Monaghan senior football team manager Gabriel Bannigan. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Two
Monaghan 2-29 (2-4-21) Westmeath 2-21 (2-4-13)
By Colm Shalvey at St Tiernach's Park
Monaghan made it two wins from two in the Allianz NFL with a high-scoring win over Westmeath in Clones.
The crowd were treated to a feast of scores in the sunshine, with the new rules contributing to a fast-paced game that ebbed and flowed throughout. Despite starting slowly in both halves, Gabriel Bannigan’s Monaghan led for the majority of the match, spurred on by a sparkling performance from wing-back Conor McCarthy, who kicked seven points from play.
Westmeath, who had four changes to their starting team, competed well as they find their feet under Dermot McCabe, but they have nothing to show for their efforts to date.
Westmeath started brightly with early points from Luke Loughlin and Brían Cooney, but Monaghan responded through the impressive Conor McCarthy and a two-point free by Rory Beggan, during a spell where the hosts took control in the middle third.
Neither side could maintain dominance for long and while Ryan McAnespie doubled Monaghan’s lead, Westmeath stayed in touch via a two-point free from Loughlin and another from play by Sam McCartan. David Garland managed one of his own at the other end, while Ciarán McNulty and Stephen Mooney were also on target as Monaghan regained the advantage.
McCarthy had four points to his name by the half-hour mark as Monaghan pushed their tally well into double figures, but Westmeath were right back in it when the strong-running Ronan Wallace broke through to fire home the opening goal.
Monaghan hit back in style, though, with points from Garland, Michael Hamill and McCarthy being followed by a Ryan O’Toole goal that made it 1-15 to 1-9 at half-time.
Westmeath were on the front foot again at the start of the second half, with Brandon Kelly marking his introduction with a point and Robbie Forde scrambling to the net after Wallace had punched off the crossbar.
The gap was quickly back down to the minimum, but Monaghan were always able to retain a narrow lead, helped by scores from Mooney, Beggan, Garland and McCarthy, while Westmeath saw Kelly pass up a chance for their third major.
Matthew Whittaker, Eoghan McCabe and Sam McCartan added their names to the scoresheet for Westmeath, but Killian Lavelle and Jack McCarron kept Monaghan’s tally rising. They suffered a blow late on when Hamill had to be stretchered off with a knee injury, which led to a lengthy bout of added time, during which Loughlin landed a brace of two-point frees to finish in double digits for a second week in a row.
Like in the first half, however, Monaghan ended up with a flourish, as sub McCarron fired home their second goal to give them an eight-point winning margin.
This was an early endorsement of the new rules and for Monaghan, a second win means they join Roscommon in setting the pace in Division Two.
Scorers for Monaghan: Conor McCarthy 0-7; Stephen Mooney 0-6 (1 2-pt, 3f); Jack McCarron 1-2; David Garland 0-5 (1 2-pt, 1f, 1m); Rory Beggan 0-4 (2 2-pt-f); Ryan O’Toole 1-0; Ryan McAnespie 0-2; Ciarán McNulty 0-1; Killian Lavelle 0-1; Michael Hamill 0-1.
Scorers for Westmeath: Luke Loughlin 0-10 (3 2-pt, 2f); Robbie Forde 1-2 (0-1f); Ronan Wallace 1-0; Sam McCartan 0-3 (1 2-pt); Matthew Whittaker 0-2; Brían Cooney 0-1; Conor Dillon 0-1; Brandon Kelly 0-1; Eoghan McCabe 0-1.
Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Dylan Byrne, Killian Lavelle, Ryan Wylie; Ciarán McNulty, Ryan O’Toole, Conor McCarthy; Mícheál McCarville, Gavin McPhillips; Ryan McAnespie, Barry McBennett, Michael Hamill; David Garland, Stephen Mooney, Seán Jones.
Subs: Bobby McCaul for McPhillips (48); Jack McCarron for Jones, Jason Irwin for McBennett (both 50); Kevin Loughran for McAnespie (inj., 61); Dean McDonnell for McCarthy (inj., 67).
Westmeath: Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud, Conor Dillon, David Giles; Danny McCartan, Charlie Drumm, Sam McCartan; Ronan Wallace, Eoghan McCabe; Kevin O’Sullivan, Brían Cooney, Matthew Whittaker; Robbie Forde, Luke Loughlin, Stephen Smith.
Subs: Brandon Kelly for Smith (H-T); Enda Gaffney for O’Sullivan (47); Fionn O’Hara for Cooney (53); Kieran Martin for D McCartan (58); Jack Geoghegan for Forde (68).
Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone).
