Monaghan  1-13, Down 1-10.

Monaghan got the defence of their Ulster minor football championship off to a wining start when they came with a late flurry to defeat Down in this very entertaining contest that was played in ideal conditions in Clones on Saturday last.

Down recovered from a three points deficit after eleven minutes to lead at the break by a point 0-5 to 0-4 and they went on to open a four point lead by the end of the third quarter, 1-9 to 0-8, the goal by Adam Crimmins, only to be caught by a resurgent Monaghan who outscored them by 1-5 to 0-1 in the final quarter, the goal by Tiarnan Kearns, to set up a quarter final meeting with Antrim this coming Saturday.

Scorers: Monaghan: T Kierans 1-1, J Irwin 0-4 (3f), D Dempsey 0-2 (2f), L McvDonald 0-2 (2f), K Gallagher 0-2, S Hanratty and D Marron 0-1 each. Down: A Crimmins 1-1, O Savage 0-3 (3f), J McGovern 0-2, R Magill, S McCusker, P Clancy and C McLoughlin 0-1 each. 

Monaghan: J Kirk, S Slevin, R Boyle, S Hanratty, D Treanor, E Duffy, K Connolly, C McKernan, D Kerley, D Marron, K Gallagher, T Kierans, D Dempsey, I Irwin, L McDonald. Subs:D McCann for C McKernan, 

Down: A Furlong, P McCarthy, S Donegan, R Campbell, R Magill, J Gray, D McMulen, P McEvoy, O Murdock, S McCusker, J McGovern, P Clancy, O Savage, A Crimmins, C McLoughlin. Subs: T Magee for D McMullen, O Cunningham for P McEvoy. Referee: P Clarke (Cavan).