MONAGHAN 2-19     LOUTH 1-12

Monaghan Hurlers got their first win in Division 3A of the Allianz Hurling League with a 2-19 to 1-12 win over Louth yesterday in St Mary’s Park Castleblayney.

 The wee county had taken an early lead in the game going 3 points to 1 up after 6 minutes. However 4 unanswered points from the home side between the 7^th and 12^th minute saw them take a lead they were never to lose as they opened up a 2 point lead. Liam Dwan who was causing Monaghan all sorts of problems in the opening quarter did bring it back to the minimum in the 15^th minute with his 3^rd point of 5 that he registered in the first half, but Fergal Rafter’s goal in the 23^rd minute was to be the telling score of the opening 35 minutes as he played a brilliant one two with Brian Mc Guigan before finishing to the net. While Dwan did continue to keep the score board ticking for Louth, Monaghan were also registering at the other end as they took in a 1-09 to 0-06 point lead at the break.

Louth came out determined at the start of the 2^nd half to reduce the arrears with that man Dwan again registering a point but shot selection and a number of poor wides was to be their down fall as Monaghan made the most of their chances at the other end to extend the lead out to 1-12 to 0-08 by the 45^th minute.The Wee county did get a life line in the 55^th minute when Diarmuid Murphy’s free was deflected to the Monaghan net past the otherwise excellent  David Mc Gahon who give a great display of handling throughout. That goal was cancelled out 7 minutes later when Stephen Lambe was at the end of brilliant length of the field move to finish to the net to extend Monaghan’s lead out to 2-15 to 1-11.

Both sides continued to exchange points in the final few minutes, but Louth never looked like getting the goal they needed to bring themselves back into the game and Monaghans first points of the league were wrapped up with points from Stephen Forde, Fergal Rafter and Conor Mc Kenna, to leave it Monaghan 2-19 to 1-12 at the end..

Monaghan :- David Mc Gahon, Brian Flanagan, Patrick Finnegan, Shane Mc Nally,(0-02) Aaron Kenny, Peter Treanor, Conor Mc Kenna (0-01), Deaglán Crowe (0-01), Stephen Forde (0-01), Niall Garland (0-01), Mark Treanor (0-01), Fergal Rafter (1-02), Brian Mc Guigan (0-02), Stephen Lambe (1-05 3F), Aidan Kerr.

Subs used :- Conor Boyle (0-03 2F) for Shane Mc Nally, Ronan Curran for Niall Garland.

Louth: James Connolly, Conor Matthews, James Costello, Paul Challoner, Mike Lyons, Diarmuid Murphy(0-3), Andrew McCrave (0-1), Darren O Hanrahan, Shane Callan (0-1), Gerard Smith, Nigel Stanley, Patrick Lynch, Gary O Brien, Seaghan Connolly (1-1 (1-0f), Liam Dwan (0-5). Subs: Gerard McKeown (0-1) for S Connelly, Brian Carter for L Dwan, Ricky McKeown for P Challoner.

Referee: Colum Cunning(Antrim)