Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football Championship Final

Monaghan 1-9 Derry 0-9                                          13/7/18           

Monaghan won their first Ulster MFC title since 2013 when they held on in a tense finish against Derry at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh on Friday night. The teams were level six times in a game that was ultimately decided when Donnach Swinburne converted a penalty for the only goal on 52 minutes.

Enda Downey kicked five points for Derry, but with Seán Jones and Man-of-the-Match award winner Aaron Mulligan hitting a combined 0-8 and Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh anchoring a disciplined Monaghan defence, Séamus McEnaney’s side got over the line, helped by a fine save by Ryan Farrelly late on. Next up is an All-Ireland quarter-final in two weeks’ time against the losers of next Sunday’s Leinster final between Meath and Kildare.                      

Monaghan: R Farrelly; R Grimes (0-1), J Doogan, S Hanratty; M Meehan, C Flood, B Óg Ó Dufaigh (Capt.); L Power, A Moore; K Gallagher, A Mulligan (0-5, 3f), J McGarrell; J Irwin, S Jones (0-3, 2f), D Swinburne (1-0, pen).

Subs: M Mooney for Power (42 mins), O O’Hanlon for Gallagher (60 + 2).

Derry: A Gillan; C Milne, T Woods, R McFaul, A Canavan, A McCluskey, J McErlain; N Doyle, I Donaghy (Capt.); E McElhennon, E Downey (0-5, 4f), E Doherty (0-1); E Hawe (0-1), S Murray, C McGuckin (0-2f).

Subs: PJ McAleese for Murray (41), D Mooney for Canavan (49), S Kearney for Hawe (55), J Dougan for Milne (inj., 60 + 2).

Temporary sub: S Kearney for McGuckin (18-22).

Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).