Monaghan are through to a third successive Ulster final after beating neighbours Fermanagh by 1-20 to 0-13 at Breffni Park.

With 16,572 in attendance, the losers offered stern resistance for long periods but their chances went up in flames when Ryan McCluskey was dismissed 13 minutes from the end, after a six-point deficit had been clawed back to three.

The teams were level five times during the first half but a 35th-minute Conor McManus free followed by a trademark Darren Hughes effort handed the victors a slender 0-7 to 0-5 interval advantage.

Each side made two changes to their starting XVs: Eoin Donnelly and Tiernan Daly replaced Darren McQuade and Ruairi Corrigan for Fermanagh while Monaghan brought in Kieran Duffy and Owen Lennon from the start in place of Ryan McAnespie and Paul Finlay.

The sides shared four points inside the opening twelve minutes, with Kieran Duffy and Conor McManus (free) on target for the Farney County either side of Fermanagh scores from Sean Quigley (free) and Tomas Corrigan.

Ryan Jones restored the Ernemen's advantage but Kieran Hughes had the sides level for the third time at the midway stage in the opening half, 0-3 apiece. Neil McAdam's point had Monaghan briefly back in front but the lead changed hands again as Quigley (free) and Jones both notched their second scores for Pete McGrath's men.

A Kieran Hughes free tied it up for the fifth time in the 30th minute: 0-5 each and those late points from McManus and Darren Hughes left two between the sides for the first time as the short whistle sounded to put an end to a hard-fought opening period.

Half-time substitute Owen Duffy announced his arrival with a quick point upon the restart but Quigley and Eoin Donnelly closed the gap back to the minimum before Kieran Hughes, McManus (free) and Dessie Mone reeled off three quick Monaghan scores to make it 0-11 to 0-7.

Quigley and the marauding Karl O'Connell swapped scores, bringing to eight the total of points registered in the opening ten minutes of the second half! Christopher McGuinness' point had five between the sides and McManus' free was cancelled out by Declan McCusker: 0-14 to 0-9 with 20 minutes remaining.

Fermanagh refused to throw in the towel and further points from Quigley and McCusker had the leeway back to a manageable three points with a quarter of the match left to play.

Disaster struck for the Ernemen 13 minutes from time when centre back McCluskey was shown a straight red card and McManus stroked over the resultant free. But Corrgan pointed for the 14 men in the 58th minute to bring it back to a three-point match once more, 0-15 to 0-12. Duffy ensured that Monaghan carried a four-point cushion into the last ten minutes.

McManus settled the match as a contest when he pounced for a 64th-minute goal, moments after lofting over a point. There was a flurry of action at the end as Darren Hughes was dismissed for a second yellow card offence and Monaghan substitute Stephen Gallogly saw his penalty saved by Thomas Treacy before goalkeeper Rory Beggan - who had struck an upright in the first half - converted the '45' to make it 1-18 to 0-12 with a couple of minutes left.

Gollogly got his name on the scoresheet and Duffy landed his third score in stoppage time as Malachy O'Rourke's charges became the first team to qualify for the 2015 Ulster final, where they will face either holders Donegal or Derry. Aidan Breen put over a late consolation point for Fermanagh, who go into the Qualifiers.

Monaghan - R Beggan (0-1'45); C Walshe, F Kelly, R Wylie; D Mone (0-1), V Corey, K O'Connell (0-1); N McAdam (0-1), D Hughes (0-1); K Duffy (0-1), K Hughes (0-3, 1f), S Carey; O Lennon, D Malone, C McManus (1-6, 0-5f). Subs: O Duffy (0-3) for S Carey, C McGuinness (0-1) for D Malone, D Clerkin for O Lennon, S Gallogly (0-1) for F Kelly, P Finlay for K Hughes, C Boyle for D Mone.

Fermanagh - T Treacy; M Jones, N Cassidy, M O'Brien; D McCusker (0-2), R McCluskey, B Mulrone; R Jones (0-2), R O'Callaghan; E Donnelly (0-1), C Flaherty, P McCusker; T Corrigan (0-2), S Quigley (0-5, 4f), T Daly. Subs: R Corrigan for C Flaherty, C Jones for R O'Callaghan, D Kille for P McCusker, A Breen (0-1) for M Jones.

Referee - P O'Sullivan.

Tweet

Most Read Stories