Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football Championship Qualifier Round 3
Monaghan 1-20 Down 1-16 (AET) 20/5/18
Monaghan qualified for the Ulster MFC semi-finals with an extra-time win over Down in Omagh on Sunday. An error-strewn first-half performance saw Monaghan change ends trailing by 0-6 to 0-3 and an Anthony Morgan goal after the restart doubled Down’s lead to six points. A Donnach Swinburne goal gave Monaghan a much-needed boost at the three-quarter mark and some good scores from impressive wing-forwards Aaron Mulligan and Karl Gallagher helped Séamus McEnaney’s side get on top. When substitute Darragh Dempsey edged Monaghan ahead deep into added time, they looked to have done enough, only for a Justin Clarke free to bring Down level at 1-12 apiece.
Tiredness didn’t stop the teams sharing six points in the first half of extra-time to leave the scores still tied at 1-15 each, before Monaghan took charge. The winners kicked the last five points to eventually get over the line and set up a semi-final derby against Cavan at the end of June.
Monaghan: R Farrelly; R Grimes, J Doogan, S Hanratty; C Flood, B Óg Ó Dufaigh (Capt.), J McGarrell (0-2); A Moore, J Wilson; A Mulligan (0-7, 2f), S Jones (0-3, 1f), K Gallagher (0-4); J Irwin (0-1), L Power, D Swinburne (1-1).
Subs: M Meehan for Flood (black card, 24 mins), O O’Hanlon for Moore (35), D Dempsey (0-1) for Power (44), M Mooney for Wilson (54).
Extra-Time Subs: A Moore for O’Hanlon, R Hanratty (0-1) for Dempsey (12), O O’Hanlon for Swinburne (16).
Down: D Sheridan; S Campbell, L Toal, L Brannigan; D Fegan (Capt.), G Fitzpatrick, R Tumilty; J Clarke (0-3, 2f), A Morgan (1-0); S Johnston (0-3, 2f), M Cunningham (0-1), T Smyth (0-1); A Crimmins, R Connolly (0-5, 1f), T Close (0-1f).
Subs: P McMullan (0-1) for Tumilty (40), C Saul for Campbell (47), J McGovern for Crimmins (50), É Brown for Morgan (59).
Extra-Time Subs: P Quinn for Brown, É Brown (0-1) for Smyth (inj., 8), P Brookes for Cunningham (9), B Boyd for Clarke (inj., 16)
Referee: K Eannetta (Tyrone).
By cshalvey Tue 22nd May
