Ulster Minor Football League Semi-Final

Monaghan 3-14 Tyrone 1-16                                    20/4/13

Goals by Conor McCarthy (two) and Ryan McAnespie gave Monaghan victory over Tyrone in an entertaining Ulster MFL semi-final on Saturday. Despite being second-best at midfield for much of the game, Monaghan caused endless problems for the Tyrone defence and with McCarthy scoring 1-1 in the closing minutes, Frank Brady’s side got over the line. McCarthy, McAnespie, Fearghal McMahon and Kevin Loughran (whose move to midfield made a difference in the final quarter) played key roles for Monaghan, while Pádraig McGirr, Michael Lynn and Ruairí McGlone were best for Tyrone, who had ten scorers over the hour.

Monaghan made a perfect start, as David McAlister and Fearghal McMahon combined straight from the throw-in to release Conor McCarthy to fire to the net. Stephen McGrath got Tyrone off the mark and although Adam Treanor replied for Monaghan, Lee Brennan tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Cathal McShane, before Monaghan gave away cheap scores to Brennan and Dáire Gallagher. A good point from Pádraig McGirr edged Tyrone ahead for the first time and Gallagher added a point from a 40-metre free after a foul on Michael Lynn, but McMahon tapped over a 13-metre free for a foul on Ryan McAnespie to keep Monaghan in touch.

McMahon then won a 20-metre free for McAlister to convert, before McAnespie punched a Dermot Gleeson shot over the bar, only for Brennan to respond from a 20-metre free following a foul on Gallagher. McAnespie then popped up at the end of a well-worked move involving McCarthy and McMahon to punch to the net on 21 minutes and although McGrath got a point back for the hosts, another foul on McMahon allowed Ward to convert a 30-metre free. Ruairí McGlone kicked a brace of fine points in the space of a minute, but a fine counter-attack involving Kevin Loughran, McAlister and McAnespie set up a point for McCarthy, before McMahon won and scored a close-range free to send Monaghan in at half-time leading by 2-7 to 0-11.

Like in the first half, the first score of the second half was a goal, but this time it went to Tyrone, when Lynn took a pass from Shea Hamill and cut through to beat Conor Forde from close range. They quickly added a point through Christopher Morris, but a strong run by Adam Treanor created a point for McCarthy and Treanor hit a point of his own at the end of a move started by a great interception by Loughran. Micheál McCarville won the following kick-out to help make a point for McAnespie, who then won a 20-metre free which Ward sent over to double Monaghan’s lead.

Gallagher missed a good chance from a free for Tyrone – ruled out after the referee consulted with his umpires – before Dónal Meegan announced his arrival with a fine score, following good approach play by Aodh Curran and McCarthy. Tyrone sub Frank Burns ended 15 scoreless minutes for his team, but a foul on McAnespie allowed McMahon to land a well-struck 40-metre free. McGlone won a 20-metre free for Brennan to tap over, before points by Conor McKenna and Lynn brought Tyrone level, but Monaghan retook the lead when McCarthy applied a superb finish to a long ball from McAlister for his second goal. McCarthy quickly added a point and when Tyrone’s last chance from McGirr flashed wide, Monaghan had done enough to advance to the final against Donegal.

Monaghan: C Forde; S Treanor, K Loughran, C Martin; Adam Kieran, A Curran, C McElwain; D McAlister (0-1f), M McCarville; D Gleeson, R McAnespie (Capt., 1-2), A Treanor (0-2); C McCarthy (2-3), F McMahon (0-3f), D Ward (0-2f).

Subs: M Murnaghan for McElwain (14 mins), D Meegan (0-1) for Gleeson (35), P McArdle for McCarville (51), D Dolan for A Treanor (60).

Tyrone: S Fox; C McCann, D Devlin, C Byrne; S Hamill, C Morris (0-1), L McGillian (Capt.); P McGirr (0-1), R McHugh (0-1); C McShane, D Gallagher (0-2, 1f), R McGlone (0-2); L Brennan (0-4, 3f), S McGrath (0-2), M Lynn (1-1).

Subs: E McElroy for McCann (29), F Burns (0-1) for McHugh (H-T), C McKenna for McShane (32), T Donnelly for Gallagher (56).

Referee: R Barry (Down).