Ulster Minor Football League Semi-Finals

Monaghan 0-9 Derry 3-10                            21/4/12                                   

Monaghan exited the Ulster Minor Football League with a heavy defeat against Derry in the semi-finals at Scotstown on Saturday. First-half goals by Terence O’Brien (two) and James Kearney did the damage for a Derry team who were backboned by Ulster minor club champions Glen and MacRory Cup finalists St. Pat’s, Maghera. Monaghan made nothing of a number of goal chances, including a first-half penalty, but in truth, they were second best in most sectors against a strong Derry outfit who had scores from all six forwards, both midfielders and a half-back. Ryan Bell, Ciarán McFaul, Ryan Dougan, Peter Cassidy and Gerard Bradley were to the fore for Derry, while inspirational captain Pádraic Keenan led Monaghan’s challenge, supported by Fergal Malone and Barry Hanratty.

Monaghan opened the scoring in the first minute through Darren McElroy, but Derry struck for their first goal just over a minute later when Ciarán McFaul and Ryan Dougan combined to release Terence O’Brien to finish from close range. Pádraic Keenan got two points back (one from a free) to bring Monaghan level, but McFaul kicked a point to regain the lead for Derry, who then won a penalty when Dougan was fouled after he had played a one-two with midfield colleague Peter Cassidy. O’Brien gave David Kirk no chance from the spot-kick for his second major. Keenan won and scored a 30-metre free for Monaghan, but Derry went four up once again when a Gerard Bradley effort was given as a point after referee Enda McBrien consulted with his umpires, one of whom had originally signalled a wide. Fergal McGeough landed a good score from distance for Monaghan, who then won their own penalty when a long ball from Barry Hanratty was broken down by James McElroy to Darren McElroy, who was brought down. Adam Treanor’s shot was saved by Derry keeper Chris Bradley, however, and the visitors made Monaghan pay when a pass over the top of the full-back line by Conor McAtamney sent James Kearney in for their third goal. Cassidy added a good point and Gerard Bradley tapped over a 13-metre free for a foul on Kearney to open up an eight-point gap, although Ryan McAnespie got on the end of a Mark Magee pass to clip over a nice point from a tight angle for Monaghan. Derry still led by 3-4 to 0-6 at half-time.

Ryan Bell got the first two points of the second half for Derry – one from a 20-metre free after a foul on Kearney and the other from play after a pass from Danny Tallon – before Liam McGoldrick added his name to the list of scorers at the end of a move involving Bell and Tallon. Chris Bradley was quick off his line to avert the danger when Darren McElroy looked set to latch onto a McGeough pass, before Monaghan keeper David Kirk denied O’Brien a hat-trick when the full-forward got a fist to a long ball from Cassidy. Monaghan failed to make another brace of goal chances count in the final quarter, as Donnacha Dolan was unable to hold on to a Barry McGinn pass and Keenan drilled a low shot wide at the end of a rare flowing attack involving Hanratty, Darren McElroy and Seán Mohan. Keenan did get a point back after a one-two with Hanratty, but superb long-range scores by Dougan and Tallon moved Derry ten clear. Gerard Bradley tagged on a point after a clever pass by McFaul and although Monaghan got the last score with a well-taken effort from substitute Killian Rudden, the result had been decided long before the end.

Monaghan: D Kirk; F Malone, M Magee, R Wylie; A Kieran, B Hanratty, M Murnaghan; B Greenan, J McElroy; P Keenan (Capt., 0-5, 3f), F McGeough (0-1), D McElroy (0-1); A Treanor, D Dolan, R McAnespie (0-1).

Subs: B McGinn for J McElroy (30 mins), D Ward for Treanor (38), S Mohan for McGeough (48), K Rudden (0-1) for Dolan (55).

Derry: C Bradley, C Gallagher, R McDonnell, G Doyle; L McGoldrick (0-1), C McAtamney, C McCarville; R Dougan (0-1), P Cassidy (0-1); G Bradley (0-3, 1f), R Bell (0-2, 1f), J Kearney (1-0); C McFaul (Capt., 0-1), T O’Brien (2-0, 1 pen), D Tallon (0-1).

Subs: O Hegarty for Gallagher (inj., 27), R Moore for O’Brien, J Barton for McGoldrick (both 48), P Burns for Bell, C Mulholland for McAtamney (both 50).

Referee: E McBrien (Fermanagh).