Allianz National Football League Division One Relegation Play-Off
MONAGHAN 1-21 GALWAY 2-17 (AET)
By Colm Shalvey at St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
Monaghan preserved their Allianz NFL Division One status after edging Galway after extra-time in Clones. Galway led for long spells of this play-off that built to exhilarating finishes at the end of both the 70 minutes and extra-time, but they couldn’t get over the line and Monaghan, who came from five points down with 65 minutes on the clock, clinched it with a superb late winner by Jack McCarron.
McCarron, who replaced the injured Andrew Woods early on, went on to kick seven points in an influential performance for Monaghan, who needed a Darren Hughes goal to get them back into the game after their net had been breached twice in the first half by Paul Kelly and Robert Finnerty.
Galway opened the scoring within 15 seconds through Shane Walsh, before Conor McManus and Ryan McAnespie responded for Monaghan. There were goal chances at either end during the opening stages, with Matthew Tierney and McAnespie both going close to finding the net, before Galway ended the first quarter with a flourish. Walsh brought them back on level terms, before Tierney set up Paul Kelly to fire home the goal they had been threatening.
Dessie Ward, Karl O’Connell and sub Jack McCarron ate into Monaghan’s deficit after the water break, although a fisted point by Paul Kelly and a fine effort by the strong-running Kieran Molloy kept the visitors ahead. McCarron’s accuracy continued to drag Monaghan closer and they got back on level terms late in the half through McManus, only for Galway to find their second goal in added time; Rob Finnerty benefiting from another raid by Molloy to give the Tribesmen a 2-6 to 0-9 lead at half-time.
Dessie Ward of Monaghan in action against Paul Conroy of Galway during the Allianz Football League Division 1 Relegation play-off match between Monaghan and Galway at St. Tiernach’s Park in Clones, Monaghan.
Walsh and McCarron added to their tallies at either end after the restart and Galway were inches away from a third goal when an intricate move ended when Johnny Heaney couldn’t produce the finishing touch. Walsh kept Galway’s total ticking over with unerring free-taking, but they missed a series of chances in open play, while McManus, Darren Hughes and the tireless Dessie Ward kept Monaghan within striking distance.
Hughes and Ward had both been sin-binned during a frantic second half, but Monaghan hung in there and their veteran midfielder brought them level late on with a postage-stamp finish into the bottom corner. There was still time for Galway to regain the lead via a Matthew Tierney ’45, but Monaghan responded once again, with a trademark McManus point forcing extra-time.
The scores were few and far between in the early minutes of extra-time, but after Shane Carey had nudged Monaghan ahead for the first time, Johnny Duane and Finnerty quickly replied. McCarron and Walsh exchanged points to leave Galway up by the minimum (2-16 to 1-18) at the change of ends.
McCarron and Kieran Duffy inched Monaghan towards the finish line during the final ten minutes, but a brilliant catch by Tierney earned him an advanced mark and a chance to level it up once more. There was still time for one last twist, however, and fittingly it was McCarron who provided it with a superb score from distance to extend Monaghan’s stay in the top flight into an eighth year.
Scorers for Monaghan: Jack McCarron 0-7 (2f); Conor McManus 0-4 (2f); Darren Hughes 1-1; Dessie Ward 0-3; Ryan McAnespie 0-2; Kieran Duffy 0-1; Karl O’Connell 0-1; Shane Carey 0-1; Rory Beggan 0-1 (’45).
Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 0-7 (6f); Robert Finnerty 1-3 (0-1m); Paul Kelly 1-1; Matthew Tierney 0-2 (1m, 1 ’45); Kieran Molloy 0-1; Éamonn Brannigan 0-1; Cathal Sweeney 0-1; Johnny Duane 0-1.
MONAGHAN: Rory Beggan; Ryan Wylie (Capt.), Dessie Ward, Kieran Duffy; Karl McMenamin, Conor Boyle, Karl O’Connell; Niall Kearns, Killian Lavelle; Stephen O’Hanlon, Mícheál Bannigan, Ryan McAnespie; Conor McCarthy, Andrew Woods, Conor McManus.
Subs: Jack McCarron for Woods (10), Darren Hughes for Bannigan (H-T), Fintan Kelly for O’Connell (47), Aaron Mulligan for Lavelle (50), Gary Mohan for O’Hanlon, Shane Hanratty for Wylie (both 64).
Extra-time subs: Shane Carey for McCarthy, Barry McBennett for Kearns, Mícheál Bannigan for McMenamin, Karl O’Connell for Boyle (13), Conor McCarthy for Mohan (15), Ryan Wylie for Duffy (18).
GALWAY: Connor Gleeson; Seán Kelly, Seán Mulkerrin, Jack Glynn; Kieran Molloy, Liam Silke, Dylan McHugh; Paul Conroy, Matthew Tierney; Finian Ó Laoi, Peter Cooke, Paul Kelly; Éamonn Brannigan, Shane Walsh (Capt.), Robert Finnerty.
Subs: Johnny Heaney for Brannigan (30), Johnny Duane for Glynn (H-T), Dessie Conneely for Molloy, Cathal Sweeney for P Kelly (both 50), Maitias Ó Bairéad for Walsh, Tomo Culhane for Finnerty (both 65).
Extra-time subs: Robert Finnerty for Heaney, Shane Walsh for Duane, Kieran Molloy for Silke (13), Finian Ó Laoi for Conroy, Tomo Culhane for Finnerty (both 18).
Referee: David Gough (Meath).
