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

Cavan 1-7 Monaghan 0-4                             2/4/14

Monaghan were knocked out of the Ulster Under-21 FC by Cavan for the second year in a row in this low-scoring semi-final at a wet and windy Athletic Grounds, Armagh on Wednesday night. Monaghan had most of the possession early on, but they failed to make their superiority count and they were left to regret it. Monaghan managed just two points in each half and although they stayed in touch until well into the second half, the concession of a very soft goal killed off their chances. Conor Boyle, Paudie McKenna and Ryan Wylie did their best for Monaghan, but Aaron Watson, Killian Clarke, Ciarán Brady, Tom Hayes and Conor Moynagh helped Cavan through to a fifth consecutive final and kept their bid for a fourth successive Ulster title firmly on track.

Monaghan were first off the mark on ten minutes when Christopher McKenna converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Mark McGuirk, whose game was cut short by injury. Paudie McKenna then dropped in a dangerous ball on top of Conor McCarthy, but Cavan goalkeeper James Farrelly did well to punch it clear and Cavan got their opening score in the 18^th minute when Kevin Bouchier tapped over a 13-metre free for a foul on Enda Flanagan. Tom Hayes edged Cavan ahead with a good point from play and Bouchier converted a 20-metre free for a foul on Ciarán Brady, although Paudie McKenna kept Monaghan in touch when he linked up with Johnny McGuigan to curl over a great score from the left wing. Cavan had a great goal chance in additional time, but Tom Hayes was denied by a brilliant block by Ryan Wylie, leaving Monaghan trailing by just a point at half-time: 0-3 to 0-2.

Bouchier was off-target from a scoreable free in the first minute of the second half, but Monaghan promptly gave the ball away to allow Hayes kick a point, although Brian Greenan landed a good score to keep Monaghan within one. Dara McVeety doubled Cavan’s lead again after a Conor Madden ’45 dropped short, before Monaghan sub keeper Darren McDonnell, who replaced David Kirk, who had to be stretchered off, saved from Hayes after the St. Macartan’s student cut through. Disaster struck for Monaghan 12 minutes from time, however, when a long-range point-attempt by Michael Argue dropped over McDonnell’s head into the net. Christopher McKenna replied from a 25-metre free after a foul on Pádraic Keenan, but Kerr saw a similar effort hit an upright and Cavan sub Aaron O’Hara hit a good point from play. Another Cavan sub, Cian Byrne, tapped over at the death after an Enda Hession pass had released Argue, to seal victory for the defending champions.

Cavan: J Farrelly; A Watson, K Clarke, B Fortune; G Smith, P Faulkner, C Brady; B Sankey, M Argue (1-0); D McVeety (0-1), C Moynagh (Capt.), P Graham; E Flanagan, K Bouchier (0-2f), T Hayes (0-2).

Subs: C Madden for Graham (36), C Byrne (0-1) for Madden (46), E Hession for Bouchier (51), A O’Hara (0-1) for Flanagan (58).

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

Subs: C McCarthy for McGuirk (inj., 9), D McDonnell for Kirk (inj., 37), D Freeman for McMahon (43), D Ward for Cromwell (46), R McAnespie for Conlon (57).

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).