Monaghan march past Roscommon to secure place in All-Ireland SFC Round 3

INTO ROUND 3: Monaghan's Conor McCarthy scores a point. Pic: Paul Phelan/Sportsfile.

All-Ireland SFC Round 2B: Monaghan 1-20 Roscommon 0-14

Monaghan booked their place in Round 3 of the All-Ireland SFC with a nine-point win over Roscommon in Clones.

Despite converting just a third of their 24 shots with the breeze at their backs in the first half, Monaghan were much more clinical after the restart, outscoring the visitors by 0-11 to 0-7.

In contrast to the often-chaotic finishes to their previous matches in the championship season, Monaghan brought plenty of control to the closing stages of this one as they ended the Connacht champions’ run. 

Roscommon couldn’t find the attacking verve that had been the hallmark of their provincial campaign, while Monaghan had ten scorers as well as keeping a first clean sheet of the championship.

A cagey start to the game saw the teams share the first four points, with Dessie Ward and Stephen Mooney of Monaghan replying to Roscommon’s Diarmuid Murtagh and Dylan Ruane.

Monaghan’s wasteful finishing midway through the first half saw them squander numerous chances, while a more economical Roscommon side racked up four consecutive points, including three from Dáire Cregg.

Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan with his grandchild Theo. Pic:©INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon.

Monaghan were in dire need of a spark and Jack McCarron and Conor McCarthy provided it, picking off some fine scores from either side of the arc, before Mooney drilled home his second goal in two games, while he was denied another by a smart save by Conor Carroll. Darragh Heneghan replied with a point, but McCarron’s second orange flag sent Monaghan in leading by 1-9 to 0-7.

Roscommon held possession for more than two minutes at the start of the second half, culminating in a two-pointer by Murtagh, but the Connacht champions were unable to replicate that, despite Ruane subsequently bringing them within two.

Monaghan hit back through Mícheál Bannigan, Mícheál McCarville and Ward as they began to control the tempo.

Ruane’s third point and scores from subs Jack Duggan, Conor Hand and Cian McKeon kept Roscommon in contention, while Enda Smith also came on for the last ten minutes after having been ruled out of the starting team.

Oisín McGorman, Andrew Woods and subs David Garland and Ryan McAnespie added their names to the scoresheet as Monaghan wrapped up an impressive win.

Scorers for Monaghan: J McCarron 0-7 (2 2-pt, 1f); S Mooney 1-1; D Ward, C McCarthy 0-3 each; A Woods, M McCarville, O McGorman, D Garland, M Bannigan, R McAnespie 0-1 each.

Scorers for Roscommon: D Murtagh 0-4 (1 2-pt); D Ruane, D Cregg 0-3 each; J Duggan, C McKeon, C Hand, D Heneghan 0-1.

Monaghan: R Beggan; R O’Toole, R Wylie, D Byrne; D Ward, K Lavelle, C McCarthy; M McCarville, K Gallagher; S O’Hanlon, M Bannigan, O McGorman; A Woods, J McCarron, S Mooney.

Subs: D Garland for Mooney (inj., 53); M Maguire for McGorman (56); R McAnespie for Woods (65); D McElearney for O’Hanlon (68).

Roscommon: C Carroll; E McCormack, C Keogh, B Stack; E Ward, R Daly, S Lambe; K Doyle, C Ryan; D Heneghan, D Ruane, C Neary; R Heneghan, D Murtagh, D Cregg.

Subs: J Duggan for Ryan (44); S Cunnane for Doyle, C Hand for R Heneghan (both 46); C McKeon for Cregg (52); E Smith for Keogh (61).

Temporary sub: S Cunnane for Ryan (9-23).

Referee: P Faloon (Down).