Denis Connerton the Monaghan menace once again

Longford 2-13 Monaghan 1-13: Well, Monaghan can hardly say they weren’t forewarned. Twelve years ago, Denis Connerton brought an unfancied Longford outfit to Clones and plundered Monaghan’s home in the only previous championship meeting between these sides.

He came back again to Clones on Saturday night, this time with his son Liam on board as a hard-working forward, and scaled even greater heights to bring one of the best eras ever for Monaghan football to an abrupt halt.

And it was a thoroughly deserved win by a side with plenty of conviction, who recovered from a Monaghan blitz before the break to seize control again of a gripping encounter in front of a 5,262 crowd.