Monaghan 1-12
Down 0-13

Monaghan kicked the last three points of the game to overhaul Down in yesterday’s semi-final at the Athletic Grounds.

In a tightly-contested game where the teams were level on eight occasions, Monaghan’s late scoring burst proved crucial.

Ace marksman Conor McManus, who finished up with 1-7 to his credit, tied the teams in the 69th minute at 1-10 to 0-13.

And then Monaghan’s inspirational defender Darren Hughes came forward to land two brilliant long-range points from play that sealed Monaghan’s progression to next weekend’s Dr McKenna Cup final.

The loss marked the end of Down’s involvement in the pre-season fare after a game where Mark Poland, Donal O’Hare and Connaire Harrison had caught the eye for them in the scoring stakes.

The teams were level at the break, 1-5 to 0-8, with McManus firing the ball to the roof of the net towards the end of the first-half. He continued to lead the way in the second-half as Malachy O’Rourke’s side claimed victory.

Scorers
Monaghan: Conor McManus 1-7 (0-4f, 0-1 sideline), Darren Hughes 0-2, Owen Duffy, Dick Clerkin, Paul Finlay (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Down: Mark Poland 0-4, Donal O’Hare 0-3 (0-3f), Connaire Harrison 0-2, Keith Quinn, Arthur McConville, Danny Savage, Ryan Mallon 0-1 each.

Action in yesterday’s Monaghan and Down clash. Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Russell Pritchard

Tyrone 2-9
Fermanagh 0-7

Reigning champions Tyrone are back in the Dr McKenna Cup final after their eight-point success against Fermanagh in the Athletic Grounds yesterday.

Tyrone made the early running to go into a 0-5 to 0-3 lead approaching the break with Sean Cavanagh to the fore for them while Daryl Keenan pointed the way for Fermanagh. But a goal from Plunkett Kane when he fired low to the net on the stroke of half-time ensured Tyrone enjoyed a five-point lead at the interval.

In the second-half Tyrone maintained their dominance and despite the setback of seeing Conor Gormley forced to withdraw through injury, they were ahead by 1-8 to 0-4 after 55 minutes.

Fermanagh briefly trimmed the deficit to five points yet Tyrone then pulled clear with an injury-time goal from Carrickmore’s Mark Donnelly capping off their victory by notching their second goal of the game.

Scorers
Tyrone: Sean Cavanagh 0-4 (0-2f), Mark Donnelly, Plunkett Kane 1-0 each, Martin Penrose, Kevin Gallagher, Conor McAliskey, Peter Harte, Stephen O’Neill (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Fermanagh: Daryl Keenan 0-5 (0-4f), Peter Ward (0-1f), Seamus Quigley 0-1 each.