Bank of Ireland Dr. McKenna Cup Section A

Monaghan 0-20 Ulster University 2-10

Monaghan held off a late challenge from UUJ to win this free-flowing McKenna Cup opener in fine conditions at Castleblayney on Saturday.

Malachy O’Rourke started with six debutants and later introduced another two for Monaghan, who had eight scorers in a win that would have been much more comfortable but for a lapse inside the last ten minutes which allowed Caolán O’Boyle to bag a brace of goals for the students.

Daniel McKenna opened his account early on from a 25-metre free after a foul on Ryan McAnespie, but points from play by Michael Argue and Liam Gervin handed the advantage to UUJ. Brendan McElroy got on the end of a move involving Daniel McKenna and Stephen Gollogly to open his account and although Cillian O’Connor replied from a 30-metre free, Monaghan never looked back once Gollogly clipped over a left-footed effort, while a well-timed challenge by Fintan Kelly denied Argue at the other end. Daniel McKenna finished off a flowing counter-attack involving Neil McAdam, Thomas Kerr, McAnespie and Gollogly and he also converted a 20-metre free after he had been fouled off the ball, although Ronan O’Neill got one back for UUJ after Monaghan full-back Paddy McGuigan had been shown a black card. Christopher McKenna’s short free set up a point for Kerr and the debutant from Truagh soon got his name on the scoresheet, punishing a loose pass, before Brendan McElroy continued Monaghan’s dominance. O’Connor tapped over a 13-metre free for a foul on Caolán O’Boyle to keep UUJ in touch, but Kelly linked up with McAnespie to kick a good point and give Monaghan a 0-9 to 0-5 half-time lead.

O’Connor pointed another close-range free after the restart, but Daniel McKenna released Brendan McElroy for Monaghan’s first score of the half and Christopher McKenna converted a brace of frees for fouls on himself and fellow corner-forward McElroy. Martin McElroy notched a point after strong work by McAdam and Gollogly hit another, while Christopher McKenna took his tally to 0-4 from a free, following a foul on Kelly. O’Connor (free) and Gervin gave the Poly some hope, but a brace of frees by Daniel McKenna moved Monaghan nine clear. UUJ lost Argue to a black card for a foul on Ryan Wylie, but their challenge got a much-needed boost when O’Boyle poked home two goals in the space of three minutes. A point by substitute Timmy Meskella narrowed the gap further, but a well-taken score by Daniel McKenna settled any Monaghan nerves, before McAdam created Brendan McElroy’s fourth point from play. Sub Paddy Kieran broke through late on to fist over and although O’Boyle fired a free over the bar in added time, Monaghan had done enough to secure a winning start.

Monaghan: E Duffy; J McCarron, P McGuigan, R Wylie; F Kelly (0-1), K Duffy, M McElroy (0-1); D Hughes (Capt.), N McAdam; R McAnespie, S Gollogly (0-2), T Kerr (0-1); C McKenna (0-4, 3f), D McKenna (0-6, 4f), B McElroy (0-4).

Subs: K O’Connell for McGuigan (black card, 26 mins), D Clerkin for Hughes (45), B Greenan for Kerr, T Connolly for Gollogly (both 55), D Wylie for R Wylie, P Kieran (0-1) for Kelly (both 60).

Ulster University: R Beggan; K Brady, B Sankey, D McNally; C Mooney, R McCaughley, F Burns; P Casey, N McKeever; L Gervin (0-2), R O’Neill (0-1), M Argue (0-1); R Donnelly, C O’Boyle (Capt., 2-1, 0-1f), C O’Connor (0-4f).

Subs: J McGovern for McCaughley (46), C Harkin for Argue (black card, 57), T Meskella (0-1) for Donnelly (60), J Hughes for Beggan (63), R McAlinden for Burns, N Rowland for Mooney (both 67).

Referee: P Hughes (Armagh).