Matthewson then caught a Stephen Boyle cross and fired home despite the best efforts of Ruddy, who got a hurl to the shot, with points quickly following from Seán McVeigh and Hannigan.
McHugh thumped over a brace of long-range frees – the first after a foul on Mark Treanor and the second after Joe Boyle had over-carried – but Donegal moved further clear when another Henderson free dropped into the net. McHugh responded with his eighth point, from another free, but that proved to be Monaghan’s last score, as Donegal well and truly killed the game off when Enda McDermott scrambled home their fourth goal. Henderson then pointed a ’65, before turning provider for Matthewson to split the posts once again and hitting a point from play of his own to round off the scoring. Donegal will now play Roscommon in the final at Croke Park on June 8.
Donegal: P Burns; M McGrath, J McGee, B Harigan; C McDermott, J Donnelly, J Boyle; J Browne, D Cullen (0-2); R McDermott, S McVeigh (0-1), E McDermott (1-1); C Matthewson (1-4, 0-2f), P Hannigan (0-1), S Boyle (1-0).
Subs: L Henderson (2-3, 2-1f, 0-1 ’65) for Browne (H-T), K Campbell for Cullen (65 mins).
Monaghan: G Ruddy; S McNally, P Dowdall, D Crowe; M Murphy, P Treanor (Capt.), S Loftus; K Crawley, T Hilliard; F Rafter, M Treanor (0-1), B McGuigan (2-0); T Campbell, S Leonard, M McHugh (0-8, 7f, 1 ’65).
Subs: C McKenna for Rafter (42), H Byrne for Campbell (54), P Finnegan for Dowdall (57).
Referee: B Sweeney (Cavan).
By cshalvey Fri 31st May
