Eirgrid All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship Semi-Final

Cork 2-15 Monaghan 1-16                                       16/4/16

Monaghan’s bid to qualify for a first All-Ireland Under-21 FC Final fell just short with a two-point defeat against Cork in Tullamore on Saturday. In a cracking semi-final, Monaghan conceded two first-half goals to Peter Kelleher and Ryan Harkin, either side of a Barry McGinn major for the Ulster champions. Cork led by 2-7 to 1-9 at half-time and they moved four clear inside the last ten minutes. Monaghan halved their deficit through late points by McGinn (taking his tally to 1-6) and Ryan McAnespie, but Cork held on to advance to the final against Mayo.

Cork: A Casey; M McSweeney, J Mullins, D Quinn; K Flahive, S Cronin, K Histon; S White, S O’Leary; S O’Donoghue (0-4), S Powter (0-3), R Harkin (1-1); B Coakley (0-2), P Kelleher (1-0), M Hurley (0-3).

Subs: E Lavers for O’Leary (H-T), R O’Toole (0-1) for Quinn (40 mins), S Sherlock (0-1) for Coakley (black card, 44), D Ó Duinnín for Harkin (54), C Dorgan for Powter (60).

Monaghan: C Forde (0-1f); B Kerr, M Murnaghan, K Loughran (Capt.); N Rooney, J Mealiff, D Ward (0-1); N Loughman, A Lynch; R McAnespie (0-1), B McGinn (1-6, 0-2f), D Meegan (0-1); F McMahon (0-3), C McCarthy (0-3, 1f), A Treanor.

Subs: F Maguire for Treanor (17), A Curran for Lynch (inj., 35), B McBennett for McMahon (39).

Referee: J Hickey (Carlow).