Nicky Rackard Cup Quarter-Final
Monaghan 1-16 Donegal 1-12 6/5/17
Monaghan are through to the Nicky Rackard Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2013 after a four-point win over Donegal in Inniskeen on Saturday. Donegal started brightly, with Gerard Gilmore finding the net to help them take a five-point lead, but Monaghan hit the last four scores of the first half to trail by just one at 0-7 to 1-5. Monaghan continued to take the game to their opponents after the restart, with Mark Treanor, Éanna Mac Suibhne and Brian McGuigan to the fore and Fergal Rafter on form from frees on his way to a tally of 0-10. Monaghan went six clear inside the final ten minutes via a Tadhg Campbell goal and although Declan Coulter hit a late hat-trick of points for Donegal, Trevor Hilliard’s side progressed to a semi-final away to Derry on Saturday, May 20.
Monaghan: P Bermingham; C Meegan, P Treanor, J Guinan; N Garland, M Murphy, B Flanagan; M Treanor (0-1), É Mac Suibhne; F Rafter (0-10f), T Campbell (1-1), C Boyle (0-1); B McGuigan (Capt., 0-3), S Leonard, S Lambe.
Subs: P Garland for Flanagan (33 mins), R Curran for Lambe (51), PJ Boyle for C Boyle (68), J Dooley for Leonard (71).
Donegal: P Burns; P Doherty, C McDermott, D Grant; J Boyle (0-1), J Donnelly, C Finn; D Cullen (Capt.), L Henderson (0-6f); S McVeigh, D Coulter (0-4), G Gilmore (1-0); B Lafferty, R McDermott, D Flynn (0-1).
Subs: N Cleary for R McDermott (52), K Campbell for Henderson (60).
Referee: A Devine (Westmeath).
By cshalvey Sat 6th May
