Nicky Rackard Cup Round 2A

Monaghan 3-14 Fingal 2-19                         30/4/16

Monaghan missed out on the direct route to the Nicky Rackard Cup semi-finals when they lost a high-scoring Round 2A game against Fingal in Castleblayney on Saturday. Stephen Lambe hit 1-2 early on as Monaghan started brightly, but Fingal hit 2-2 without reply at the start of the second quarter – the goals from John Matthew Sheridan and Darren Renahan – to lead by 2-9 to 1-9 at half-time. Fingal stayed narrowly ahead for most of the second half and even though two goals in quick succession by Deaglán Crowe briefly turned it in Monaghan’s favour, points from Sheridan and substitute Eoin Thynne helped Fingal edge through to the last four. Monaghan will play Donegal in the quarter-finals next weekend.

Monaghan: D McGahon; S McNally, P Finnegan, J Guinan; A Kenny, P Treanor (Capt.), C McKenna; S Forde, D Crowe (2-0); M Murphy, N Garland (0-4f), F Rafter (0-1); S Lambe (1-6, 0-5f), M Treanor (0-2), B McGuigan (0-1).

Subs: B Connor for McNally (43 mins), C Boyle for Murphy (53), T Campbell for Forde (63).

Fingal: M Cullen; N McCaffrey, D Fitzsimon, N Ring; K O’Flynn (Capt.), P Sheridan (0-2f); C O’Flynn, R McGarry; S Owens (0-1), L Kelly (0-1), K O’Sullivan (0-1); TJ Howard (0-3), D Renahan (1-0), JM Sheridan (1-9, 0-3f, 0-2 ‘65s).

Subs: J Fay Watt for McCaffrey (22), E Thynne (0-2) for Renahan (52), I Furlong for McGarry (60), E McCarthy for Kelly (63), D Cullen for Howard (70).

Referee: J Clarke (Cavan).