Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup Section B

Monaghan 0-14 St. Mary’s University, Belfast 0-6                        8/1/12

Monaghan made a winning start to 2012 when they pulled away in the final quarter to see off St. Mary’s University at Clones in their Dr. McKenna Cup opener on Sunday. The first half was typical January football, with Monaghan looking far from full match sharpness, but Eamon McEneaney’s men improved as the game went on and a late burst of five unanswered points in the last eight minutes put a gloss on the final score. Karl O’Connell, Thomas O’Neill and Ciarán Daly all made their senior inter-county debuts, as did substitutes Ronan McNally, James Bellew and David Millar in front of an attendance of 650.

The half-time switch of Shane Smyth and Paul Finlay made a difference for Monaghan, as Smyth got on more ball at midfield and Finlay hit form at full-forward, kicking five points. Monaghan, who hit 13 points from play compared with just one for St. Mary’s, had good performances from Dermot Malone, Finlay, Darren Hughes, James Turley and Ciarán Hanratty, while goalkeeper Niall Morgan was the star man for the Belfast university, with the help of Niall Sludden and Michael Slane.

Monaghan took just 15 seconds to open the scoring when Ciarán Hanratty took a pass from Paul Finlay and sent a shot over the bar on the turn, but a brace of 25-metre frees by Brian Daly, after fouls on Gavin Teague and Oisín McKeever, gave St. Mary’s a narrow lead, which they doubled when goalkeeper Niall Morgan booted over a 45-metre free following a foul on Niall Sludden. Monaghan missed a couple of chances to add to their account, as Hanratty was denied a goal by a save from Morgan after the Blayney man had been put through by Bernard O’Brien, who then saw a point-attempt hit an upright. Matthew McKenna kicked a fine point off the outside of his right boot at the end of a move started by a quickly-taken sideline by James Turley to Finlay, but neither side scored in the next 23 minutes as play became very scrappy.

Monaghan survived a scare in the 29^th minute when a shot from Sludden hit the upright and rebounded as far as Christopher Conaghan, who poked the ball just wide from close range. The hosts finished the half with a flourish, though, as Hanratty kicked his second point after good work by Dermot Malone and Matthew McKenna, before turning provider for Stephen Gollogly to send a left-footed shot over the bar and edge Monaghan ahead by 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time.

Monaghan continued that late first-half burst by making a bright start to the second half, including a well-worked attack involving Shane Smyth, Gollogly, Turley and Malone which created a good point for Finlay. Monaghan then made a goal chance when Smyth, Malone, Turley and Hanratty combined to release substitute Owen Duffy, but Morgan was equal to the Latton man’s shot. Finlay linked up with Turley to curl over another fine point, before Conaghan clipped over the Ranch’s only score from play. Duffy had a second shot at goal in the eighth minute, but once again Niall Morgan came to the rescue of St. Mary’s, making an acrobatic dive to tip the ball over the bar.

Morgan then showed his ability at the other end by converting a 45-metre free, but well-taken points by McKenna and Duffy doubled Monaghan’s lead to four, although they needed debutant David Millar to make a good block to deny fellow sub Conor McMahon what looked a certain goal. A well-struck 40-metre free by Derry’s rising star Emmett Bradley kept St. Mary’s in touch, but Finlay replied after good approach play by Hanratty and Millar. Gollogly added a nice point from play and Finlay pointed a 25-metre free for a foul on Hanratty – Monaghan’s only score from a placed ball – before Finlay continued his strong finish by booting over a great effort from distance. Turley broke through to kick a point at the end of a strong run late on and that sealed a comfortable win for Monaghan, who will host Down (who also started with an eight-point win) at St. Tiernach’s Park next Sunday.

Monaghan: M Keogh; K O’Connell, Darren Hughes (Capt.), D Malone; C Galligan, V Corey, T O’Neill; C Daly, P Finlay (0-5, 1f); M McKenna (0-2), S Gollogly (0-2), J Turley (0-1); C Hanratty (0-2), S Smyth, B O’Brien.

Subs: O Duffy (0-2) for O’Brien (H-T), R McNally for Galligan (47 mins), J Bellew for Daly (56), D Millar for McKenna (57), D Morgan for O’Neill (61).

St. Mary’s University, Belfast: N Morgan (0-2f); M Slane (Capt.), D McBride, E McArdle; C O’Hara, G Teague, M Murray; N Donnelly, R O’Callaghan; D McCusker, R Sexton, N Sludden; B Doyle (0-2f), O McKeever, C Conaghan (0-1).

Subs: C McMahon for McKeever (42), B Herron for McCusker, E Bradley (0-1f) for O’Callaghan (both 44), T Canavan for Conaghan (54), J Gilmore for Sexton (63).

Referee: C O’Hagan (Tyrone).