Monaghan 1-9, Donegal 1-6.

Monaghan picked up their second brace of points in the Ulster Minor hurling league when they held out in a tight finish against a resurgent Donegal in Clones on Saturday last.  Monaghan were the more dominant team in the first half and playing with the wind they had opened a substantial lead by the break when they led by 1-8 to 0-3, Brendan McQuaid with the Monaghan goal. Donegal were a transformed team in the second-half and they carried the game to Monaghan who were under pressure for long periods but good disciplined defending and tenacious tackling saw them prevent Donegal from closing the gap completely.  Monaghan could have added more than their one-point return for the second-half but they were narrowly wide on four occasions and another effort came off the upright but it was the defence holding firm against Donegal’s best efforts  to turn it around that was the key.  Team and Scorers: Lorcan Murphy, Colm Meegan, Michael Murtagh, Damien Moorehead, Cormac McNally, Gareth Bannon, Rory McCann, Conor Cahill, Fergal Rafter, Jamie Guinan, Kevin Crawley, Niall Gartland, Brendan McQuaid, Aodh Curran, Gareth Keenan.  Subs used: Edwin Haran for G Keenan.