Ulster Minor Hurling League Final

Monaghan Harps 1-11 Naomh Moninne 0-8

Monaghan Harps won the Ulster Minor Hurling League Final against Naomh Moninne, Dundalk in cold conditions at Cloghan last Sunday. Following impressive knock-out stage wins over Cootehill Celtic (Cavan) and Lisbellaw (Fermanagh), the Harps led from early on in this final. Naomh Moninne saw Carrickmacross, who edged out the Harps after a replay to win the Monaghan MHC, in a tight semi-final, but they trailed throughout the game.

Cathal Power and Aidan Burns were in form in front of the posts as the Harps held a narrow lead for much of the first half, which they ended with a 0-7 to 0-5 advantage. Burns and Remy McKenna stretched the gap at the start of the second half and the Harps made a crucial breakthrough with the only goal in the 38th minute when great work by Mark Murphy and Kieran McQuaid led to a clinical finish by Lochlainn Power. Kieran McQuaid went close to a second goal minutes later when he hit the crossbar, before Cathal Power converted another free for the leaders.

Naomh Moninne cut their deficit to two points again, led by the impressive Darren Geoghegan, but the Harps defence stood strong, well marshalled by Dylan McAree at full-back. Cathal Power and Burns were on target again, before Remy McKenna added a fine point at the end of a strong run to make the final score 1-11 to 0-8 in favour of the Harps.

Monaghan Harps: Cillian Sherry; Emmet Walshe, Dylan McAree, Conor Duffy; Anthony Greenan, Cathal Power (0-5), Tommy Croarkin; Niall McManus, Aidan Burns (0-4); Nathan O’Donoghue, Remy McKenna (0-2), Lochlainn Power (1-0); Conor McCrystal, Kieran McQuaid, Mark Murphy (Capt.).

Subs: Seán Conway, John Lowry, Luke Mulligan, Conor Devlin, Stefan McQuaid, Andrew Connolly.