Bank of Ireland Dr. McKenna Cup Section B
Monaghan 1-13 St. Mary’s University, Belfast 0-10 18/1/17
Monaghan advanced to the Dr. McKenna Cup semi-finals as Section B winners after they got the better of St. Mary’s University in Inniskeen on Wednesday night.
Monaghan trailed by 0-5 to 0-4 at the end of a scrappy first half, but they upped their game after the restart to secure a third win of the group stage. Cathal McShane’s fifth point for St. Mary’s put the Ranch two up early in the second half, but Conor McManus also finished with 0-6 to mark his first appearance of the year for Monaghan, who scored the only goal through Dermot Malone on 50 minutes.
A Monaghan team showing 12 changes from the win over Antrim had eight scorers as they eventually pulled away. Stephen Finnegan, Aaron Lynch and Stephen McCabe all made their first senior inter-county starts.
Monaghan will face Derry in the semi-finals at Armagh’s Athletic Grounds this Sunday at 2pm.
Monaghan: R Beggan; F Kelly (0-1), K McQuaid, R Wylie (0-1); J Mealiff, N McAdam (0-1), S Finnegan (0-1); D Hughes, A Lynch; S McCabe, C McManus (Capt., 0-6, 4f), G Doogan; D McAlister, D Malone (1-1), O Duffy.
Subs: T Kerr for Duffy (black card, 18), S Carey (0-1) for McAlister, N Kearns for Lynch, K O’Connell for McCabe (all H-T), D Mone (0-1) for Mealiff (48), K Hughes for McManus (59).
St. Mary’s: M Reid; K Mallon, R Mooney, J Hannigan; C Mac Íomhar, M O’Hare, C Byrne; K McKernan, B Óg McGilligan; P Óg McCrickard, C Meyler (0-2f), S McConville; J Colton, C McShane (0-6, 1f), J Óg Burns (0-1).
Subs: L Rafferty for McConville (black card, 45), N Toner for Burns (50), R McNulty (0-1) for McGilligan, C Mallon for Colton (both 62), A Beattie for Mac Íomhar (67), A McKernan for K Mallon (69).
Referee: C Mooney (Down).
By cshalvey Wed 18th Jan
