Allianz National Football League Division Three

Monaghan 3-16 Antrim 0-13                        7/4/13

 Monaghan clinched promotion from the NFL Division Three with a comfortable win over Antrim in Clones on Sunday. Goals by Christopher McGuinness and Kieran and Darren Hughes helped Monaghan, who had nine scorers in all, ease home with 12 points to spare in the end. This result – Monaghan’s fifth victory out of seven – saw the Farney men top the table and secure a quick return to Division Two. As well as the goal-scorers, Monaghan also had good performances from Owen Lennon, Colin Walshe and Neil McAdam, while a much-changed Antrim were far too reliant on the impressive Paddy Cunningham.

Antrim made an opening as early as the first minute when Seán McVeigh picked out Paddy Cunningham, but his shot at goal was blocked by Colin Walshe and Monaghan broke forward for Kieran Hughes and Dermot Malone to combine and release Christopher McGuinness to turn and fire to the net. Paul Finlay then tapped over a 13-metre free after an off-the-ball foul on Conor McManus and Monaghan failed to make another goal chance count when Dermot Malone’s control let him down after good approach play by Darren Hughes, Finlay and Dick Clerkin. Paddy Cunningham got Antrim off the mark from a 30-metre free after a foul on Michael Pollock, but Kieran Hughes responded with two well-taken points; the first after good work by McManus and the second following a pass from Finlay.

Walshe also linked up with Finlay to bear down on goal, but his low shot hit the butt of the Antrim post and the visitors stayed in touch when Cunningham converted a 20-metre free for a foul on James Lavery, before McManus linked up with Owen Lennon to kick a fine left-footed point. Cunningham and McManus swapped points from 30-metre frees after fouls on Conor Murray and Kieran Hughes respectively, before Pollock hit Antrim’s first score from play in the 25^th minute. Monaghan moved further clear when a pinpoint pass by Walshe landed perfectly for Kieran Hughes to drill to the net. Cunningham hit a nice point from play for Antrim and although Finlay replied from a 25-metre free after a foul on Kieran Hughes, Kevin Niblock latched onto a quickly-taken free by Murray to conclude the first half with Monaghan ahead by 2-9 to 0-7.

Murray got the first point of the second half for Antrim, but Clerkin hit back after good work by Darren Hughes and Owen Duffy. Cunningham booted over from distance following a strong run by Seán McVeigh, before McGuinness had a goal disallowed when referee Seán Hehir ruled he had over-carried. Monaghan continued to make chances, as Kieran Hughes almost bundled the ball over the line when a Finlay free dropped short, with McGuinness blazing the rebound over, before Vincent Corey had a shot saved by Antrim keeper Chris Kerr after the substitute had been well-placed by Dermot Malone.

Monaghan didn’t have long to wait to see the Antrim net bulge for the third time when Darren Hughes burst through the centre to fire home. Owen Duffy added a good point at the end of an attack involving McManus and midfielders Owen Lennon and Clerkin, but Antrim hit back with three in a row – two from Cunningham and one by Pollock. Lennon ended that run with a well-taken score after a driving run by Owen Duffy, while Cunningham had a shot at goal from a 13-metre free blocked by a wall of Monaghan players. McManus kicked a brace of points from frees after fouls on Kieran Hughes and Stephen Gollogly and although Andy McClean rounded off the scoring with an outside-of-the-boot effort, Monaghan were convincing winners. Malachy O’Rourke’s side will now play Meath in the final, which is due to take place on Saturday, April 27.

 

 

Monaghan: R Beggan (0-1, ’45); R McNally, D Wylie, K Duffy; C Walshe, D Hughes (1-0), N McAdam; O Lennon (Capt., 0-1), D Clerkin (0-2); P Finlay (0-2f), D Malone, O Duffy (0-1); C McManus (0-5, 4f), K Hughes (1-2), C McGuinness (1-2).

Subs: V Corey for K Duffy (42 mins), S Gollogly for Malone (50), K O’Connell for McNally (54).

 

Antrim: C Kerr; N Delargy, J Crozier, K O’Boyle (Capt.); A Healy, M Johnson, D McCann; B Herron, S McVeigh; K Niblock (0-1), C Murray (0-1), J Lavery; P Cunningham (0-8, 4f), M Herron, M Pollock (0-2).

Subs: A McClean (0-1) for Crozier (inj., 16), R Johnson for McCann (27), M McCann for McVeigh (50).

 

Referee: S Hehir (Galway).