Monaghan edge out senior footballers with late point

Sun, 25th March 2018

DUBLIN 0-17 MONAGHAN 2-12

Fintan Kelly’s point in the fourth minute of added time saw Monaghan edge out Dublin in Sunday’s NFL1 clash at Croke Park in front of an attendance of 22,085.

There was only time for Evan Comerford’s kickout when the full-time whistle was blown as the Farney County men proved the adage that ‘goals win games’.

However, the Dubs’ league title hopes as still alive as they face Galway, victors over Kildare (0-16 to 0-10), in next Sunday’s decider (4.0).

The sides were level, 0-8 to 1-5, at the break with Vinny Corey hitting the Monaghan goal in the 13th minute but Dublin looked to have gained the upperhand inside that last ten minutes following David Byrne’s point to make it 0-15 to 1-10.

Then came Jack McCarron’s crucial goal when his lobbed shot over Comerford dropped just under the crossbar.

Dublin were reduced to 14 men when Philly McMahon, who had scored 0-2 from play, was red-carded on a second yellow offence.

The game concluded in a flurry of scores with Brian Fenton bringing Dublin level before sub McCarron nosed his side back in front.

Brian Howard fired over a super point and it looked like it was headed for a drawn until Monaghan launched one last-gasp attack and were rewarded with Kelly’s winning score.

SCORERS - Monaghan: V Corey, J McCarron 1-1 each, C McCarthy 0-3 (0-2f), C McManus 0-2 (0-1f), D Mone, K Hughes, R McAnespie, K O'Conell, F Kelly 0-1 each. Dublin: D Rock 0-7 (0-5f), P McMahon, B Fenton, B Howard 0-2 each, J Small, N Scully, C Basquel, D Byrne 0-1 each.

MONAGHAN: R Beggan; C Boyle, D Wylie, R Wylie; D Mone, V Corey, K O'Connell; D Hughes, N Kearns; P McKenna, O Duffy, R McAnespie; C McCarthy, K Hughes, C McManus. Subs: F Kelly for McKenna (47), D Ward for Duffy (47), C Walshe for Mone (BC 56), J McCarron for McCarthy (56), N McAdam for Kearns (59), T Kerr for K Hughes (71).

DUBLIN: E Comerford; M Fitzsimons, P McMahon, D Byrne; D Daly, J Small, B Howard; J McCarthy, B Fenton; S Carthy, C Costello, N Scully; C McHugh, D Rock, K McManamon. Subs: C Basquel for McManamon (44), MD Macauley for Carthy (44), E Murchan for Daly (54), P Small for McHugh (54), E Ó Conghaile for Costello (64).

REF: D Gough (Meath).