Home sides victorious in Ulster SHC
The home teams were to the fore this afternoon as the 2009 GAA Ulster Senior Hurling Championship got underway with Armagh, Fermanagh and Donegal securing quarter-final berths for next weekend.
At the Athletic Grounds, Armagh braved a determined start by Monaghan to register a 1-22 to 1-8 win.
Armagh started sluggishly as with Stephen Lambe (0-2), Bernard O'Brien and Jim Lacey on target for Monaghan the visitors lead by 0-4 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter.
However Gerry Murphy's charges only added one further points before the interval as the hosts bounced back strongly, led by free-taker Paul Breen to ensure a 0-10 to 0-5 lead at the break.
A cross-field wind failed to benefit either side with Armagh strongest on the restart as Ryan Gaffney despatched the home-sides only goal of the contest to the net in the 40th minute.
Barry Reilly battled hard for the visitors and broke through for a well-struck goal following a rare lapse of concentration in the Armagh defence.
However, Armagh's rear-guard stood firm with their attack firing points from all angles including well taken scores from play from Ciaran McKernan, Ciaran Christy and Paul McCormack as the Orchard County firmly secured a spot against Donegal next weekend.
Eamon Campbell's side ran out convincing winners in their 1-21 to 0-6 win over Tyrone at Letterkenny.
Aided by a strong wind in the opening half Donegal signalled their intent early on to lead by 0-8 to 0-2 after 17 minutes with Ciaran Matheson in outstanding form with three points from play
Half-forward Peter O'Connor kept Tyrone in touch with a brace of points in the fourth and ninth minutes, but the visitors failed to score again before the interval as Donegal led by 0-10 to 0-2 at the break.
Donegal continued to show no mercy on the restart and built up a 0-16 to 0-4 lead at the end of the third quarter, before taking their only goal of the contest.
With 16 and a half minutes remaining Eamon Campbell's side pressed hard at the Tyrone defence and won a penalty following sustained pressure after Michael McCann, Michael McGee and substitute Ger O'Dwyer combined for an excellent move which ended which O'Dwyer being hauled down in the box.
Kevin Campbell despatched the resulting strike to the net as Donegal opened up a 1-17 to 0-3 gap.
Points failed to flow as freely in the remaining 15 minutes, with the sides well balanced in the scoring stakes, as Donegal could afford to ease up safe in the knowledge a quarter-final spot was secured
Elsewhere Fermanagh held out for a quarter-final spot against London next weekend following a slender 0-13 to 1-9 win over Cavan at Enniskillen.
The visitors began in tremendous form with early scores from Jason McManus and Ryan Bogue ensuring an early 0-2 to 0-1 advantage.
Cavan weren't fazed by Fermanagh's positive start and went in search of goals early on with Adrian McManus unlucky to have his shot saved by Erne Country goalkeeper Peter McEvoy who deflected McManus's effort out for a 65'.
However McManus made amends by slotting over the resulting placed ball and a further score with Cavan growing in confidence to lead by 0-3 to
0-2 after 16 minutes.
A second goal chance for the Breffni men fell the way of Philip Brady but again McEvoy smothered out his shot, but Cavan kept on top before the interval and led by 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the break.
Bogue kept Fermanagh in touch with four first half points with his side battling back in the second half to take the lead in the closing 10 minutes.
However Cavan rallied strongly with the only goal of the game falling their way late on as Sean O'Grady cut the gap to a point.
Fermanagh's defence were under huge pressure at this stage and although Cavan had two late chances to snatch an equaliser and extra-time it failed to arrive as Fermanagh held out for victory.
