Gaelic Games

McKenna Cup: Monaghan stem good Antrim start to run out victors

Meanwhile, Donegal easily brushed aside Queen’s while Cavan struck late against Down

Monaghan’s Ryan McAnespie was among the scorers in their McKenna Cup win over Antrim. Photo: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Sun Dec 30 2018 - 16:50

Monaghan 1-20 Antrim 1-12

Monaghan got their Dr McKenna Cup campaign off to a winning start when they proved too strong for Antrim in what was an entertaining contest in Clones on Saturday.

Antrim started well and led by two points at one stage but Monaghan had the better of things in the second quarter and led at half time by 0-11 to 0-6.

Monaghan got off to a blistering start to the second-half hitting Antrim with an unanswered 1-4 in the opening 10 minutes, a goal by James Mealiff in the second minute and points by Jack McCarron, free, Ryan McAnespie, Micheal Bannigan and Barry McGinn gave the home side a strong foothold in the game and created the platform for victory.

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Antrim pulled back an opportunist goal through Niall DeLargy and the sides swapped scores on a number of occasions to leave eight points between them entering the final five minutes of normal time, by which stage the pace had slackened considerably as legs tired.

Inside the final five minutes Antrim pulled back three points on the trot through Ryan Murray, free, substitute Patrick McBride, also from a free and substitute Eoghan McCabe, but it was Monaghan who had the last say with man of the match Micheal Bannigan converting a free four minutes into stoppage time to leave eight in it at the finish.

MONAGHAN: R Beggan 0-1 (f), K Duffy, F Kelly, C Lennon 0-1, John McCarron, F Connolly, B Kerr 0-1, J Mealiff 1-1, K O'Connell, J Walshe 0-1, M Bannigan 0-4 (1f), R McAnespie 0-1, D Freeman 0-2, Jack McCarron 0-5 (4f), B McGinn 0-3.

Subs: T Kerr for F Kelly, G Doogan for K O’Connell, C Boyle for John McCarron ( All 49), C Walshe for J Mealiff (55), V Corey for B Kerr (56),

ANTRIM: P Nugent, C Hamill, P Gallagher, O McKeown, D McCormack, N Delargy 1-0, P McCormack 0-1, F Burke, P Finnegan, M McCarry, M Sweeney, R Murray 0-6 (3f), M Fitzpatrick, C Duffin 0-1, R McCann 0-1.

Subs: P McBride 0-2 (2f) for P McCormack, ASweeney for C Hamill, D Lynch for D McCormack (All HT), C Lemon for O McKeown (48), E McCabe 0-1 for F Burke (57).

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).

Donegal 0-21 Queen’s 0-11

Donegal had it all their own way against a lightweight Queen’s in the opening game of the Dr McKenna Cup game in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey.

Before a crowd just in excess of 1,000, there was little of a competitive nature about the tie.

While Queen’s looked organised, they didn’t have the same cutting edge as Donegal up front. Michael Langan, Eoin McHugh and Ciaran Thompson were in top scoring form as Donegal kept the scoreboard ticking to lead 0-13 to 0-5 at the break.

Langan had the best goal chance of the half, rattling the crossbar from point blank range on 13 minutes.

Queen’s had an early goal chance when Ciaran Hughes made a ‘mark’ inside but decided to play on but was thwarted by Shaun Patton at the expense of a ‘45’.

Ryan Treanor looked the best of Queen’s front line and had two half goal chances during the half. The third quarter was a very friendly affair, the sides sharing eight points.

Donegal lost Langan to the sin bin for a pull down but they were able to keep Queen’s at arms length and man of the match Thompson kept the scoreboard ticking. Michael Langan, just back on the field, had the final point from a free.

DONEGAL: S Patton; C Ward, B McCole, C Morrison; E McHugh (0-2), E Doherty, P Mogan (0-1); H McFadden (0-2), J McGee; C Thompson (0-4,1f), N O'Donnell, C McGonigle (0-2); L Connor (0-3,1f), M Langan (0-5,3f), J Brennan.

Subs: C Diver for N O’Donnell ht; P Brennan (0-1)for Mogan 41; T McClenaghan for E Doherty 44; M McElhinney for J McGee 48; M O’Reilly (0-1) for Morrison 56

QUEEN'S: A Hasson; A Rush, O Lappin, C McCloskey; M Loughran (0-1), J Rice, C Cox; E Deane (0-1), R Campbell; R Treanor (0-4,1f), C Martin (0-1), Callum O'Neill (0-2); Conor O'Neill, C Hughes (0-1,f), D Guinness (0-1).

Subs: N Hannigan for Loughran 43; B Gallen for C Cox 50; R Connery for R Campbell 56; P O’Connor for C Martin 58; N Allison for Deane 61.

Referee: N McKenna (Monaghan).

Cavan 0-13 Down 1-9

Mullinalaghta boss Mickey Graham kept his winning run going by guiding his native Cavan to victory in a fiesty Dr McKenna Cup opener at Kingspan Breffni Park.

A draw looked on the cards but Conor Madden produced an estunning four minutes into added-on time to seal the deal for the hosts.

Down failed to score for the opening 21 minutes of the second half and got nothing more than they deserved.

Pat Havern was to play a key role in Down’s display and his ninth minute point helped ease his side into a hardly flattering 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

A gem of a point from debutant Stephen Smith was followed moments later by the sin-binning of his brother Pierce Smith before another over-the-shoulder effort from Havern made it 0-6 to 0-4 for the visitors.

With both sides operating in uber-defensive mode, scoring chances continued to be at a premium but points from Pierce Smith and man-of-the-match Raymond Galligan drew Cavan level (0-6 to 0-6) at the interval.

Four minutes after the restart, a converted ‘45 from Raymond Galligan edged Cavan into a one point lead after Down goalkeeper Rory Burns dived full length to push Ciaran Brady’s goalbound effort around the post.

Cavan pushed on and thanks, in part, to fine points from sub Simon Cadden and Stephen Smith (free) shot into a 0-11 to 0-6 lead after 54 minutes.

Down dramatically bridged a 30 minute barren gap by mining their only goal when Havern goaled from the penalty-spot after team-mate Conor Poland was fouled.

Conor McGrady’s peach (72) had new Down boss Paddy Tally eyeing at least a draw only for match-winner Madden to fire over with the outside of his foot two minutes later from all of 55 metres.

CAVAN: R Galligan (0-3, 2f, '45); S O'Connor, P Faulkner, C Moynagh; S Murray, C Brady (0-2), M Stuart; M Argue, T Galligan; M Reilly, N Murray (0-1), S Cadden (0-1); P Smith (0-1), S Smith (0-2, 1f), C Madden (0-2).

Subs; J Galligan for T Galligan (27); P Moore for P Smith (49); C Mackey for M Reilly (52); J Smith for M Argue (52); J Brady (0-1) for S Cadden (65).

DOWN: R Burns (0-1, f); R McAleenan, R Wells, K McClorey; R Johnston, B McArdle, R Brady; D McCarthy, A McClements (0-1); C Francis, C Poland, D McKibbin; R Mason (0-1), P Havern (1-3), J Johnston.

Subs; Conor McGrady (0-2) for D McKibbin (39); D McClements for A McClements (41); S Annett for K McClorey (46); C Quinn for R Johnston (55); C Harney (0-1) for R Brady (58).

Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).

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