Cadbury’s Ulster Under-21 Football Championship Quarter-Final

Monaghan 1-12 Down 2-7

Monaghan booked a place in the semi-finals of the Ulster U-21 FC with a hard-earned win over Down in Inniskeen on Wednesday evening. The foundations for this win were laid in the first half, which Monaghan won despite playing against the wind, and despite a patchy second-half performance, the hosts got over the line. Monaghan had good displays from Christopher McKenna, Johnny McGuigan, Conor Boyle and Dónal Courtney, but they know they will need a significant improvement to defeat four-in-a-row-chasing Cavan next time out. Down’s challenge was led by Ruairí Wells, Michael Hughes and Ryan Johnston.

Thomas Kerr opened the scoring with a good point at the end of a strong run by Johnny McGuigan, but Michael Hughes raced onto a Ryan Johnston pass to drill a low shot into the net and give Down the lead. Monaghan soon hit back when Christopher McKenna raced through to score his side’s only goal of the game and he was also involved, along with Brian Greenan, in creating a point for his Truagh team-mate Paudie McKenna, who then himself turned provider for Fearghal McMahon to split the posts. Darragh O’Hanlon kept Down in touch from a 30-metre free after a foul on Caolán Rice and Down regained the advantage when Rice laid the ball off for Johnston to send a low shot beyond David Kirk. A left-footed point by Paudie McKenna brought Monaghan back on level terms, but they then lost county senior Ryan Wylie to a black card when he dragged Johnston down for a close-range free which O’Hanlon tapped over the bar. Christopher McKenna replied from a brace of 25-metre frees for fouls on Mark McGuirk and McMahon to edge Monaghan back into the lead, while Down then saw Gerard McGovern receive a black card. Kerr converted a pair of frees, following fouls on McMahon and Conor Boyle, before half-time to give Monaghan a 1-8 to 2-2 lead.

Christopher McKenna won and scored a 30-metre free to get Monaghan off to a good start in the second half and McMahon linked up with Shane Conlon to land a fine point from distance, but Monaghan then surprisingly went 20 minutes without adding to their tally. Down keeper Shane Harrison came to his side’s rescue when he made a great save from a Christopher McKenna shot and the visitors stayed in contention with a fisted point from substitute Conor McGrady ending their 24-minute score drought. A couple of close-range frees by O’Hanlon and a second point from McGrady closed the gap further, before Barry O’Hagan brought Down level with ten minutes remaining. Kerr curled over a free from the left wing, after a foul on sub Dessie Ward, to settle Monaghan’s nerves and a foul on Boyle allowed Christopher McKenna to take his tally to 1-4 from a 20-metre free and even though Monaghan wasted a gilt-edged goal chance in added time, they had done enough to set up a local derby with Cavan on April 2.

Monaghan: D Kirk; R Wylie, C Boyle, D Courtney; P Keenan, J McGuigan (Capt.), S Conlon; M Boyce, B Greenan; C Cromwell, C McKenna (1-4, 0-4f), T Kerr (0-4, 3f); M McGuirk, P McKenna (0-2), F McMahon (0-2).

Subs: J Murphy for Wylie (black card, 15), D Ward for McMahon (46), S Buckley for Boyce (51), R McEnaney for Conlon (52), D Freeman for McGuirk (57), F Malone for Courtney (61).

Down: S Harrison; D Branagan, G McGovern, A Doherty; M Hughes (1-0), C McCartan (Capt.), D O’Hanlon (0-4f); R Wells, J Barr; B O’Hagan (0-1), R Johnston (1-0), N McPolin; C Rice, S Dornan, C Gallagher.

Subs: A Morgan for McGovern (black card, 27), C McGrady (0-2) for Johnston (34), S Murray for O’Hagan (57), C Doran for McPolin (58), C Quinn for Rice (60).

Referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh).