Heartbreak for U20s as Monaghan finish strongest

Ulster U20 Championship quarter-final

Cavan 0-13

Monaghan 1-11

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

There was disappointment for the Cavan U20s tonight as they exited the Ulster Championship with a one-point loss against Monaghan.

Cavan will have a lot of regrets from this one. While they played great stuff at times and the effort could not be faulted, they kicked 12 wides and dropped four shots short and seemed to panic in the closing stages as Monaghan, who did not lead until the 58th minute, kept their composure at the crucial time and took better options.

The Blues played their best football early on but a soft penalty kept Monaghan in the game and, on the home stretch, the Farney lads raised their game. While this was another entry in the Cavan heartbreak Hall of Fame – the wides, the officiating, the margin – it must be said that when the game was there to be won, Monaghan grabbed it as Cavan wilted.

Cavan were ahead by two at the end of an entertaining first half. The hosts should have had more of a cushion, too; they kicked six wides in the first 20 minutes and were unfortunate to concede what looked a soft penalty, with Monaghan danger man Stephen Mooney tucking it away.

Cavan put a heavy press on the Monaghan kick-out early on and got off to a superb start.

Darragh Lovett opened the scoring with a well-taken point 30 seconds in. Cavan, early on, were pinning the visitors back; it took Monaghan over five minutes, in fact, to advance into the Cavan half.

By then, Cavan had raised two more white flags, Daire Madden converting an excellent free from the right wing and then firing over from play after good work from Ryan Brady and Emmanuel Shehu.

Monaghan broke through for the first goal chance, with Cormac Brady clearing Dylan Byrne’s effort off the goal line. Cavan kicked on through Shane Tynan, who pointed off the left after Evan Crowe forced a turnover to make it 0-4 to 0-0 with nine minutes played.

Mooney, who looks an outstanding prospect but was handled well by Cormac Brady and colleagues, got Monaghan off the mark with a free and soon added a mark.

Mooney then laid on a point for Ryan Duffy but Cavan responded well with a great score from Lovett, created by Madden, who then won and converted a free to make it 0-6 to 0-3 on 17 minutes.

The came the penalty. The impressive Hamill seemed to over-hit a pass aimed for Mooney – contact seemed minimal but the ref gave it and Mooney obliged from the spot, with Jake Norris getting something on it but unable to keep it out.

Cavan again replied well when Cormac McKeogh punted one over from long range and a Madden free restored the two-point gap.

Cian Conlon (45) and Shane Tynan, with a stylish effort from play, traded scores as Cavan went in ahead by two at the break.

Monaghan dominated the opening minutes of the second half but spurned three chances and when Madden curled in superbly, it seemed Cavan may have weathered the storm.

Monaghan hit back with a terrific score from midfielder Mark McPhilips as Cavan missed numerous opportunities. As the misses racked up, the confidence seemed to drain from the home side.

Conlon hit a lovely score off the left; Madden replied with a close-range free after a foul on Lovett as Cavan held on to their two-point lead.

An inspirational point from Conor Eccles was cancelled out by a curled effort from Lovett but Monaghan had the momentum. Mooney (free) and another belter from Duffy tied the game as Monaghan began to pinch Cavan’s kick-outs.

A classy Hamill point nudged the away side ahead for the first time with just over two minutes remaining and a Mooney free doubled the advantage.

Cavan, struggling to get their hands on the ball, managed to force a chance but Lovett dropped short. Then, Madden was nerveless with a difficult free to set up a grandstand finish but the last chance fell to Lovett, who was off target as Monaghan survived to set up a semi-final tussle with Down next Wednesday night.

Scorers:

Cavan: D Madden 0-7 (5f), D Lovett 0-3, S Tynan 0-2, C McKeogh 0-1. Monaghan: S Mooney 1-4 (1-0 pen, 3f, 1m), C Conlon (1’45) and R Duffy 0-2 each, M Hamill, C Eccles and M McPhillips 0-1 each.

Cavan: Jake Norris (Killinkere), Cormac Brady (Gowna), Evan Crowe (Ballyhaise), Ben McGahan (Cootehill), Ryan Brady (Gowna), Caoláin McCabe (Denn, capt), Cormac McKeogh (Mullahoran), Philip Smyth (Cuchulainns), Caoláin O’Reilly (Mullahoran), Emmanuel Shehu (Cavan Gaels), Turlough Farrelly (Cuchulainns), Favour Shehu (Cavan Gaels), Shane Tynan (Ballymachugh), Daire Madden (Gowna), Darragh Lovett (Killygarry)

Subs: Oran Rehill (Crosserlough) for T Farrelly (40), Sean Óg McGearty (Castlerahan) for C O’Reilly (45), Matthew Smith (Ramor United) for E Shehu (47), Barry Donnelly (Arva) for S Tynan (50), Kevin Lovett (Killygarry) for R Brady (54)

Monaghan: Darragh Croarkin (Monaghan Harps), Ryan Duffy (Latton), Louis Kelly (Truagh), Niall Meehan (Carrickmacross), Caolan Reilly (Drumhowan), Dylan Byrne (Magheracloone), Bobby Walker (Tyholland), Mark McPhilips (Scotstown), Daniel McCahey (Magheracloone), Cian Hughes (Latton), Michael Hamill (Emyvale), Connor Eccles (Cremartin), Cian Conlon (Carrickmacross), Stephen Mooney (Cremartin), Hugh McDonald (Clones)

Subs: Thomas Hughes (Castleblayney) for D McCahey, James Slevin (Latton) for B Walker (both ht), Dylan McConnell (Inniskeen) for C Hughes (42), Darragh Mee (Carrickmacross) for H McDonald (59), Sean Treanor (Scotstown) for Eccles (60+3)

Ref: Mark Dorrian (Donegal)