Ulster Senior Football Championship Semi-Final
Monaghan 0-14 Armagh 0-14
Monaghan will have to replay their Ulster SFC semi-final after Armagh rallied late on to draw in Clones on Saturday evening. The teams had seven scorers each and were level seven times in a tense local derby, where Armagh hit the last three points of either half to reel Monaghan in. Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan gave an exhibition of free-taking and Dessie Mone and Ryan Wylie defended valiantly, while the black-carding of Conor McManus nine minutes into the second half proved costly. Kevin Dyas, Stefan Campbell, Tony Kernan, Jamie Clarke and Ciarán McKeever showed well for Armagh, who were without Andy Mallon, Brendan Donaghy and Kieran Toner through suspension.
Jamie Clarke linked up with Stefan Campbell to kick a first-minute point, but Rory Beggan opened Monaghan’s account from a 50-metre free after a foul on Darren Hughes, before Pádraig Donaghy won a 30-metre free which gave Jack McCarron his first SFC score. Campbell linked up with Clarke to bring Armagh level, only for Beggan to again convert a 50-metre free for a foul on Darren Hughes, before Fintan Kelly set up Kieran Hughes to double their lead. Mark Shields popped up at the end of a patient Armagh move to kick a point, but a fine score from distance by Conor McManus kept Monaghan on top and Beggan landed a 45-metre free after a foul on Dessie Mone, while Kyle Carragher saw the game’s first black card for a late challenge on Dermot Malone. Finnian Moriarty won a 25-metre free for Tony Kernan to send over, while Aidan Forker, who had earlier had a shot at goal comfortably saved by Beggan, hit a nice score from the left wing. Campbell’s late point saw Armagh go in on level terms at 0-6 apiece.
A Clarke point edged Armagh ahead just after the restart, but McManus won and scored a 20-metre free and substitute Stephen Gollogly took a pass from Darren Hughes to clip over a good point with his left foot. Monaghan then lost McManus to an unfortunate balck card and Tony Kernan kept Armagh on terms with a well-taken point from a tight angle. A long-range left-footed score by Dick Clerkin and a 25-metre free by Gollogly, following a foul on Kieran Hughes, saw Monaghan move two ahead, but Armagh responded through the influential Kevin Dyas. Beggan and Tony Kernan swapped points from 30-metre frees after fouls on Darren Hughes and Stefan Forker, who then fisted over to equalise once again, only for Kieran Hughes to do the same at the other end, having caught a high ball by Paudie McKenna. A fifth Beggan free and a point by sub Christopher McGuinness, after good work by Dick Clerkin, moved Monaghan three clear down the home straight, but points by Clarke and Campbell set up a nervy finish and a jersey pull on sub Rory Grugan allowed the same player to level it up from a 30-metre free. The replay will take place in Clones on Sunday.
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-5f); R Wylie, D Wylie, C Walshe; D Mone, V Corey, F Kelly; D Clerkin (0-1), D Hughes; P Donaghy, J McCarron (0-1f), K Duffy; D Malone, K Hughes (0-2), C McManus (Capt., 0-2, 1f).
Subs: S Gollogly (0-2, 1f) for McCarron (H-T), C McGuinness (0-1) for McManus (black card, 44). P McKenna for Donaghy (51), P Finlay for Malone (62), K O’Connell for Kelly (69).
Armagh: P McEvoy; J Morgan, C Vernon, F Moriarty; A Kernan, M Shields (0-1), C McKeever (Capt.); E Rafferty, A Findon; E McVerry, K Dyas (0-1), A Forker (0-1); J Clarke (0-3, 1f), S Campbell (0-3), K Carragher.
Subs: T Kernan (0-3, 2f) for Carragher (black card, 21), S Harold for Rafferty (50), S Forker for A Forker (53), R Grugan (0-2, 1f) for McVerry (56), M Murray for Moriarty (64).
Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).
By cshalvey Sun 29th Jun
