Monaghan U20s power into Ulster final

Ulster U20 FC semi-final

Armagh 1-9

Monaghan 3-13

Colm Shalvey at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh

Monaghan are through to their first Ulster U-20 FC Final since 2021 after an excellent win over Armagh at the Athletic Grounds on Wednesday night.

Monaghan put together their most complete performance of the season so far to come out on the right side of a brilliant contest, racking up 3-12 from open play, including a 28th-minute goal from Max McGinnity and a late brace by sub Killian Kearns.

Tom Doherty kicked four points for Monaghan, while Max Maguire landed a superb two-pointer as they turned the tables on Group B winners Armagh, who had a 100% record from their first three games. Tommy Mallen and Johnnie Wright made their first appearances of the season as second-half subs for Monaghan, who will now face Tyrone as they continue their bid for silverware, three years on from falling agonisingly short at minor level.

Monaghan brought bundles of energy and commitment throughout their fourth consecutive away win, with Mark McCaffrey and Donnchadh Connolly typifying that attitude in a defence that shut down Armagh’s primary scoring threats. Aaron Haughey, Ryan Nugent and Michael McSorley displayed potent ball-winning ability for Armagh, but while they had eight scorers on the night, only Haughey and sub Aaron McGuinness managed more than a single point.

Paul O’Connor made four changes from the team that had beaten Cavan in the quarter-finals. Luke H McKenna returned to the starting side after injury, while John McCrystal was also brought in after impressing off the bench in Cavan, with Conor Jones and Luke O McKenna making way.

Monaghan made a rapid start, with a right-footed point from Max McGinnity opening the scoring, before they turned over the next kick-out for John McCrystal to race through on goal and fire just over the bar.

Points from James McCooe and Liam McGeary brought Armagh level, but McCrystal replied by cutting in to nail a left-footed effort, before one of several timely interceptions by Mark McCaffrey started a sharp counter-attack that ended with Tom Doherty splitting the uprights from the right wing. Diarmaid O’Rourke got one back for Armagh after a strong run by Michael McSorley, while their keeper Liam Carroll made an impact at both ends, first by converting a ’45 and later by cutting out a McCrystal pass as McGinnity lurked in the danger zone.

A break led by Donnchadh Connolly released Matthew Finn to double Monaghan’s lead again, before a second point from McGinnity was cancelled out by Ryan Nugent and Fergal Boylan lobbed a goal-attempt wide with away supporters’ hearts in mouths after Jamie Mooney had been left stranded, having gone forward to contest an Armagh kick-out.

Monaghan didn’t score between the 20th and 28th minutes, but they ended that run in emphatic style when Luke McKenna and McCrystal combined to put McGinnity through to slam home the opening goal. Monaghan were punished for a ‘three-up’ breach from the next attack, as Eoin Duffy tapped over the resulting free – just the fifth of a flowing half where Conall Roberts was the antithesis of whistle-happy– to bring Armagh back within one score at 1-6 to 0-6.

Monaghan started the second half on the front foot, only to miss a couple of glaring chances until Max Maguire landed a much more difficult one with a superb outside-of-the-boot two-pointer.

The action continued at a frantic pace, with Boylan hitting the upright twice in quick succession and Armagh eventually ending an eight-minute wait for their first score of the half through Aaron Haughey.

Doherty did brilliantly to win a kick-out and carry it all the way into the scoring zone to restore Monaghan’s five-point lead and although Armagh responded via sub Aaron McGuinness, they were caught by a route-one approach when a Mooney free broke for Caoláin Clerkin to add his name to the scoresheet.

Matthew Carolan went within inches of hitting the net when he connected with Finn’s point-attempt that dropped into the square, but his flick hit the post. The Carrickmacross midfielder needed treatment after suffering a knock in the process, but he was able to continue and see out the game.

Haughey broke the lines to kick his second point, but despite having shots on goal from Keelan McEntee and Boylan in the space of one attack, Armagh scored just once in the final quarter. Mooney did enough to deny Boylan’s rebound effort and the Monaghan captain was sharp off his line in the 54th minute to cut out a threatening pass from McGuinness.

Sharp footwork by Finn bought himself space to clip over and take his tally for the campaign to 1-18 (all from play), before a ‘three-up’ breach by Armagh gifted Doherty a 20-metre free that he tapped over.

The Drumhowan forward added his fourth point of the evening almost immediately, with Connolly throwing himself at the breaking ball off Carroll’s kick-out to start the move. It looked like plain sailing at this stage for Monaghan, who led by seven, but a run by Duffy led to the ball spilling loose for McGuinness to fire to the net, despite appearing to have touched it on the ground.

Armagh pushed up as they desperately chased possession, but Maguire caught Mooney’s restart to send his clubmate Tommy Mallen racing into acres of space. Carroll saved Mallen’s shot, but it fell perfectly for Killian Kearns to slot home the rebound. Monaghan put icing on the cake in added time when a flowing move involving Doherty, Finn and Mallen ended with the latter unselfishly squaring the ball for Kierans to palm in his second goal in the space of three minutes.

Monaghan will return to the Athletic Grounds next Wednesday for the provincial final against a Tyrone side who have also built momentum from a slow start, knocking out Group A’s top two teams, Derry and Donegal.

Armagh: Liam Carroll (0-1, ‘45); Seán Kelly, Tomás Fox, Gavan O’Rourke; Aodhán McGrane, Ryan Nugent (Joint-Capt., 0-1), Diarmaid O’Rourke (0-1); Aaron Haughey (Joint-Capt., 0-2), Seán Burke; Keelan McEntee, James McCooe (0-1), Eoin Duffy (0-1f); Liam McGeary (0-1), Michael McSorley, Fergal Boylan.

Subs: Conal Wilson for McGrane (H-T); Aaron McGuinness (1-1) for McGeary (35); Callum McKerr for McCooe (49); Conall McGeough for Boylan (51); Fergus Toale for Nugent (inj., 60 + 2).

Monaghan: Jamie Mooney (Capt.); Mark McCaffrey, Shane O’Connor, Martin Quinn; Caoláin Clerkin (0-1), Andrew Stewart, Donnchadh Connolly; Canice Murphy, Matthew Carolan; Luke H McKenna, Tom Doherty (0-4, 1f), Max Maguire (0-2, 1 2-pt); Max McGinnity (1-2), Matthew Finn (0-2), John McCrystal (0-2).

Subs: Conor Jones for McKenna (inj., H-T); Killian Kearns (2-0) for McCrystal, Johnnie Wright for Murphy (both 49); Tommy Mallen for McGinnity (53); Senan Carolan for Clerkin (59).

Temporary sub: Conor Jones for Murphy (13-19).

Ref: Conall Roberts (Antrim).