Finlay strikes late blow for Monaghan

EIGHT days after they were originally slated to meet, the top two teams in the league’s second tier finally got to lock horns in Donnycarney. It was well worth the wait.

Some of the football wasn’t exactly out of the top drawer but what the game lacked in quality it made up for with liberal amounts of drama, numerous plot twists and a pinch or two of controversy.

Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney said afterwards that it had not been a dirty game but referee Syl Doyle still awarded over 50 frees and sent off Dublin’s Mark Vaughan and Bryan Cullen, both for second bookable offences.