Monaghan 1-10
Cavan 0-12
MONAGHAN DEFEATED CAVAN by a single point in this evening’s Ulster SFC semi-final in Clones.
The teams played the opening nine minutes without a single score but Cavan will feel they should have had a penalty after a goalmouth scramble saw the ball pushed off the line illegally.
Eugene Keating then came deep and curled over with his left foot for the first point of the day and David Givney added a second for the visitors after a fine run from Killian Clarke.
Goalkeeper Conor Gilsenan gifted Monaghan a goal on 13 minutes as Christopher McGuinness finished superbly but Cavan responded with another Givney score and Cian Mackey then put them back in front from distance.
Nial McDermott was the next Cavan name on the scoresheet, then Ciaran Hughes wriggled away from two defenders and sent over Monaghan’s second score after 21 minutes.
21-year-old Hughes had the chance to double his personal tally moments later but sent a fairly routine free off target for Monaghan’s fourth wide.
Down the other end, Martin Dunne didn’t have any problems from a similar dead-ball situation.
Conor McManus brought it back to a single point game but seconds later James McEnroe came up from right half back to fire over brilliantly.
The sides exchange points through McManus and a great team point finished off by Dunne. On the stroke of half-time however, Darren Hughes stormed through the midfield to make it all-square at the interval.
Solid defending meant we had to wait some time for a score of any kind in the second half and when it did eventually arrive, McManus was the man to get it.
On the 50 minute mark, Dick Clerkin, left out of the starting line-up due to injury, was brought on in place of Gavin Doogan.
Niall McDermott was successful with a free after a foul on Mackey and, once again, there was nothing between them. Next to try his luck was Damien O’Reilly, whose strike crashed off the crossbar and came back out.
McManus was immense and scored fifth and sixth scores of the evening either side of frees from Paul Finlay and Martin Dunne.
Gilsenan came out of his goal to score a free and bring it back to a one-point game in injury time but the whistle went seconds later and Monaghan progress to the Ulster final, where Donegal await on July 21.
I just don’t get this. All the South Africans were back playing for their clubs the week after playing for their country. Cian Prendergast, the Connacht captain mind, didn’t feature at all. Conor Murray the same in Munster. Just wondering if our Irish panel of 45 players are a bit precious ?
@Pat Cooney: Ireland played a 4 games. South Africa only had to play 3. So a lot of there players had all of last week off and they can also afford to do as they have a lot better strength in depth than us having used something like 52 players in total in the last couple of months. Where as Bealham and Hansen started in every game this Autumn Int.
@Harry O’ Callaghan: on the other hand though, South Africa were also coming off the Rugby Championship.
@teuO6nLS: No, they used a lot of new players throughout that tournament and it was spaced out. We haven’t used anywhere close to 52 players this year and last year. They have the luxury of resting their big game players like Etzebeth, Kolisi, Pollard, Kriel, Kolbe, Le Roux because they have tow or three players practically as good in that position. We don’t unfortunately. We rely on keeping momentum with a core player group of around 25. Prendergast should definitely play for Connacht as he’s only played 15th a of rugby in the last 4 weeks. Bealham, Aki and Hansen definitely deserve a rest especially Bealham as his mental fatigue was obviously showing when he knocked the ball on 3 times and gave away a penalty in the opening quarter against Australia.
@Pat Cooney: They weren’t released back to their clubs. At least they’ve got plenty of rugby under their belts. Izzy is about to turn 25, has the grand total of 11 starts for Ulster and was also sat on his hole.
Makes sense, i think the IRFU would probably want to rest other players like Doris, VDF and Porter
@Owen ODonoghue: it’ll be left up to the clubs. Play them now but rest them over Xmas or rest them now but play them over Xmas. It’s been like that the past two years that they have to get two consecutive weeks off