Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football Championship quarter-final: Monaghan 2-16 Armagh 2-5
Monaghan eased their way into the last four of the Ulster Minor Championship with a convincing 11-point win over Armagh.
Dermot Malone’s side didn’t have it all their own way in the first half but dominated proceedings after the turnaround.
Some excellent saves from Armagh netminder Liam Carroll kept the Orchard on Monaghan’s coattails, but the visitors didn’t offer enough going forward.
Monaghan made the brighter start, racing into a 4-0 lead before Armagh narrowed the gap through captain Daragh McNulty, who buried the ball to the net after some sharp hand passing from the Armagh attack.
Max McGinnity (free) traded scores with Conall McGeough while Monaghan edged three ahead through McGinnity and John McCrystal.
Fionn O Tuathail pulled one back for the Orchard before McNulty’s second goal, assisted by McGeough, shot Armagh ahead for the first time.
Monaghan responded brilliantly however and rattled off 1-3 on the bounce to lead 1-10 to 2-2 at half time, with McCrystal pouncing on a loose kickout to play through McGinnity for Monaghan’s major.
McNulty and Calum Hughes closed the gap at the start of the second period, but it was all Monaghan for the remainder of the half.
While Luke McKenna and Matthew Finn missed gilt edged goal chances, the pair did register points while McCrystal eventually raised a green flag.
An outstanding effort from the sideline by Tommy Mallen was one of the highlights of the encounter in which Monaghan comfortably came through. They’ll face a tougher challenge the next day out against the reigning Ulster champions Tyrone.
Monaghan: J Mooney; E McCaffrey, C Greenan, C Meehan; J McCrystal (1-1), T Mallen (0-3, 0-1 sideline), O Maher; M Carolan (0-1); M Maguire; T Doherty (0-1), M McGinnity (1-5, 0-3 frees), A Stewart (0-1); T Quinn, M Finn (0-2), L McKenna (0-1). Subs: J Lynch for M Maguire, C Jones for T Doherty, Canice Murphy 0-1 for L McKenna, C Clerkin for E McCaffrey, S Og McElwain for J McCrystal.
Armagh: L Carroll; A O’Connor, F McKee, D Young; P Hendron, R Nugent, D Cullen; A Haughey (0-1), M Hughes; F Ó Tuathail 0-1, D McNulty (2-1, 0-1 free), S Carr, C Donnelly, C Hughes (0-1 mark), C McGeough (0-1) Subs: JJ Hughes for C Donnelly, T McDonald for D Cullen, P Lynch for F Ó Tuathail, D Coffey for C Hughes, R Marsden for S Carr.
