Monaghan advanced to the Shield final with this comprehensive win over Wicklow in round 3 of the Gerry Reilly Cup played in windy and wet conditions at Millbrook Oldcastle.

Monaghan 6-24 Wicklow 1-6

Before the game there was a minutes silence for the late Sean O'Reilly, brother of Eddie, PRO for the Gerry Reilly Cup tournament.

Monaghan played against the elements in the first half but that did not prevent them from working up a substantial half time lead.

Corner forward Sean Burns tormented the Wicklow rearguard for the opening thirty minutes. The Garden County boys  were first on the scoreboard with a Sean Branagan point but between the 5th and 20th minute the Farney boys had opened a 2-3 to 0-1 gap, the goals coming within a minute of each other from the very talented Burns. Wicklow fired over three points without reply from Cillian Galligan, Ross Coogan and Branagan to narrow the gap but Monaghan finished out the half the stronger. Burns got his third goal and points from Robbie McAlister and Burns gave them a commanding 3-6 to 0-4 interval lead.

With the wind on their backs it was all one way traffic towards the Wicklow goal for the opening 20 minutes of the second half. Monaghan added 1-9 without reply in that period. When Sean Burns hit his 4th goal on the 10th minute the writing was on the wall for Wicklow. The Garden County had to wait till the 20th minute for their opening score of the half. Padraig O'Toole goaled from a close in free. But there was no let up on the Monaghan attack. Half back Conor Doyle and centre forward David Hanley netted in the closing stages to seal a comfortable win for the Ulster county.

Monaghan: Tomas Marron, Tommy Croakin, Karl McMenamin, Oran Martin, Conor Doyle 1-2, Josh Walsh, Jack Gormley 0-1, Padraig Meehan, Hugh McGinn 0-1, Oisin Gleeson, David Hanley 1-4, Barry Kieran, Cormac O'Connor, Robbie McAlister 0-5, Sean Burns 4-4. Subs: Paul Monaghan 0-1, James Treanor, Mathew Ward, Conor McCabe 0-2, Kevin Murphy 0-1, Barry Kieran 0-3

Wicklow: Conor Browne, Conor Nolan, Sean Gregory, James Tyrell, Ian Clancy, Cian Lee, Conal Deeney, Padraig O'Toole 1-0, Sean Branagan 0-2, Ciaran O'Shea, Ross Coogan 0-3, Rory Stokes, Cillian Galligan 0-1, Adam Delahunty, Brian Lambert. Subs: Sam Callaghan, Cillian hannon, Simon Reynolds, Brandon Scully, Tadgh Callaghan

Referee Patrick Coyle Meath

Man of the Match Sean Burne recieves his award from Dermot Monaghan (Oldcastle GFC)

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