Allianz National Football League Division 1
Kildare 0-12 Monaghan 1-10 4/2/18
Monaghan edged out Kildare in a tight contest in Newbridge to get their first points of the 2018 Allianz NFL. Conor McCarthy made vital contributions with a first-half goal and the winning point from a free for a Monaghan side who saw Conor McManus come on to help them over the line. A team showing three changes from the one-point loss to Mayo – with Neil McAdam, Dermot Malone and the impressive Dessie Ward coming in – led by 1-6 to 0-5 at half-time, before holding on in the end. Kildare almost wiped their deficit out with a storming start to the second half, but Monaghan called on all their determination to claim a valuable away win. McManus was joined in appearing off the bench by Dessie Mone (on his 150th appearance for the county) and league debutant James Wilson.
Malachy O’Rourke’s side host Kerry in Inniskeen next Sunday.
Kildare: M Donnellan; P Kelly, D Hyland, M O’Grady; J Byrne, E Doyle (Capt.), C O’Donoghue; K Feely (0-3f), L Flynn; F Conway, C Healy, P Cribbin (0-3); B McCormack (0-3), D Flynn, C McNally.
Subs: D Slattery for Cribbin (black card, 35 mins), N Kelly (0-2) for McNally (HT), M Hyland for O’Grady (inj., 46), P Brophy (0-1) for McCormack (inj., 49), É Callaghan for Conway (black card, 54), J Hyland for Healy (65).
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-1f); K Duffy (0-1), C Boyle, B Kerr; N McAdam, P McGuirk, K O’Connell; D Hughes (Capt., 0-1), N Kearns (0-1f); D Ward (0-2), D Malone, F Kelly; C McCarthy (1-1, 0-1f), Jack McCarron (0-2, 1f), D Garland.
Subs: C Walshe for McGuirk (17), J Wilson for Garland (HT), D Mone for McAdam (39), C McManus (0-1f) for Malone (54), D Freeman for Wilson (61), O Duffy for McCarron (black card, 64).
Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).
By cshalvey Sun 4th Feb
