Ulster Minor Football League Shield Semi-Final

Tyrone 1-14 Monaghan 3-7                       16/4/11

Monaghan’s Ulster Minor Football League campaign ended on Saturday when they let a five-point lead slip against Tyrone in the shield semi-finals at Healy Park, Omagh.

Monaghan got off to a good start with a first-minute goal by Pádraig McKenna and although Tyrone hit back to lead by 1-6 to 1-1 midway through the half, Monaghan hit 1-3 in the last ten minutes to lead by 2-4 to 0-6 at half-time, with Thomas Kerr getting the goal from a penalty and Mark McGuirk adding two late points.

Tyrone started the second half brightly, but Monaghan appeared to have weathered the storm as Michael Galligan and Johnny McGuigan kicked points before Kerr punched the ball to the net to put them five clear. Tyrone saved the best for last, though, as a storming finish saw them hit 1-3 without reply, including a goal by sub Aidan McGarrity and a winning point two minutes into injury-time by lively corner-forward Seán Hackett. Monaghan now have six weeks to prepare for their Ulster MFC first-round game against the same opposition.

Monaghan: C Forde; R Wylie, C Boyle, D Courtney; C Cromwell, P McKenna (1-0), P Keenan; B Greenan, J McGuigan (0-1); M McGuirk (0-2), K Rudden, N Greenan; M Galligan (0-3, 2f), T Kerr (Capt., 2-1, 1-0 pen), S McGuinness.

Subs: A Treanor for McGuirk (40 minutes), L Savage for Courtney (58).