NFL 1: Monaghan hit the ground running
February 06, 2011
James Turley of Monaghan and Gary O'Donnell of Galway during the opening round of the NFL at Clones.
An inexperienced Monaghan XV put in a determined showing in the first half to trail by just one at the break, 0-10 to 0-9, with Conor McManus (2) and Paul Finlay notching the final three points of the opening period. It was an open game with both teams focusing on football.
The match had been moved to Clones and the throw-in delayed by 20 minutes because the pitch at Inniskeen was deemed unplayable. Galway's Gary O'Donnell opened the scoring after three minutes and Eddie Hoare doubled the gap.
Cormac Bane got another for the visitors and Paul Finlay stroked over a Monaghan free but Matthew Clancy made it 0-4 to 0-1 to the Tribesmen after ten minutes.
Greg Higgins got Galway's third point in succession before Conor McManus, the impressive Christopher McGuinness and Mark Downey registered for Monaghan, with a Sean Armstrong point in between - 0-7 to 0-5 after 21 minutes. McManus had come close to a Monaghan goal and Dessie Mone was having a stormer at corner back for the home side.
The next six points were shared, with midfielder Hoare amongst the scorers. A lovely McManus point in the 32nd-minute closed the gap to one, 0-9 to 0-10. That was how the first half ended.
Monaghan got three of the first four scores in the second half to lead by 0-12 to 0-11. The magnificent Dick Clerkin placed Finlay for the first of those and the latter also pointed a free before Clerkin slotted one from play.
Four more Monaghan points followed as they now led by 0-16 to 0-11 with less than quarter of the match left. Finlay's tally moved up to six and he was also pulling the strings in setting up other scores: 0-18 to 0-13 with four minutes to go.
The last two points were shared as Monaghan held on for a super win.
Monaghan: M Keogh; C Walshe, D Mone, K Duffy; D Wylie, C Brady, D Hughes; N McAdam (0-1), D Clerkin (0-2); G Doogan, M Downey (0-2), J Turley; C McGuinness (0-2), P Finlay (0-6, 5 frees), C McManus (0-5, 2 frees). Subs: C Galligan (0-1) for D Wylie, C Hughes for C Brady, D Malone for J Turley, B McKenna for M Downey.
Galway: A Faherty; K Fitzgerald, F Hanley, K McGrath; G O'Donnell (0-1), N Coyne, A Burke; G Bradshaw, A Hoare (0-2); G Higgins (0-1), C Bane (0-2), G Sice (0-1); M Clancy (0-2, 1 free), C DePaor, S Armstrong (0-4, 2 frees). Subs: D Reilly for K Fitzgerald, N Coleman for C De Paor, D Cummins (0-1) for M Clancy, B Flaherty for N Coyne.
Referee: M Deegan (Laois). Tweet
