Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Quarter-Final

Dublin            1-16 Monaghan 0-8                          5/8/12

 

Monaghan exited the All-Ireland MFC against a powerful and skilful Dublin team in Sunday’s quarter-final in Newry. Dublin were always in charge after a flying start and Monaghan never really looked like getting back into the game, even though they never threw in the towel and were far more competitive in the second half. Dublin had fine performances from Gavin Burke, Shane Carthy, Cormac Costello, Eric Lowndes, David Byrne, Maitias Mac Donncha and Niall Scully, while Pádraic Keenan, Barry Hanratty and Ryan McAnespie led the Monaghan challenge.

Dublin took just a minute to open the scoring through Eric Lowndes, who had been well-placed by Cormac Costello. Shane Carthy kicked a brace of points – one from a free after a foul on Niall Scully – before Lowndes added his second of the opening stages. Monaghan did have a chance on five minutes when a high ball from Dessie Ward dropped for Kevin O’Hanlon, but his shot was well saved by Dublin keeper Lorcan Molloy, although they survived a scare at the other end when David Campbell punched a close-range effort off the post (although it wouldn’t have counted as the referee ruled he had been in the square).

Cormac Costello linked up with Niall Scully to make it five without reply for Dublin, but Monaghan were now growing into the game and they finally got off the mark on 19 minutes when Pádraic Keenan converted a 30-metre free for a foul on David McAlister. James McElroy added Monaghan’s first from play when he sent a smart finish over on the turn, following good work by Keenan and Conor McCarthy. Dublin quickly replied through Campbell, before Costello swung over a good score from a tight angle.

Campbell had a goal disallowed in the 30^th minute after he was again adjudged to have been in the square before the pass came from Gavin Burke, while Monaghan were unlucky at the other end when Ward’s shot hit an upright and fell for McElroy, who was denied by a fine block by Dublin full-back David Byrne. Dublin were well worth their five-point half-time lead: 0-7 to 0-2.

A long-range effort from Shane Carthy carried all the way over the bar to get Dublin up and running in the second half and although McAlister converted a free from the right wing after a foul on Ryan McAnespie, Burke provided a quick response for the Leinster champions. A 30-metre free by Keenan, after a foul on substitute Fergal McGeough, was quickly cancelled out by Burke, before McGeough kicked one of the scores of the match with an excellent score from distance.

Niall Scully won the following kick-out and set Burke free to race clear and tap over his third of the half and he quickly added another after taking a pass from Lowndes. Dublin sub Conor McHugh had a great chance to find the net in the 12^th minute when he punched a Costello cross towards goal, but Monaghan’s replacement goalkeeper David Kirk showed good reactions to keep it out. Costello then fisted a point, before setting up Stephen Cunningham to fire home the only goal of the game and quickly tagging on another point from play. Conor McCarthy got a point back for Monaghan and Keenan added a fine score at the end of a well-worked move involving McGeough, McAnespie and Adam Kieran.

A Burke point kept Dublin in control and they had another goal chance when Stephen Cunningham released fellow midfielder Carthy, only for Kirk to block with his feet. Keenan continued to drive Monaghan forward, kicking a well-taken point at the end of an attack involving McGeough and Brian Greenan, but the Dubs had the final say when Maitias Mac Donncha linked up with Lowndes to split the posts. Dublin are now clear favourites to win the All-Ireland after Tipperary’s surprise quarter-final defeat and on this evidence, it’s easy to see why. Monaghan can still reflect on a positive season despite the disappointment of this defeat.

 

Dublin: L Molloy; E Mullan, D Byrne, R McGowan; M Mac Donncha (0-1), C Mullally, E Lowndes (0-2); Stephen Cunningham (1-0), S Carthy (0-3, 1f); R Gaughan, C Costello (0-4), N Walsh; N Scully, D Campbell (0-1), G Burke (0-5).

Subs: Shane Cunningham for Gaughan (inj., 25 mins), C McHugh for Campbell (36), T Quinn for Walsh (55), D Gormley for Scully (58).

 

Monaghan: C Forde; S Conlon, S Buckley, B Greenan; M Magee, P Keenan (Capt., 0-4, 2f), F Malone; B Hanratty, J McElroy (0-1); R McAnespie, C McCarthy (0-1), R Wylie; D Ward, D McAlister (0-1f), K O’Hanlon.

Subs: F McGeough (0-1) for O’Hanlon (28), A Kieran for Ward, D Kirk for Forde (both H-T), L Smyth for McAlister (57), D McElroy for J McElroy (56).

 

Referee: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary).