Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup Section B

Fermanagh 0-11 Monaghan 2-20                             15/1/14

Monaghan booked a Dr. McKenna Cup semi-final place with a comprehensive win over Fermanagh in Enniskillen on Wednesday night. A second win in four days saw Monaghan, who were particularly dominant after the restart, secure the best runners-up slot and a place in the last four against Cavan on Sunday, helped by a goal in either half from Shane Carey and Christopher McGuinness. Ten players got on the scoresheet in a strong team performance by Monaghan, with Thomas Kerr, Paul Finlay, Dermot Malone, Pádraic Keenan and Carey among those to star against a disappointing Fermanagh side far too reliant on Séamus and Seán Quigley.

Séamus Quigley gave Monaghan an early warning when he won and scored a 20-metre free, but Thomas Kerr equalised after Shane Smyth broke a high ball down to Dermot Malone. Gavin Doogan blazed a goal chance over the bar after he had been put through by Stephen Gollogly, before Paul Finlay set up a point for Malone and Kerr doubled his tally in a hectic start. Seán Quigley replied for Fermanagh after Séamus had knocked a long ball from Eoin Donnelly into his brother’s path and the same duo combined for the next point when Seán pounced on a ’45 from Séamus that fell short. Séamus Quigley then got on the end of a Tommy McElroy pass to bring Fermanagh level, but that was as good as it got for the hosts. A clever pass from Kerr released Shane Carey to slide home the opening goal in the tenth minute and Monaghan almost had a second within a minute when Malone was blocked down after he had been given space by a flick from Smyth. Malone then swung over a good point and although Séamus Quigley won and scored a close-range free, Finlay responded from a 30-metre free after a foul on Malone, who then set up a goal chance which saw Smyth denied by Fermanagh keeper Chris Snow.

Kerr tapped over a 20-metre free after Johnny Woods had touched the ball on the ground, before a patient attack involving Gollogly, Malone and Conor Galligan was expertly finished by Finlay. A foul on Ciarán McBrien gave Séamus Quigley a 20-metre free to get a much-needed point for Fermanagh and after Galligan had been shown a black card for a late tackle on Donnelly, the hosts gained some hope when substitute Éamon Maguire made a quick impact with a fine point. Monaghan had the last say of the half, however, when a scramble in front of the Fermanagh goal led to Carey nicking a point and making the interval score 1-10 to 0-7.

The Quigley brothers linked up just after the restart when Séamus laid the ball off for Seán, but his shot was well saved by Monaghan’s debutant goalkeeper Damien Lavelle, who also dealt well with a dangerous centre from McElroy. Finlay was on target at the other end from a 30-metre free won by Kieran Duffy, before Fintan Kelly got forward to assist a point for Smyth. A close-range free by Kerr, following a foul on Carey, was cancelled out by a Seán Quigley ’45, but a great strike by Finlay gave the Ballybay star his 500^th competitive point for his county. Jack McCarron marked his introduction with a point from a 30-metre free after a foul on Malone, before both sides failed to take goal chances; Donnelly failing to connect with an attempted volley at one end, before McCarron drilled a low shot just wide.

Seán Quigley got a point back for Fermanagh, but McCarron landed another 30-metre free after a foul on Kerr and sub Christopher McGuinness then burst through for a clinically-taken goal five minutes from time. A close-in free by Séamus Quigley was wiped out by a first senior point from Conor Boyle, before McCarron converted a third free for a foul on Karl O’Connell. Séamus Quigley went for goal from another 13-metre free at the death, but his effort rose over the bar, ensuring that Monaghan kept a second clean sheet to go with another comfortable win. A different test awaits at the same venue on Sunday, when Cavan provide the opposition for a local derby semi-final.

Fermanagh: C Snow; J Woods, A Breen, C Foy; D McCusker, T McElroy, C Mulligan; E Donnelly (Capt.), R Hyde; A Boyle, S McElrone, M McAleer; C McBrien, Séamus Quigley (0-6, 5f), Seán Quigley (0-4, 1f, 1 ’45).

Subs: N Cassidy for McAleer, E Maguire (0-1) for McBrien, T Daly for Hyde (all 28 mins), T Corrigan for Boyle, N Shannon for Mulligan (both 46), P McCusker for Cassidy (inj., 62).

Monaghan: D Lavelle; C Boyle (0-1), F Kelly, R Wylie; K O’Connell, K Duffy, C Galligan; G Doogan (0-1), P Finlay (0-4, 2f); S Carey (1-1), S Gollogly (Capt.), T Kerr (0-6, 2f); D Malone (0-2), S Smyth (0-1), P Keenan.

Subs: V Corey for Galligan (black card, 26), D Clerkin (0-1) for Doogan (H-T), M McElroy for Finlay (49), J McCarron (0-3f) for Carey (50), C McGuinness (1-0) for Malone (57).

Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).