Allianz Football League Division One

MONAGHAN 0-7 CAVAN 0-7

By Colm Shalvey at St. Mary’s Park, Castleblayney

Monaghan and Cavan played out a low-scoring draw in a tense local derby in front of almost 8,000 supporters at a chilly Castleblayney.

The teams were level at half-time and again at full-time of a game where Cavan hit the only two points of a tentative final quarter to claim a share of the spoils.

Cavan made the brighter start, but they were wasteful in front of goal and although points by Seán Johnston (free) and Niall Clerkin for the visitors were the only scores of a dull opening quarter, Monaghan eventually found their feet.

Conor McManus opened the hosts’ account on 23 minutes and he had soon trebled his and Monaghan’s account to edge them ahead. Ciarán Brady ended 18 scoreless minutes for Cavan to bring them level at 0-3 apiece at half-time.

Monaghan gained the upper hand at the start of the second half with points from McManus (free) and Kieran Hughes, before Johnston converted a free at the other end. Conor McCarthy doubled Monaghan’s lead again and although Johnston replied with his third pointed free, a fine score by Fintan Kelly made it 0-7 to 0-5 on 48 minutes.

Cavan rallied, with a well-taken point from substitute Conor Madden making it a one-point game before Gearóid McKiernan kicked the equaliser. There were chances to win it, but both sides’ wides tallies reached double figures and the closest anyone came to edging it was when a Kieran Hughes free hit an upright.

Monaghan move level with Dublin and Tyrone on three points ahead of a trip to Kerry in a fortnight, while Cavan are off the mark as they look ahead to another Ulster derby away to Tyrone in Omagh.

**Scorers for Monaghan: **C McManus 0-4 (3f), F Kelly 0-1, K Hughes 0-1, C McCarthy 0-1.

**Scorers for Cavan: **S Johnston 0-3f, G McKiernan 0-1, C Brady 0-1, N Clerkin 0-1, C Madden 0-1.

**MONAGHAN: **R Beggan; F Kelly, D Wylie, R Wylie; N McAdam, C Walshe (Capt.), K O’Connell; D Hughes, K Hughes; K Duffy, S Carey, G Doogan; C McCarthy, T Kerr, C McManus.

**Subs: **D Malone for Kerr, R McAnespie for O’Connell (both H-T), O Duffy for Doogan, B McGinn for McCarthy (62), J McCarron for Carey (black card, 68).

**CAVAN: **J Farrelly; P Faulkner, K Brady, F Reilly; C Brady, M Reilly, G Smith; K Clarke (Capt.), T Corr; D McVeety, C Moynagh, N Clerkin; S Johnston, G McKiernan, N McKiernan.

**Subs: **C Madden for N McKiernan, N McDermott for Moynagh (inj.) (both 19), S Murray for Smith (34), P O’Connor for C Brady (50), R Dunne for Corr (70 + 1).

**REFEREE: **David Coldrick (Meath).