Aghabog through to JFC semi finals

Aghabog 0-15 (0-0-15) Truagh 2-4 (2-0-4)

Colm Shalvey at Sarsfield Park, Aughnamullen

Aghabog will face Currin in Sunday’s Monaghan JFC semi-final after they proved too strong for Truagh under lights in Aughnamullen on Tuesday night.

Aghabog's strong start to the second half set the tone as they moved through the gears to kick five points in the space of eight minutes and finally pull away from a Truagh side who had finished the first 30 minutes with an equalising goal from Christopher McAnenly.

A Christopher McAnenly free opened the scoring for Truagh, but Aghabog hit back through Jack O’Hanlon and fine points from Oisín Gleeson and Cormac O’Hanlon, the latter after good work by the influential Senan Carolan. A fisted point by Éanna Owen Carolan made it four in quick succession for Aghabog, who should have had the ball in the net in the 12th minute when Jack O’Hanlon pinched a short kick-out and squared it for Cormac O’Hanlon, but Truagh’s scramble defence managed to divert his palmed effort onto the post. A three-up breach by Truagh allowed Cormac O’Hanlon to tap over a free, but after going 13 minutes without scoring in the wake of an Ethan Treanor point, they got back into it when Niall Coyle was felled for a penalty that was converted by McAnenly.

A ’45 by Mícheál Smyth regained Aghabog’s lead, but a free that was moved up led to McAnenly bringing Truagh level at the interval: 1-3 to 0-6. Aghabog emerged with renewed purpose for the second half, with Cian Greenan splitting the uprights within a minute, before Éanna Carolan teed up Dermot Smyth to fire a goal chance over the bar. Stephen Cusack promptly became the second of Aghabog’s half-time subs to score, while Senan Carolan and Oisín Gleeson made it five in a row. A Nathan McGeough free was Truagh’s only score of the half until added time, with three points from Cormac O’Hanlon stretching Aghabog’s advantage.

The pick of those scores was a well-judged finish from a narrow angle, with one of the frees having been reversed following dissent from the Truagh sideline. Cusack doubled his tally to move Aghabog eight clear, who finished with 14 men when Mícheál Smyth was shown a second yellow card for a foot-block on Matthew Flood after David McKenna had hit the post. Fergal O’Hanlon deputised for Smyth in goals for the resulting penalty and he managed to save from McAnenly, but Truagh’s top scorer followed up to net the rebound.

Aghabog face a quick turnaround for Sunday’s semi-final against Currin in Scotstown.

Aghabog: Mícheál Smyth (0-1, ‘45); Gerry Kelly, Fergal O’Hanlon, Shane McPhillips; Senan Carolan (0-1), Oisín Gleeson (Capt., 0-2), Cian Greenan (0-1); Thomas Brady, Fergal Kierans; Ryan Gleeson, Ciarán Logue, Tyler O’Hanlon; Jack O’Hanlon (0-1), Cormac O’Hanlon (0-5, 3f), Éanna Owen Carolan (0-1).

Subs: Dermot Smyth (0-1) for Logue, Stephen Cusack (0-2) for R Gleeson, Alex Humphreys for Kelly (all H-T); Stephen Quinn for Brady (47); Paudie Gleeson for T O'Hanlon (54).

Truagh: Conor McAnenly; Oran Maguire, Cian Maguire, Callum Smyth; Shea McKenna, Eoghan Kelly, Ethan Treanor (0-1); Kieran Rafferty, Fergal Rafferty; David McKenna, Nathan McGeough (0-1f), Jamie McKenna; Aaron Mohan, Christopher McAnenly (2-2, 1-0 pen, 0-2f), Niall Coyle.

Subs: Matthew Flood for K Rafferty (38); Patrick Corrigan for N McGeough (45); James Treanor for J McKenna (58).

Referee: Martin McGinn (Aughnamullen).