Our Senior Footballers beat Monaghan to progress into the All-Ireland Final

DUBLIN 1-17 

MONAGHAN 0-13

Dublin progressed to their first All-Ireland final appearance since 2020 as they finished strongly to defeat a battling Monaghan by seven points at a wet and blustery Croke Park on Saturday afternoon.

Much of the analysis prior to the encounter suggested Dublin would eventually prevail after a cagey and tight opening fifty-five minutes and so it proved with the Dubs finally gaining the upper hand to ease home with a fair degree of comfort.

The seven-point winning margin was slightly harsh on Monaghan, who played with their customary defensive solidity and organisation throughout, while stifling their opponents for the large part at the opposite end.

However, the longer the contest evolved, the more assured Dublin became, especially around the middle third with Brian Fenton and James McCarthy gaining a vital stranglehold and they made sure of their final berth through an inelegant finish from substitute Dean Rock in added time.

It was Dublin that made the first impression on the scoreboard through an excellent Cormac Costello point and the Whitehall Colmcille player was central to everything positive that Dublin produced in a stop-start duel.

Stephen O’Hanlon levelled for Monaghan soon after but a Costello free and a point off his less customary right boot of Paddy Small saw Dublin edge two points clear by the 10^th minute.

Dublin’s attacking options were dimmed for the ensuing ten minutes as Monaghan gradually worked their way back to level terms thanks to placed balls from Conor McManus and Rory Beggan with Dublin’s cause not helped by a needless black card picked up by Niall Scully at the end of the first quarter.

Costello sprang back into action with two points in quick succession to restore Dublin’s ascendancy with Beggan and Costello trading placed balls to leave two points between the teams by the 26^th minute.

Paul Mannion and Micheál Bannigan exchanged scores towards the end of the half with Costello’s free inching Dublin 0-8 to 0-7 clear by half-time.

The anticipated third-quarter surge from Dublin never truly materialised as Ryan McAnespie levelled matters upon the restart with almost inevitably, Costello, inching Dublin back in front from a smart counter-attack.

A fisted Con O’Callaghan effort in the 44^th minute doubled Dublin’s lead but their sticky opponents refused to accept their perceived fate as a brace of McManus points brought the teams level once again by the 50^th minute.

By this stage, the contest was beginning to open up with Dublin availing of the greater space afforded to them through points from O’Callaghan and Lee Gannon but another McManus double ensured the sides were still deadlocked by the 60^th minute.

The Dubs regrouped impressively as they finally opened up a vital three-point buffer thanks to points by Fenton, Mannion and substitute Jack McCaffrey with another replacement Jack McCarron keeping his side in the hunt with an impish dummy and point in the 66^th minute.

However, that proved The Farney’s final score of the game as their efforts became increasingly desperate and after Fenton and Dean Rock had tagged on points to confirm Dublin’s control, Rock was on hand to collect O’Callaghan’s intelligent delivery to round Beggan and secure Dublin’s first semi-final success in three years.

Scorers - Dublin: C Costello 0-7 (3 f, 1 mark), D Rock 1-1 (0-1f), C O’Callaghan, P Mannion (1 mark), B Fenton 0-2 each, P Small, L Gannon, J McCaffrey 0-1 each. Monaghan: C McManus 0-5 (3f, 1 mark), R Beggan 0-3 (3 ‘45’s), S O’Hanlon, M Bannigan, G Mohan, R McAnespie, J McCarron 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; E Murchan, D Byrne, M Fitzsimons; B Howard, J Small, L Gannon; B Fenton, J McCarthy; P Small, C O’Callaghan, N Scully; P Mannion, C Basquel, C Costello. Subs: C Kilkenny for Scully (29), J McCaffrey for Basquel (44), L O’Dell for P Small (63); D Rock for Mannion (69), T Lahiff for C Costello (70+2).

MONAGHAN: R Beggan; C Boyle, R Wylie, K Duffy; K O’Connell, K Lavelle, C McCarthy; K Hughes, G Mohan; S O’Hanlon, M Bannigan, R McAnespie; C McManus, D Hughes, D.] Ward. Subs: K Gallagher for Ward (44), J McCarron for K Hughes (46), C. Lennon for D Hughes (temp 51-54), R O’Toole for Boyle (60), S Jones for McAnespie (66), C Lennon for Lavelle (69).

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).