Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DOWN WIN TOO FARN-FETCHED
0-23
Monaghan Down 2-7 Ulster SFC quarter-final PADDY TIERNEY
BY
MONAGHAN eased to an impressive 0-23 to 2-7 win over Down in Clones on Saturday.
The Mourne men were relegated to Division Three last month and expectations were extremely low going into the Championship campaign.
The game went to script for the majority of the first half, with one-way traffic in Monaghan’s favour.
Jack Mccarron continued where he left off in the League, helping himself to four points in the first 35 minutes, with 0-3 coming from play.
Gary Mohan was also proving a handful for a disjointed Down defence.
Monaghan led by eight approaching half-time, but they switched off as Down claimed a goal against the run of play.
Ryan Magill played the ball into Caolan Mooney, who fired past Rory Beggan to put Down back in the contest.
The second half was just 14 seconds old when Beggan then had to retrieve the ball from his net again as Pat Havern finished with aplomb.
However, James Mccartan’s men couldn’t get back on level terms and Monaghan’s class showed as they outscored Down 0-11 to 0-3 for the remainder of game.
Monaghan had 11 different scorers in total with Beggan and their full-back line of Kieran Duffy, Conor Boyle and Ryan Wylie all contributing points.
A bad day for the Mournemen was compounded when
Tiarnan Rushe picked up a second booking in stoppage time for a high challenge on Karl O’connell.
Farney boss Seamus Mcenaney wasn’t too bothered about the concession of two goals afterwards.
“I’m absolutely not concerned with any part of the day. If every day went like today, I’d be very happy,” he said.
“The most pleasing part was how we recovered from the two goals and how we controlled the game.
“I think there are a lot of positives for Monaghan today. We’d a lot of different scorers.
“Those things are pleasing. Yes, we conceded two goals, but you are going to make mistakes in games.
“It is about how you recover from the mistakes – that’s the most important thing.”
Down must now try to regroup for the forthcoming Tailteann
Cup while Monaghan await the winners of today’s quarter-final clash between Tyrone and Derry in Omagh.
MONAGHAN: R Beggan (0-2, 0-1f, 0-1 45); K Duffy (0-1), C Boyle (0-1), R Wylie (0-1); R Mcanespie, D Ward, C Mccarthy (0-1); D Hughes, N
Kearns; A Woods (0-1), K Hughes (0-1), M Bannigan; J Mccarron (0-7, 0-2fs, 0-1m), G Mohan (0-3, 0-2fs), C Mcmanus (0-4, 0-3fs). SUBS:S Carey (0-1) for Bannigan (42), D Wylie for Duffy (54), K O’connell for D Hughes (57), C Leonard for Kearns (61), S Jones for O’connell (75).
DOWN: N Kane; P Fegan, B Mcardle, D O’hagan; R Magill, N Mcparland, R Mccormack; C Mooney (1-0), O Murdock; R Mcevoy, C Poland (0-1), B O’hagan (0-1, 0-1 45); C Francis
(0-1), A Gilmore (0-1, 0-1f), P Havern (1-1). SUBS: R O’hare for Gilmore (30), D Guinness (0-1) for Francis (40), A Doherty for Mcevoy
(50), T Rushe (0-1, 0-1f), G Collins for Mcardle (60).
REFEREE: F Kelly (Longford).
MOTM JACK MCCARRON (MON)