Exiles progress in Ulster Hurling Championship

London 3-16 Monaghan 1-15

Michael McHugh may have top-scored with 13 points for Monaghan, but London emerged seven-point winners in this keenly contested Ulster SHC Round 2 clash at a Sunny Casement Park this afternoon.

McHugh scored all of Monaghan's eight second-half points, but it was the goal-scoring abilities of London captain Martin Finn which ensured the Exiles progressed.

Michael Kenny's charges burst out of the blocks in the opening stages, as Monaghan were left stunned.

Goals from Paul Stephenson and Finn helped London to a 2-2 to 0-0 lead after 11 minutes, with Aiden Fitzgerald and Richard O'Connell also claiming points.

Cork native Finn was a major thorn in Monaghan's side, as London claimed a 2-6 to 1-2 advantage ten minutes before the interval, with Finn bagging 1-2 at that stage.

Monaghan kept in touch thanks to a Kevin Boylan goal in the 20th minute, when the Inniskeen player rebounded the ball to the net,after a close range free from McHugh had been blocked by London goalkeeper John Joe Burke.

Monaghan finished the opening half strongly, with McHugh and Ronan Meegan on target for scores, as they cut the gap to 2-7 to 1-7 at the break.

Indeed, Monaghan were unlucky not to be on level terms with London at the break, after their captain Brian McGuigan had failed to land a second goal in the 30th minute.

Monaghan opened the second half brightly, with McHugh landing his sixth point within two minutes of the restart.

However, once Finn completed London's hat-trick 40 seconds later - the Exiles never looked troubled.

London didn't ease up and closed out this game, with five of the final six points, including a score from substitute Donal Kinsella within a minute of his introduction.

The Monaghan supporters jumped for joy in the closing stages, when the Farney attack had the ball in the back of the London net - however their joy was shortlived as referee Declan Magee gave a free-out for a square ball.

LONDON: JJ Burke; C Burke, M Ryan, N Coady; F Tierney, C Forde, K Kennedy; N Forde, (0-1) C Quinn; M Mythen (0-3), D Maher, R O'Connell (0-2); T Twomey (0-2), M Finn (2-4, 4F), P Stephenson (1-0). Subs: J Reddan (0-2) for Stephenson (33); B Forde for Coady (44); C Sexton for Burke (50); D Kinsella (0-1) for Maher (64); L Quigley (0-1) for Kennedy (67)

MONAGHAN: H Byrne; P Treanor P Murphy, A Kerr; D Crowe, S Loftus, J McAnespie; T Hillard, B Phelan; K Boylan (1-0), M McHugh (0-13, 11f, 1 65), B McGuigan; R Meegan (0-2), S Leonard, M Lennon. Subs: E Mac Suibhne for Kerr (44); G Dooley for Meegan (71).

REFEREE: Declan Magee (Down)