Monaghan take care of Cavan to set up Derry semi clash

Mícheál Bannigan of Monaghan in action against Niall Carolan of Cavan. Pic: Philip Fitzpatrick/Sportsfile

Ulster SFC: Monaghan 0-27 Cavan 2-14 

Monaghan set up an Ulster SFC semi-final meeting with Derry after a high-scoring derby win over Cavan in Clones. 

A fast start sent Monaghan on their way as they raced into a five-point lead, although they needed some vital saves from Rory Beggan to stop Cavan from adding to the two goals they managed during the second half. 

Stephen Mooney, Dessie Ward and Ulster SFC debutants Cameron Dowd and Daragh McElearney had big impacts for Monaghan as they ended their winless spell. Emmanuel Shehu and sub Darragh Lovett were bright for Cavan, who lost Dara McVeety to injury early in the second half.

Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan acknowledged that it was a relief to see his side get back to winning ways, saying: “We had a very tough league, so it’s a big relief. We have been preparing very hard for this game since our relegation was confirmed. We were focused on Cavan and making sure we had the squad as near to full strength as possible. We weren’t quite there, but we had the strongest 26 we had available to us for any game this year.” 

Bannigan added: “[Cavan] are our neighbours and our oldest rivals. They were always going to come back at us. We knew they would get them in at half-time and send them out fighting in the second half. 

"They really drove at us in the second half and we had to withstand that; it took some last-ditch tackles and saves and we’ll have to look at that, but I thought we dealt with it fairly well. Most people had Derry already in the Ulster final before a ball was even kicked. Time will tell if that is fair analysis or not, but we have to prove that wrong.” 

Andrew Woods, Aaron Carey, Dessie Ward and David Garland were on target as Monaghan flew out of the traps, but Paddy Lynch and Oisín Brady responded to keep Cavan in touch. Monaghan were on top for most of the first half, with two-pointers from Rory Beggan and Karl Gallagher, plus three white flags from Stephen Mooney helping them lead by 0-15 to 0-8 at the interval.

There was much more drama in the second half as Cavan threatened a comeback, with goals from Tiarnan Madden and Darragh Lovett helping the Breffni side cut their deficit to three by the hour mark. 

Beggan denied Lynch twice, including from a penalty, as well as making a fine stop to divert a close-range effort from Lovett over the bar.

A fifth point from Mooney helped Monaghan regain momentum late on and they pushed on with points from Beggan and Mícheál Bannigan to seal their first Ulster SFC win over their neighbours since 2017. 

Cavan finished with 14 men after sub Favour Shehu was sent off on 68 minutes.

Scorers for Monaghan: S Mooney, R Beggan 0-5 (1 2-pt-f, 3 ‘45s) 0-5 each; D Ward 0-4 (1 2-pt); M Bannigan 0-3 (1f); D Garland, S O’Hanlon, A Woods, A Carey, K Gallagher (1 2-pt) 0-2 each.

Scorers for Cavan: P Lynch 0-7 (1 2-pt-f, 1f); D Lovett, T Madden 1-1 each; E Shehu 0-3 (1 2-pt); O Brady 0-2.

Monaghan: R Beggan; D Byrne, R O’Toole, D McElearney; D Ward, L Kelly, C Dowd; M McCarville, K Gallagher; A Carey, M Bannigan, S O’Hanlon; D Garland, A Woods, S Mooney.

Subs: C McCarthy for Kelly (50); B McCaul for Garland (51); J McCarron for Gallagher (57); O McGorman for Woods (61); K Lavelle for Dowd (inj., 68).

Cavan: L Brady; N Carolan, B O’Connell, Cormac Brady; R Tobin, Conor Brady, P Corrigan; R Donohoe, E Clarke; E Shehu, O Brady, Ciarán Brady (Arva); T Madden, D McVeety, P Lynch.

Subs: G McKiernan for Corrigan (18); D Lovett for McVeety (inj., 41); E Crowe for O Brady (45); C McGovern for Donohoe (51); F Shehu for Carolan (57).

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).