Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Semi-Final

Kerry 1-16 Monaghan 2-11                                      12/8/18

Monaghan’s minor footballers were also pipped at the finishing post on Sunday in their All-Ireland MFC semi-final against holders Kerry at Croke Park.

Kerry led from the off, with Dylan Geaney and Darragh Rahilly leading the scoring as they moved six points clear. Jason Irwin, Lochlainn Power and Aaron Mulligan brought Monaghan within four (0-10 to 0-6) by the end of the first half, but Séamus McEnaney’s side faced an uphill task after a Dan Mangan goal helped Kerry open up a nine-point gap. Monaghan came roaring into the game inside the last ten minutes, with goals from Irwin and sub Mark Mooney bringing them level, before Donnach Swinburne guided them ahead in added time. There was still time, however, for late points from Paul Walsh (two) and sub Jack Kennelly to claim a dramatic win for five-in-a-row-chasing Kerry, who will meet Galway in the final early next month.

Monaghan, who played 13 games at this level in 2018 (including eight in the MFC), can look back with pride on a year that saw them win Ulster league and championship titles.

Kerry: M Kelliher; D Murphy, C Moriarty, O Fitzgerald; D Mangan (1-0), C Flannery, D Lyne (0-1); D Rahilly (0-3), P O’Shea (Capt.); D McCarthy (0-2), P D’Arcy, K Falvey (0-1); P Walsh (0-3, 2f), D Geaney (0-5, 2f), M Lenihan.

Subs: J O’Connor for D’Arcy (H-T), J McCarthy for Lenihan (47 mins), J Kennelly (0-1) for O’Connor (47), K O’Donoghue for Mangan (inj., 58), R Ó Beaglaoích for Geaney (60 + 3).

Monaghan: R Farrelly; J Doogan, R Grimes, C Flood; B Óg Ó Dufaigh (Capt.), S Hanratty, M Meehan; J McGarrell, A Moore; J Irwin (1-1), A Mulligan (0-4, 1f), K Gallagher; D Swinburne (0-1), L Power (0-1), S Jones (0-4f).

Subs: O O’Hanlon for Meehan, M Mooney (1-0) for McGarrell (both 36), D Dempsey for Power (48), J Wilson for Gallagher (59).

Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).