All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final Group Stage Phase 2

Monaghan 1-17 Kerry 1-17                                      22/7/18

An added-time goal by David Clifford saw Kerry grab a dramatic draw in Clones on Sunday and deny Monaghan what would have been a famous result. A long-awaited first SFC win over Kerry and a place in the semi-finals, with a round to spare, looked to be in the offing for long-time front-runners Monaghan when they led by five points with almost an hour gone, but Kerry rallied to maintain their hopes of progressing.

Conor McManus starred on his way to a 1-9 tally for Monaghan, with his early goal propelling the hosts into a 1-11 to 0-10 half-time lead. With Man of the Match Rory Beggan converting four long-range frees, Monaghan stayed ahead until near the end, despite Seán O’Shea’s scores keeping Kerry in touch, only for Clifford’s late intervention to mean the teams shared the spoils.

Monaghan will travel to Salthill for the second time this year to face current Group 1 table-toppers Galway on Saturday, August 4.

Monaghan: R Beggan (0-4f); R Wylie, V Corey, K Duffy; K O’Connell (0-1), D Wylie, C Walshe (Capt.); D Hughes (0-1), N Kearns (0-1); F Kelly, D Malone, R McAnespie; C McCarthy, C McManus (1-9, 0-5f), S Carey (0-1).

Subs: K Hughes for McCarthy (43 mins), O Duffy for Carey (61), D Mone for Kelly (66).

Kerry: B Kelly; R Shanahan, M Griffin, T O’Sullivan (0-2); P Murphy (0-1), P Crowley, G White (Capt.); D Moran (0-1), J Barry; K McCarthy, S O’Shea (0-8, 6f, 1 ’45), S O’Brien (0-1f); D Clifford (1-3), K Donaghy, P Geaney.

Subs: M Burns for McCarthy (H-T), J O’Donoghue for Geaney (48), B Ó Beaglaoich for Griffin (50), D O’Sullivan for O’Shea (54), A Maher (0-1) for Barry (63), P Geaney for T O’Sullivan (70 + 1).

Temporary sub: F Fitzgerald for White (56-58)

Referee: M Deegan (Laois).