All-Ireland SFC Semi-Final

Dublin 1-17 Monaghan 0-13

By Colm Shalvey at Croke Park

Dublin are back in the All-Ireland SFC Final after they eventually wore down a valiant challenge from Monaghan in front of a full house at Croke Park.

The seven-point margin at the final whistle doesn’t tell the full story of a game where the teams were separated by two points or less right up until the 64th minute, but Dublin’s seventh consecutive clean sheet helped them stay on track.

Veteran forward Conor McManus, who had been recalled to Monaghan’s starting team, had edged the underdogs ahead on the hour mark with his fourth point of the second half, but Dublin called on all their experience and know-how to pull away in the closing stages.

Dessie Farrell once again sprung Ciarán Kilkenny, Jack McCaffrey and Dean Rock off the bench and the latter two contributed 1-2 as Dublin finally put some daylight between the teams during added time.

Monaghan had a sustained spell of possession early on, but even so it was Dublin who opened the scoring on three minutes through Cormac Costello. Monaghan got off the mark via Stephen O’Hanlon, but they also rattled the woodwork three times during the opening quarter, as well as seeing a Ryan McAnespie goal-attempt blocked by Michael Fitzsimons.

Those near-misses would hurt Monaghan, who were unable to make the most of Niall Scully’s ten minutes in the sin-bin for a trip on Conor McCarthy.

A Conor McManus free and a brace of ‘45s by Rory Beggan kept Monaghan in touch, but Costello finished the first half with half-a-dozen points to his name, scoring twice from play, once from a mark and three from frees.

Paul Mannion was the only other Dublin player on the scoresheet in the first half as they took in a slender lead at the break (0-8 to 0-7), despite Mícheál Bannigan, Gary Mohan and Beggan replying for Monaghan: the latter completing a hat-trick of ‘45s after a McManus effort for a point had slipped just wide through the hands of Stephen Cluxton.

Ryan McAnespie brought Monaghan level after the restart and although Costello and Con O’Callaghan replied for the Leinster champions, McManus burst into the game with a handful of scores midway through the half. The Dubs were always able to respond, however, as scores from O’Callaghan, Mannion and Lee Gannon were backed up by a brace of trademark finishes from Brian Fenton.

Jack McCaffrey clipped one over via the woodwork to open up a three-point gap and even though fellow sub Jack McCarron kept Monaghan in contention, Dean Rock’s contribution of 1-1 – the goal coming from point-blank range at the end of a move involving Fenton and O’Callaghan – ensured that Dublin await the winners of tomorrow’s clash between Derry and Kerry.

Scorers for Dublin: Cormac Costello 0-7 (3fs, 1m), Dean Rock 1-1 (1f), Paul Mannion 0-3 (1f, 1m), Con O’Callaghan 0-2, Brian Fenton 0-2, Jack McCaffrey 0-1, Lee Gannon 0-1.

Scorers for Monaghan: Conor McManus 0-5 (3fs, 1m), Rory Beggan 0-3 (3 ‘45s), Mícheál Bannigan 0-1, Jack McCarron 0-1, Ryan McAnespie 0-1, Stephen O’Hanlon 0-1, Gary Mohan 0-1.

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Michael Fitzsimons, David Byrne; Lee Gannon; Eoin Murchan, Brian Howard, John Small; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Niall Scully, Paul Mannion, Paddy Small; Cormac Costello, Con O’Callaghan, Colm Basquel.

Subs: Ciarán Kilkenny for Scully (28); Jack McCaffrey for Basquel (43); Lorcan O’Dell for P Small (62); Dean Rock for Mannion (68); Tom Lahiff for Costello (70).

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Ryan Wylie, Kieran Duffy (Capt.), Conor Boyle; Karl O’Connell, Killian Lavelle, Conor McCarthy; Darren Hughes, Kieran Hughes; Stephen O’Hanlon, Dessie Ward, Ryan McAnespie; Mícheál Bannigan, Gary Mohan, Conor McManus.

Subs: Karl Gallagher for Ward (43); Jack McCarron for K Hughes (45); Ryan O’Toole for Boyle (59); Seán Jones for McAnespie (65); Colm Lennon for Lavelle (68).

Temporary sub: Colm Lennon for D Hughes

Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone).