On Saturday last Monaghan u17s qualified for the Jim McGuigan cup semi-final with two excellent team performances. In what was a glorious day for football the boys produced some wonderful passages of play to account for both Cavan and Derry. What was very encouraging from the day is the fact that eleven of the twenty-five players used were not part of the Buncranna cup winning squad from last year.
Monaghan opened the day off against old rivals Cavan. Having started the match in encouraging fashion Monaghan were hit with a Cavan goal. A Shane McMahon pointed free settled Monaghan down after this set back. With Darragh Hughes providing a constant supply of ball to the forwards Monaghan hit a purple patch. Firstly Aaron Courtney pointed from play and then a free from Fabian Beggan. After a wonderful cross field ball from Hughes, Tyler O Hanlon finished expertly to the Cavan net. Cavan scored a point to reduce the arrears. Shane McMahon was on the end of an excellent team move to increase the lead to three points with half time approaching. Cavan finished the half strongly and scored the last two points to leave the minimum between the sides at the break. Monaghan started the second half in whirlwind fashion with points from Beggan and a Shane McMahon free. Cavan responded with a point. However Monaghan were superior over the field during this period and more scores followed with Darragh Hughes getting his name on the score sheet with a long range point which was followed up by two excellent points from play from Shane Mc Mahon who was proving a threat on the edge of the square. With Owen Quinn and Cillan Hand dominating in defence Cavan’s forwards weren’t making any inroads on the score board. Substitute Dean McGuigan got in on the scoring act following a swift break from defence. Monaghan closed out the game not allowing any goal chances and Cavan had to settle with the final three points of the game to leave Monaghan winning on a score line of 1-10 1-07. Monaghan Team
Jack Deery(Harps) Cillian Hand(Corduff) Oisin Campbell(Emyvale) Ryan Mohan(Donaghmoyne) Dean Brennan(Clontibret) Owen Quinn(Drumhowan) Calvin Carsyle(Eire Og) Colm Lennon Capt(Ballybay) Darragh Hughes(Clontibret) Fabian Beggan(Clones) Shane Monaghan(Ballybay) Ryan O Connor(Carrick) Aaron Courtney(Donaghmoyne) Shane McMahon(Harps) Tyler O Hanlon(Aghabog) Subs used Dean McGuigan(Clontibret) Aaron McNally(Seans) Stephen McGee(Aughnamullen) Dillon Duffy(Harps) Dean McDonald(Clontibret)

The second game of the day against Derry proved to be a very exciting encounter with plenty of goal mouth action at both ends. Derry started the quicker of the teams and raced into a four point lead, their goal coming from their first attack of the game. Monaghan started to get on top in the middle third and soon the scores flowed. Firstly Fabian Beggan pointed from play and was followed up by a Shane McMahon free. McMahon then got on the end of a flowing team move to hit the back of the Derry net. Monaghan were now in control and in their next attack Dean Brennan goaled following a rebound from a Tyler O’Hanlon shot. Derry against the run of play scored a well taken goal to leave a point in it with half time looming. Monaghan dominated for the rest of the half. Firstly McMahon pointed a free and then from play. Following good interchange between Dean McGuigan and Aaron Courtney, Monaghan scored another three pointer with Courtney on the end of the move. Dean McDonald finished the first half scoring with an excellent point following a wonderful block in defence by Calvin Carsyle. Monaghan were in a commanding position leading by seven at the break. The second half was a slow burner with both teams guilty of poor misses. When the first second half score did come it was another excellent Monaghan move coming from deep inside their half finishing with Aaron Courtney getting his second goal of the game. Monaghan with a ten point lead became sloppy letting their opponents back into the match. Derry scored two goals and two points in the next six minutes to leave two points in it with five left on the watch. Aaron Courtney steadied the nerves with a well taken point from play. The Monaghan defence now got on top again and captain Colm Lennon broke up a Derry attack which lead to Shane Mc Mahon pointing from play to leave four in it in injury time. Substitute Ciaran ‘the raff’ Rafferty had the final say with an excellent point from play to leave Monaghan winning on a score line of 4-09 to Derry’s 4-04. Monaghan can now look forward to the semi-finals of the Jim McGuigan cup on August 15th in which Donegal and Tyrone have also qualified for.

Monaghan Team Jack Deery(Harps) Cillian Hand(Corduff) Oisin Campbell(Emyvale) Ryan Mohan(Donaghmoyne) Dean Brennan(Clontibret) Owen Quinn(Drumhowan) Calvin Carsyle(Eire Og) Colm Lennon Capt(Ballybay) Darragh Hughes(Clontibret) Fabian Beggan(Clones) Dean McGuigan(Clontibret) Dean McDonald(Clontibret) Aaron Courtney(Donaghmoyne) Shane McMahon(Harps) Tyler O Hanlon(Aghabog) Subs used Stephen McGee(Aughnamullen) Dillon Duffy(Harps) Ryan O Connor(Carrick) Gary McKenna(Trugh) Shane Kelly(Seans) Sean Grant(Seans) Ross Lowey(Clontibret) Dillon Duffy(Harps) Ciaran Rafferty(Truagh)

U17 Jim McGuigan Squad