Down 1-14
Monaghan 0-15
DOWN WILL FACE Tyrone in the Ulster final on 16 July after a thrilling win over Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds.
Monaghan were raging-hot favourites to seal their fourth provincial decider in five years, but Down backed up their win over Armagh by upsetting the applecart once again.
It marked 21-point turnaround for Down against Monaghan in the space of a year, following Monaghan’s 2-22 to 0-9 victory in last year’s Ulster SFC quarter-final.
The win means Down are back in their first Ulster final since 2012 and just their second since the turn of the century.
After leading by two at half-time, Darragh O’Hanlon’s goal from a penalty pushed Eamonn Burns’s seven in front on 41 minutes.
The Down legs tired down the stretch and they went 21 minutes without a score in the second-half as Monaghan threw everything at them. Jack McCarron sent a late free wide before Donal O’Hare hit the winner in the dying seconds.
Monaghan led by 0-3 to 0-1 after the opening quarter, but were left to rue five early wides.
The Farney were a point in front midway through the half before Down took control and hit five on the bounce. Harrison bagged two, while Shay Millar, O’Hanlon (free) and Kevin McKernan all landed points to send their side 0-9 to 0-5 in front.
McManus and McCarron both chipped in with points as Monaghan whittled that lead down to two by the break.
O’Hanlon slotted home a penalty shortly after the restart which, coupled with points from goalkeeper Michael Cunningham and McKernan, pushed Down seven in front.
McManus was key as the Farney edged back into the game, while McCarron and Kieran Hughes also kicked efforts to bring them back within a single point.
Down had a goal disallowed late on after a foul on Rory Beggan when it appeared he picked up the ball outside of the small parallelogram.
Down hung in as Monaghan chased a late equaliser, hitting late wides through Drew Wylie and McCarron. O’Hare intervened on Down beakaway in the final seconds to put the icing on the cake.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
I’m not surprised, the guy is a machine. Himself and Heaslip are built from the same mould.
@Dave Barry: You can add Peter Stringer in there too.
@Dave Barry: from the same what???
@Paddy Mullins: Mould Paddy, you can spell it “mold” but that’s the American way.
@Gary: Peter Stringer best scrum half that never made a lions team !!!!
In fairness still offers more physicality than toner , great pro
@burner: Pointless dig there burner. Ah well, whatever floats your boat.
@burner: God I hate comments like yours. Putting down a player with 50-odd international caps and 200 or so Leinster caps who’s been an important parts of some huge wins I’m sure you’ve enjoyed celebrating.
It’s not just wrong, it’s ungrateful and shows up your ignorance. It’s no coincidence that the likes of you offer no evidence and just ooze out to make your comments right after a defeat
You couldn’t just compliment DOC, no?
Five, that’s five years older than Ryan, and gets contract renewed.
Second rows have the longest shelf life of any position, something worth considering when centrally contracting players.
@Phil O’ Meara: Taking Ryan out of the equation for a moment, 2nd row is a workrate position. A locks ability to get around the pitch and work harder than any other player is paramount. This is affected by age. Although second rows regularly play into their mid to late thirties, very few do so at international level.
@Paul K Murphy: To clarify, and this is only my own theory, there are few locks who play at a world class standard beyond 34 years old because their legs go. Paul O’Connell, Simon Shaw on a Lions tour and Brad Thorn in 2011 are the only exceptions that come to mind in the last 15 years.
@Phil O’ Meara: the reason DO’C gets the contract so easily at 38 is he rarely if ever misses a game through injury, while Ryan has been out for whole swathes of time in recent years, barely making double figure appearances for Munster (in three seasons up to this season he averages 11 games a season/ or if you calculate mins played only 8 per season)…
With those sort of figures, even though this season he’s been largely fit. While he’s looking for maximum return and lengthy contract in his last few seasons, any club will be looking to minimise the risk.
I haven’t a clue about rugby but remember him on latelate I think a few years back giving his views on training techniques. Obviously worked to be playing a physical game at his age. Also a great comment on his game something like sticking his head between two arses and pushing. Funny lad. Fair play
Absolute gent on and off the pitch.
Awesome warrior who puts his body on the line for the us, the unwashed masses.
Taking Ryan out of the equation for a moment, 2nd row is a workrate position. A locks ability to get around the pitch and work harder than any other player is paramount. This is affected by age. Although second rows regularly play into their mid to late thirties, very few do so at international level.
He has a lovely arse