Hastings Shield Semi-Final

Kerry 3-12 Monaghan 0-7                            24/1/15

Monaghan exited the Hastings tournament when they fell to a heavy defeat in Saturday’s shield semi-final against Kerry in Emo, Co Laois. Monaghan stayed well in touch throughout the first half, but a goal on the half-hour mark by Jack Barry gave Kerry a major breakthrough and they found the net twice in quick succession towards the end of the third quarter, through Dara Roche and Cillian Fitzgerald. There was no way back from there for a fairly experimental Monaghan, whose only three scorers were Fergal McGeough, Dónal Meegan and Alan McCahey, with one point from the latter their solitary score from play. Finbarr Fitzpatrick’s side will continue their championship preparations in the Shamrock Cup the weekend after next.

Kerry: D Ó Sé; B Begley, G Crowley, S Dillon; C Murphy, D Daly, C Long; J Barry (1-0) É O’Connor; M Burns (0-2), B Crowley (0-2), T O’Flaherty; D Roche (1-1), C Fitzgerald (1-0), C Keane (0-6, 5f, 1 ’45).

Subs: K McCarthy (0-1) for Dillon (26 mins), K Spillane for Fitzgerald (black card, 43), D Foran for Long (44), P McMahon for Barry (47), D Maher for Murphy (50).

Monaghan: D Kirk; C Meegan, K Loughran, F Malone; M Murnaghan, D Ward, S Buckley; J Beattie, B Greenan; D McAlister, F McGeough (0-3, 2 ‘45s, 1f), P Keenan; D Meegan (0-3f), N Loughman, A McCahey (0-2, 1f).

Subs: D McMahon for Loughman, C Rice for Greenan (inj.) (both H-T), A Kieran for Buckley (43 mins), N Rooney for McAlister (57).

Referee: B McCann (Laois).