Monaghan overcome battling Clare to set up Down decider

The result also creates an effective knock-out clash between Louth and Clare, following a real game of two halves in Clones.

BATTLE: Mícheál McCarville of Monaghan in action against Ronan Lanigan of Clare. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile.

All-Ireland SFC Group 3: Monaghan 1-25 Clare 1-16

Group 3 of the All-Ireland SFC will boil down to a top-of-the-table decider between Monaghan and Down, plus an effective knock-out clash between Louth and Clare, following a real game of two halves in Clones.

Producing a reaction to their heavy loss to Down, Clare made a mockery of the pre-match odds by building up a double-scores half-time lead with the wind at their backs.

But Monaghan outscored them by 1-18 to 1-2 after the restart to remain behind the Mourne men on score-difference only heading into the final round of the group stage.

Monaghan could afford to kick 14 wides and still get the win, helped by 0-8 from Jack McCarron, a goal by Conor McCarthy and a significant impact from their subs.

Monaghan started brightly with early points from Conor McCarthy, Ryan McAnespie and Mícheál Bannigan, with Daniel Walsh kicking Clare’s only score of the first 13 minutes.

But the Banner grew into the game in some style towards the end of the opening quarter. Clare’s frequent raids down the right flank led to two-pointers from Conor Meaney (two), Eoin Cleary and Mark McInerney, which propelled them into a healthy lead.

Dessie Ward ended 13 scoreless minutes for Monaghan, who also saw corner-forwards Jack McCarron and Stephen Mooney open their accounts late in the half, but Aaron Griffin replied to leave Clare in command at half-time: 0-14 to 0-7.

Monaghan began the second half with much more purpose, as McCarron kicked 0-5 inside the first ten minutes, including a brace of two-pointers, before McCarthy scythed through to drill home the opening goal, which edged them ahead for the first time since the early stages.

David Garland also found his range from outside the arc and he was joined on the scoresheet by fellow subs Aaron Carey and Andrew Woods, with veteran Darren Hughes joining them in making an impact off the bench.

Clare took 23 minutes to get their first score of the half from McInerney, but they gave themselves a glimmer of hope when a point from Dermot Coughlan was swiftly followed by a palmed goal from Aaron Griffin.

Monaghan’s cushion was down to four on 66 minutes, but Rory Beggan converted a pair of two-point frees late on to see the hosts finish with nine to spare.

Scorers for Monaghan: J McCarron 0-8 (2 2pt, 1 2ptf, 1f); R Beggan 0-5 (4f, 1 ’45); C McCarthy 1-1; M Bannigan 0-3 (1f); D Garland 0-2 (2pt); R McAnespie, D Ward, A Woods, A Carey, S O’Hanlon, S Mooney 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: A Griffin 1-3 (0-1f); C Meaney 0-4 (2 2pt); M McInerney 0-4 (2pt, 1f); D Walsh 0-2; E Cleary 0-2 (2pt); D Coughlan 0-1.

Monaghan: R Beggan; D Byrne, K Lavelle, R Wylie; D Ward, R O’Toole, K Duffy; M McCarville, G Mohan; S O’Hanlon, C McCarthy, R McAnespie; M Bannigan (Capt.), J McCarron, S Mooney.

Subs: A Carey for Lavelle (H-T); D Hughes for Mohan (inj.), D Garland for Mooney (both 41); C McNulty for McAnespie (52); A Woods for Duffy (61).

Clare: É Tubridy; R McMahon, R Lanigan, M Doherty; A Sweeney, I Ugwueru, F Kelleher; B McNamara, D Walsh; C Meaney, D Coughlan, S Griffin; M McInerney, E Cleary (Capt.), A Griffin.

Subs: J Stack for McMahon (56); E Cahill for Walsh (63); D Nagle for Sweeney (67).

Referee: J Henry (Mayo).