FROM THE ARCHIVES 1988 ULSTER SFC FINAL: Monaghan 1-10 Tyrone 0-11:On Sunday Monaghan and Tyrone will meet in the Ulster SFC final for only the third time. Three years ago, Tyrone prevailed by two points. Here is Sean Kilfeather'sreport of their first meeting in the final - on July 17th 1988.
ONE MOMENTARY lapse of concentration by goalkeeper Aidan Skelton cost Tyrone the Ulster title at Clones yesterday. And Skelton will find no consolation in the fact that later in the game he brought off a brilliant save.
The goal which turned the match in Monaghan’s favour came seven minutes before the break after a period of Tyrone pressure which had the Monaghan defence in a muddle. When the ball was finally hacked out of danger, Eamon McEneaney gained possession in the midfield area.
His speculative drive towards goal would not normally trouble Skelton, but this time he seemed to be thinking of his next move, for he took his eye off the ball at the crucial moment and allowed it to bounce off his chest into the path of Eugene Hughes.
Hughes, though greatly surprised by his good fortune, managed to keep cool and drove the ball into the empty goal behind a disconsolate Skelton.
Hughes struck again for a point less than a minute later and Tyrone found themselves behind by 1-4 to 0-3 in the course of two dramatic minutes. It is a tribute to their fighting spirit that they buckled down to their difficult task with resolution and their two veteran attackers, Kevin McCabe and Eugene McKenna, scored two fine points from play to revive hope.
Stephen Conway added two more from frees and Tyrone were level at half-time with every chance of putting their earlier problems behind them.
Watched by the Cork manager, Billy Morgan, whose side will meet Monaghan on August 14th, Tyrone started with a bang.
Paudge Quinn put them ahead after only 30 seconds. Monaghan crowded the middle of the field, but they wasted a lot of their possession and they shot three successive wides.
Two of these were from Ray McCarron, and it wasn’t until the 12th minute that Hughes managed to get on target to bring Monaghan level. Conway pointed a free for Tyrone, while McEneaney at the other end was badly wide.
Then Damien O’Hagan stretched Tyrone’s lead only for McCarron and Bernie Murray to bring Monaghan level once again. Then came Skelton’s worst moment and the only goal of the game from Hughes.
It was Hughes who put Monaghan ahead again after the break only for McCabe to reply.
At this stage Monaghan were foiled of another goal when Hughes put McCarron through with only Skelton to beat. The Tyrone man’s timely advance and courageous dive saved the day, however, and Monaghan’s only reward was a squandered 50.
The exchanges remained close, but Monaghan were getting on top gradually and by the 56th minute David Byrne, McCarron and Bowen Hamilton, who had replaced a very disappointing McEneaney, put them ahead by 1-9 to 0-9 with 12 minutes left.
Two frees by Conway rewarded Tyrone for their constant pressure and a goal seemed on with five minutes left, but McCarron had the ball knocked out of his hand and cleared by the ever-vigilant Ciarán Murray, and Stefan White had the last score, although Tyrone were attacking strongly when the final whistle went.
As a match it will be remembered more for its determination and effort rather than skill or excitement. A crowd of close on 25,000 reacted wholeheartedly but the play was seldom of a high standard.
The tackle usually arrived at the same moment as the ball, giving forwards few opportunities.
Both sets of defenders used their speed and height to good effect, but both also frequently misplaced their clearances, thus giving themselves more hard work than was necessary.
Ciarán Murray and Declan Loughman were the heroes for Monaghan and Hughes was always dangerous in attack.
Gerry McCarville only came into his own towards the end when he moved to midfield, but McCarron and McEneaney were both short of their best form.
Stephen Conway’s contribution of five points from frees kept Tyrone in touch at important moments, but although Kevin McCabe and Eugene McKenna played stoutly, they always found possession hard to come by.
Tyrone’s half-back line of John Lynch, Noel McGinn and Paddy Ball in particular, were on top of their game, but Plunkett Donaghy and Harry McClure struggled in the middle of the field without much reward for their efforts.
By and large then it was a rather dull Ulster final which Monaghan just about deserved to win.
They will, no doubt, show improvement before their date with Cork and this improvement in some sectors, particularly the attack, will have to be significant if they are to have any chance of reaching the All-Ireland final.
MONAGHAN: P Linden; G Hoey. G Sherry, Brendan Murray; Bernie Murray (0-1), D Loughman, C Murray; PJ Finlay K Carragher; R McCarron (0-2). M O'Dowd D Byrne (0-1); E Hughes (1-3). G McCarville (0-1). E McEneaney. Subs: S White (0-1) for Carragher (45 mins): O Hamilton (0-1) for McEneaney (50 mins).
TYRONE: A Skelton; S Donnelly C McGarvey. R Munore; J Lynch, N McGinn, P Ball; P Donaghy, H McClure;. K McCabe (0-2). E McKenna (0-1). S Conway (0-5, five frees), D O'Hagan (0-2). P Kerlin. P Quinn (0-1). Subs: P Byrne for Munroe (half-time) S McNally for Quinn (56 mins): M McClure for Kerlin (61 mins).
Referee: M Cranney(Down].
