Monaghan Harps won both the Under-14 football and hurling championship finals recently.
Gerry’s Prepared Veg. Under-14 Hurling Championship Final
Monaghan Harps 4-11 Castleblayney 0-1
First up, the Harps made it three Under-14 HC wins in a row when they eased past Castleblayney in the final at Clontibret on Monday, April 29. It was a strong all-round team performance by the Harps, who will now represent Monaghan again at Féile na nGael in July.
Early points from Nathan O’Donoghue, Aidan Burns and Conor McCrystal got the Harps off to a good start, before Burns burst through the Blayney defence to fire home the opening goal. Conor Doyle then found the net, before Burns raised the green flag for the second time with an almost carbon-copy of his first goal. A fourth major from McCrystal and points by Burns, O’Donoghue and Ben Kearns-Flynn took the Harps’ first-half total to 4-8.
The second half was more evenly-matched, with the Harps playing against the wind, but they still managed points from McCrystal and O’Donoghue, before Castleblayney raised a cheer when Stephen McNally hit a point from a well-taken free to reward their efforts. Harps joint-captains Aidan Burns and Anthony Greenan accepted the Joe O’Rourke Cup from county vice-chairman Pádraig Sherry.
Monaghan Harps: C Sherry; L Power, S McKenna, J Lowry; A Greenan (Joint Capt.), D McAree, N Ward; A Burns (Joint Capt., 2-4, 0-2f), T Croarkin; N O’Donoghue (0-4, 2f), C Doyle (1-0), B Kearns-Flynn (0-2); S Ward, J Bourke, C McCrystal (1-2).
Subs used: Z Mallen, J Conor, S McCabe, S Conway, R Healy.
Castleblayney: K O’Connor; D Hughes, J McKitterick, J Lynch-Kelly; M Brennan, S McNally (0-1f), R Branigan; C Merrick, J McGurgan; L McQuillan, J Carville (Capt.), C Callan; J Mone, T McCaffrey, F McGeough.
Subs used: J Hughes, S Beattie, N Hughes, A Collins.
Referee: M Trainor (Clontibret).
Gerry’s Prepared Veg. Under-14 Football Championship Division One Final
Monaghan Harps 5-11 Killanny 1-4
Monaghan Harps then added the Division One football title with victory against Killanny in Blackhill on Saturday, May 4. The Harps were convincing winners on the day with a starting team which featured ten of the successful Under-14 hurlers. The Harps had impressive performances all over the pitch from the likes of Michael Mulligan, Ethan Mulligan, Conor McCrystal, Aidan Burns and Anthony Greenan, while Edward Walsh and Seán Finn led Killanny’s challenge.
Killanny were first off the mark through Edward Walsh, but the Harps hit back with a brace of points from James Bourke, either side of the opening goal by Ethan Murphy. Walsh replied from a free, but Murphy then scored his second goal to move the Harps six clear. A fine point from play by Walsh was cancelled out by Michael Mulligan, before Conor McCrystal scored a superb individual goal for the Harps. Mulligan added a free to give the Harps a 3-4 to 0-3 lead at half-time.
A good point from Bourke got the second half up and running, before Killanny goalkeeper Conor Grimes made a good save from a Mulligan penalty. Mulligan put that setback behind him to fire home a brace of goals in the space of four minutes and he also converted three frees. Seán Finn to fired a powerful shot to the net for Killanny, while Walsh added a point from a free, but points by Mulligan, Nathan O’Donoghue and McCrystal sealed victory for the Harps.
The Harps joint captains Aidan Burns and Ethan Murphy accepted the Mason Cup from County Coaching Officer Garrett Coyle after the game and the winners will now compete in Féile Peil na nÓg in Derry on the last weekend of June.
Monaghan Harps: D McAree; S McKenna, A Greenan, S John; N Ward, A Burns (Joint Capt.), U O’Rourke; J Shields, B Kearns-Flynn; C McCrystal (1-1), E Murphy (Joint Capt., 2-0), T Croarkin; N O’Donoghue (0-1f), J Bourke (0-3, 1f), M Mulligan (2-6, 0-5f).
Subs: Z Mallen for McKenna, C Peppard for Bourke (both 46 mins).
Killanny: C Grimes; C Guinan, S Finn (1-0), R Grimes; K Duffy, C Murray, C Callaghan; D Connolly (Capt.), T Byrne; K Collins, E Walsh (0-4, 2f), K Connolly; A McConnon, O McConnon, D Leegan.
Subs: C Reilly for A McConnon, D Leegan for R Grimes (both 40).
Referee: D Hurson (Drumhowan).
By cshalvey Thu 16th May
