SHAMROCK CUP U21 TOURNAMENT.
Monaghan 0-13, Antrim 0-4.
Monaghan booked their place in the final of the Shamrock Cup when they secured the points in their final round robin game against Antrim in Inniskeen at the weekend. Played in very difficult conditions, soft underfoot and heavy rain falling throughout, this was a game that never rose to any great heights and a game where both sides demonstrated more graft than craft with scores at a premium for long periods. Monaghan were never behind during the entire contest against an Antrim side that arrived with just 17 players and while they worked hard and recycled the ball very effectively throughout there were too many times when they failed to finish off good approach work with efforts going wide and quite a number dropping short. Monaghan on the other hand were that little bit more economical although in the first half despite dominating the early exchanges they went all of 15 minutes without a score after opening a four points to no score lead after just 11 minutes and not scoring again until the 26th minute. Adam Treanor and David McAlister did the bulk of the scoring as Monaghan led at half-time by 0-6 to 0-3.
In the second-half Monaghan retained control and pushed their lead out to 9 points by the 24th minute of the second period with Antrim registering their only score of the second-half a minute from the end of normal time.
Teams and Scorers:
Monaghan: T O’Brien, R Berg, K Loughran, C Vernon, D McAklister 0-3, J Mealiff, C Rice, N Loughman, M McCarville, A Lynch 0-1, A Treanor 0-5 (3f), C McAnenley 0-1, A McCaghey 0-2, B McBennett, F Maguire 0-1. Subs: J Beattie for N Loughman, N Rooney for d McAlister.
Antrim: R Hanna, R DeLargy, O Hamill, G McCorley, J McAuley, R Scott, C Lyttle, C Lunney, J Maskey, D O’Neill, R McCann 0-2 (1f), B Rice, c Dooey, C Small 0-1, S McGarry 0-1. Subs: M Kelly for B Rice, C DeLargy for D O’Neill. Referee: P Faloon (Down).
By Majella Boyd Sat 13th Feb
