Monaghan got off the mark in the Allianz National Hurling League Division 3A with an excellent win away to Roscommon on Sunday. Despite conceding the opening goal on 12 minutes and hitting seven first-half wides, Monaghan were well worth their 1-5 to 1-3 interval lead; the goal coming from the slightest of touches by Tony Forde. Monaghan would never be caught in the second half, with thanks to resolute defending by the likes of Peter and Mark Treanor, a hard-working performance by captain Trevor Hilliard and scores by Hugh Byrne (who hit 0-7 from frees), Brian McGuigan and Seán Leonard.
Monaghan and Dublin both maintained their unbeaten starts to 2014 when they drew an entertaining Ladies NFL Division One game in Inniskeen on Sunday. Monaghan were four points down towards the end of the first half, but a Niamh Kindlon goal helped them draw level and with Kindlon, Cora Courtney and Caoimhe Mohan on target in the second period, the hosts were two up late on, only for a late brace by Natalie Hyland to earn a share of the spoils for Gregory McGonigle’s Dublin.
Truagh became the first Monaghan team to qualify for the Bank of Ireland Ulster Club Under-21 Football Championship Final with an ultimately comfortable win over Antrim side Portglenone in Creggan on Sunday. Truagh were pushed all the way by the Casements, but late goals by Niall Rooney, Christopher McAnenly and Aaron Treanor saw the north-Monaghan club into another Ulster final, where they will face Clonoe from Tyrone on Saturday, March 8.
One Monaghan school qualified for an Ulster final over the weekend, but another two saw their chances fall by the wayside. Our Lady’s, Castleblayney are through to the Danske Bank Ulster Colleges Senior ‘C’ Final after a 1-15 to 1-6 win over Holy Cross, Strabane on Friday, but St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan exited the ‘A’ MacRory Cup with a 3-7 to 2-4 quarter-final defeat against St. Patrick’s, Maghera later the same day, when goals by Conor McCarthy and Daithí Colton weren’t enough to topple the holders, who had majors by Paul Gunning (two) and Danny Tallon. There was also no luck for Patrician High School, Carrickmacross in their Senior ‘B’ MacLarnon Cup semi-final against Coláistí Inis Eoghain on Sunday. Dónal Meegan hit six points for Patrician, who also found the net twice through Ronan McDonald and Aaron Jones, but a hat-trick by county senior Darach O’Connor inspired a 4-10 to 2-13 win for the Donegal side.
Mixed fortunes also summed up the Sigerson finals weekend at Queen’s University for Monaghan’s representatives. Scotstown duo Kieran Hughes (who scored 0-5) and Rory Beggan and their county team-mate Colin Walshe of Doohamlet led UUJ to a Sigerson semi-final win over UCD and Ballybay’s Ryan Wylie on Friday, but the Monaghan trio and ‘the Poly’ fell just short in Saturday’s final against UCC, with a late point securing victory for the Cork college. Meanwhile, Brian Greenan (Clontibret) and Ronan Duffy (Killanny) helped St. Pat’s Drumcondra defeat a Dundalk IT side with nine Monaghan players in their panel in Friday’s semi-final, with Ballybay’s county man Thomas Kerr and Shane Coyle of Latton also booking a final place when Letterkenny IT beat Liverpool Hope University. The Dublin teacher-training institute ran out comfortable winners in the second-tier final on Saturday, led by All-Ireland SFC-winner Ciarán Kilkenny.
There was disappointment for Ulster in Sunday’s inter-provincial football championship final in Tuam. Clontibret forward Conor McManus scored three points for Ulster, who also brought on Kieran Hughes as a substitute, but Joe Kernan’s side fell to a heavy defeat against hosts Connacht.
Doohamlet returned to winning ways in the Quinn’s Corner Ulster Club Senior Football League Group A at home to Steelstown on Saturday, but Inniskeen let their unbeaten run in the Ulster Club Intermediate Football League Group B slip when they fell to a heavy defeat in Aghaloo on Sunday.
By cshalvey Mon 24th Feb
