Bernard Brogan kicks late winner to make it three wins

Sun, 28th February 2016

DUBLIN 1-14 MONAGHAN 0-16

Dublin escaped to victory over Monaghan in Saturday night's entertaining NFL Division 1 at Parnell Park.

A crowd of 17,080 were treated to a great battle between two foes who have become increasingly familiar to each other in recent years but it was the Dubs who managed to engineer the late winning score with Bernard Brogan the late, late hero.

The Dubs so keep their 100 per cent record in the current campaign and face Cork in Croke Park next Saturday (double-header with senior hurlers v Cork).

Conor McManus was in inspired form for the Farney County and he finished with a superb individual tally of 0-12 (nine frees) while at the back the Monaghan tactic of playing two sweepers in front of the full-back line ensure Dublin's route to goal was a very busy junction.

Monaghan led 0-9 to 0-6 after 26 minutes but Dublin raised their game over the conclusion of the opening period with points from Philly McMahon and a brace from Dean Rock (one free) bringing the sides level at the break, 0-9 each.

The only goal of the game came in the 42nd minute when Diarmuid Connolly converted past Rory Beggan to afford Dublin a five-point cushion, 1-11 to 0-9.

But with Conor McManus in lethal form from frees especially and play Monaghan set about reeling in Dublin's lead.

The sides were level twice in the dying minutes before Bernard Brogan won a ball out towards the Cusack Stand side and engineered space to get a high curling shot off which split the posts to grant Jim Gavin's men their third NFL win from three starts.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-7 (0-6f), D Connolly 1-0 (1-0 pen), P McMahon, C Costello 0-2 each, E O Conghaile, P Flynn, B Brogan 0-1 each. Monaghan: C McManus 0-12 (0-9f), O Duffy, D Hughes, K Hughes, K Duffy 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, M Fitzsimons, D Byrne; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J Small; D Bastick, E O'Conghaile; P Flynn, D Connolly, T Brady; D Rock, P Andrews, C Costello. Subs: S Carthy for D Bastick (ht); B Brogan for P Flynn (blood sub 41, Flynn back on 52 mins); J Cooper for M Fitzsimons (52); B Brogan for T Brady (55); P Ryan for D Rock (58); B Fenton for E O'Conghaile (60); SB Carthy for D Connolly (66)

MONAGHAN: R Beggan; C Walshe, D Wylie, R Wylie; K Duffy, F Kelly, C O'Connell; N McAdam, D Hughes; S Carey, D Malone, T Kerr; O Duffy, K Hughes, C McManus. Subs: D Mone for K Hughes (30); C Boyle for R Wylie (ht); B McAnespie for O Duffy (47); C McCarthy for D Malone (56); D McKenna for S Carey (68);

REF: P Hughes (Armagh).