Allianz National Football League Division Two
Down 1-11 Monaghan 0-14 2/2/14
Monaghan had to settle for a draw in Sunday’s rearranged NFL opener against Down in Newry. Having led by six points at half-time and twice going seven clear early in the second half, Monaghan were well positioned to make a winning start, but a Conor Maginn goal gave Down hope and they gradually reeled the visitors in, with Dónal O’Hare converting two late frees to level it up. Monaghan gave Ryan Wylie, Conor Boyle, Pádraic Keenan and Thomas Kerr first league starts, while Drew Wylie and subs Conor McManus and Owen Lennon made their first appearances of 2014, but it was Jack McCarron (scorer of seven points), captain on the day Colin Walshe, Paul Finlay and goalkeeper Rory Beggan who were their best performers. Jerome Johnston, Aidan Carr, Conor Garvey and Ryan Mallon played key roles in a spirited Down comeback.
Down were first off the mark through Ryan Boyle after Dónal O’Hare went short from a free, but Thomas Kerr equalised for Monaghan, who also had a couple of goal chances in the opening stages. Kerr fired one wide after Christopher McGuinness won a breaking ball from a high delivery by Paul Finlay on Jack McCarron, while Dermot Malone failed to connect with a McGuinness pass. McCarron was also off-target from a free, but he opened his account from a 35-metre effort, after he had been fouled, while Kerr converted a 25-metre free for a foul on Finlay.
McCarron won and scored another 30-metre free, before Finlay burst from midfield, exchanged passes with Malone and sent over a fine score. From the following kick-out, Stephen Gollogly had a shot saved by Down keeper Shane Harrison, with McCarron sending the rebound over the bar. Jerome Johnston ended 14 scoreless minutes for Down with a well-taken point, but a foul on Gollogly allowed Rory Beggan to go forward and send a sweetly-struck 55-metre free all the way over. O’Hare replied with a free from the right wing, following a foul on Johnston, but Gollogly then released McCarron to finish well with his right foot. Darragh O’Hanlon landed a 40-metre free for Down, only for McCarron to respond in style after a one-two with Kerr. A counter-attack started by Colin Walshe then led to Dermot Malone doing well to keep a Dessie Mone pass in play and square it for McGuinness to split the posts and give Monaghan a 0-10 to 0-4 half-time lead.
McCarron added a brace of right-footed points in the first three minutes of the second half – the first after good work by Walshe and Dessie Mone – either side of a score by Down sub Ryan Johnston, before Mourne midfielder Ryan Mallon sent a goal-attempt just wide. Down got right back into the game when Conor Maginn drilled a first-time shot past Beggan, from a Mark Poland pass, but Monaghan sub Conor McManus linked up with club-mate Conor Boyle to kick a fine point. McCarron was dispossessed as he bore down on goal and the hosts broke for Daniel McCartan and Ryan Boyle to combine and set up Conor Garvey for a well-taken point. Garvey then sent in a cross for sub Eoin McCartan to cut the gap to three points and a foul on Aidan Carr gave O’Hare the chance to convert a 40-metre free.
Down keeper Shane Harrison then lost the ball 30 metres out from his goal and dragged Kerr down, with McManus making no mistake from the resulting free, while his counterpart Beggan made confident catches from dangerous centres by Poland and Mallon. A Poland free created a point for Jerome Johnston and O’Hare then cut Down’s deficit to the minimum from a 25-metre free. O’Hare was given one more opportunity from 35 metres out in added time, following a foul on Ryan Johnston, and he took it to give Down a share of the spoils. Monaghan host Meath in round two next Sunday.
Down: S Harrison; D McCartan, P Turley, D O’Hagan; R Boyle (0-1), A Carr, C Garvey (0-1); G McArdle, R Mallon; D O’Hanlon (0-1f), M Poland (Capt.), J Johnston (0-2); D O’Hare (0-4f), N Madine, C Maginn (1-0).
Subs: R Johnston (0-1) for McArdle (20 mins), E McCartan (0-1) for Madine (53), D Savage for J Johnston (66).
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-1f); F Kelly, D Wylie, R Wylie; D Mone, C Walshe (Capt.), C Boyle; G Doogan, P Finlay (0-1); P Keenan, S Gollogly, T Kerr (0-2, 1f); J McCarron (0-7, 2f), C McGuinness (0-1), D Malone.
Subs: C McManus (0-2, 1f) for McGuinness (42), K Duffy for Mone (48), V Corey for D Wylie (53), K Hughes for Gollogly (57), O Lennon for Kerr (68).
Referee: C Reilly (Meath).
By cshalvey Sun 2nd Feb
