Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup Final

Tyrone 4-11 Monaghan 1-10                        26/1/13

 

Monaghan’s bid for a first Dr. McKenna Cup success in ten years ended with a heavy defeat against Tyrone in the final at Armagh’s Athletic Grounds on Saturday evening. Monaghan started brightly, with Kieran Hughes scoring an early goal, but playing into an increasingly strong wind in the first half, they lost their way and a nightmare finish to the opening 35 minutes saw Tyrone plunder a couple of goals and Monaghan lose Ronan McNally to a red card. The Red Hand County made their numerical advantage count after the restart with another brace of majors, including a late penalty by Peter Harte after Dessie Mone had been dismissed, giving them a somewhat flattering margin of victory. Tyrone captain Stephen O’Neill was named Man of the Match, while Peter Harte, Conor McAliskey and Mark and Matthew Donnelly were also to the fore. Kieran and Darren Hughes were best for Monaghan, who lost Dermot Malone to injury early on.

Monaghan were first off the mark when Paul Finlay converted a free for a foul on Kieran Hughes, although Tyrone responded with a well-taken point by Conor McAliskey and a free by Peter Harte. Monaghan hit the front again in the 12^th minute when a Conor McManus free was punched out into the hands of Kieran Hughes, who drilled home the opening goal. A brace of frees by Finlay, either side of a Stephen O’Neill free, left Monaghan three clear, but O’Neill hit back with two in quick succession; one superb score from play and the other from a free. The defending champions took the lead when Harte dispossessed Shane McQuillan, allowing Mark Donnelly to coolly slot the ball home. Owen Duffy got a point back for Monaghan, but McAliskey and Plunkett Kane both found their range to increase Tyrone’s lead and they quickly added a hammer blow when McAliskey and Harte combined to release Mark Donnelly and although his shot was well saved by Mark Keogh, O’Neill buried the rebound. Monaghan’s woes increased before half-time when Ronan McNally was shown a straight red card after an off-the-ball incident involving Peter Harte. Tyrone took a 2-7 to 1-4 advantage into the interval.

Any hopes Monaghan had of a comeback were all but extinguished within a couple of minutes of the restart, as Ronan McNamee kicked a point and Mark Donnelly found the net for the second time. Monaghan did get three points back from frees by Conor McManus and Finlay and a Darren Hughes ’45, but Seán Cavanagh (free) and sub Kevin Gallagher kept Tyrone in control. Long-range points by Darren and Kieran Hughes and Owen Duffy kept the gap down to six points, but McAliskey’s third point and Harte’s penalty goal after he had been dragged down by Dessie Mone (who picked up a second yellow card for his indiscretion) sealed Tyrone’s win. Monaghan have little time to lick their wounds, with the National Football League campaign starting at home to Meath on Sunday.

 

 

Tyrone: N Morgan; A McCrory, C Clarke, C McCarron; R McNamee (0-1), Joe McMahon, D McBride; P Kane (0-1), S Cavanagh (0-1f); T McCann, P Harte (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1f), Matthew Donnelly, C McAliskey (0-3), Stephen O’Neill (Capt., 1-3, 0-2f), Mark Donnelly (2-0).

Subs: Justin McMahon for Clarke (29 mins), R McKenna for McNamee (51), K Gallagher (0-1) for McCann (53), M Penrose for O’Neill (61), B Tierney for Cavanagh (69).

 

Monaghan: M Keogh; R McNally, F Kelly, K Duffy; D Mone, Darren Hughes (0-2, 1 ’45), M McElroy; D Clerkin, O Lennon; O Duffy (0-2), P Finlay (0-4f), S McQuillan; K Hughes (1-1), C McManus (Capt., 0-1f), D Malone.

Subs: S Smyth for Malone (inj., 8), G Doogan for McQuillan (41), N McAdam for Clerkin (46), C Galligan for McElroy (54), P McArdle for Finlay (57).

 

Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).