MC GUIGAN BUILDERS INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Monaghan Harps 2-11, Drumhowan 0-9.
Monaghan Harps’ championship performances so far may have been somewhat varied but they seem to be getting back to their best form with this deserved eight points victory over Drumhowan in Clontibret on Saturday evening last. Monaghan Harps always looked the more assured team during the entire match as they defended efficiently and broke forward on counter attacks that saw them pick off vital scores that saw them always hold an edge on the opposition. Shane Smyth whose role was that of coming in as a sub in some of their earlier games looked back to his best form and he always posed a major threat to a Drumhowan defence that came under increasing pressure and but for the experienced Dermot McDermott they might well have been in greater trouble. Despite being under the cosh for long periods Drumhowan to their credit never gave up the struggle and suffered a severe blow some 10 minutes before the finish when Shane Smyth rammed in his second goal. There was the suspicion of a handling offence but the goal stood and Drumhowan never really recovered. At that stage they had fought their way back from being seven points behind at the break to being within two points of Monaghan Harps but in those final ten minutes the county town side pulled away strongly with three further unanswered points completely wrapping up victory. Monaghan Harps were never headed in the entire contest after Dean Fanning opened their account with a point from a free in the third minute. They were to lose his services towards the end of the first quarter with a foot injury but his replacement Ciaran O’Connell was an able deputy on the day and he too rowed in with a point. The opening 20 minutes was almost completely dominated by Monaghan Harps at the end of which they led by six points and Drumhowan not having raised even a white flag. At that stage Monaghan Harps could have been further in front but for a number of missed opportunities and a screamer from Stephen McAleer that came off the underside of the Drumhowan bar after 10 minutes. At that stage Monaghan Harps were just two points in front, their second a point from a free by David Loughran in the seventh minute. The goal did eventually come in the 15th minute when an effort from David Loughran was parried by the Drumhowan keeper but only into the path of Shane Smyth who tapped home for a five points lead. Five minutes later Smith was the provider for David Loughran to raise a white flag to put Monaghan Harps six points in front but only after both sides had been off target at either end. Drumhowan eventually opened their account in the 26th minute with a point by Colm Lambe after he was well placed from a quick free by David Miller but again only after they had seen to earlier chances go amiss. Stephen McAleer had a goal on his mind again at this stage only to see his final effort blocked and Drumhowan then coming on a counter attack that saw Ciaran McElroy centre to Colm Lambe for their second score. Monaghan Harps rallied at this stage for two points in stoppage time by Nicholas Treanor, one from a free, that saw them going in six points to good at the break on the half-time score of Monaghan Harps 1-5, Drumhowan 0-2.
Drumhowan came out for the start of the second half in promising mood with an early point from a free by Christopher McGinnity following a foul on Dermot McDermott. Neil McAdam responded for Monaghan Harps in the fourth minute to leave six between the sides but by the 10th minute that margin was down to three points as Drumhowan fashioned their best period of the game with points by Colm Lambe in the fifth minute, Kevin Mooney in the sixth, after good work by Niall Mooney, and Christopher McGinnity in the 10th, Dermot McDermott and Stephen McGinnity working to create the opening. Nicholas Treanor put Monaghan Harps four in front with a point from a free following a foul on Shane Smyth, an indiscretion that saw Drumhowan’s David Miller pick up a yellow card. A minute later Colm Lambe reduced the margin to three points and three still separated the sides in the 17th minute following an exchange of points between Nicholas Treanor, free, and Christopher McGinnity with the game now a much more even contest. Drumhowan were now growing in confidence and a close finish looked on the cards when Stephen McGinnity broke through for a point in the 19th minute to bring the margin down to just two points. Two minutes later though Drumhowan’s resurgence was halted in its tracks when Shane Smyth struck his second goal for the Harps with strong protests from Drumhowan that the Monaghan Harps player had committed a handling foul. The goal stood though and Drumhowan’s challenge faded with Monaghan Harps finishing strongly with three unanswered points from Shane Smyth, David Loughran and substitute Ciaran O’Connell while two other efforts were narrowly off target. Drumhowan did have two late chances to reduce the deficit but they went the road of their championship aspirations with Monaghan Harps comfortably through to the semi finals with eight points to spare.
Teams and Scorers: Monaghan Harps: Gerard Gilsenan, Kieran Garvey, Ashley White, Paul Rushe, Neil McAdam 0-1, Mark McCaughey, Robbie Moyna, Stephen McAleer, Shea McAleer, Dean Fanning 0-1, Colin McAree, Nicholas Treanor 0-4, David Loughran 0-3, Joe Coyle, Shane Smyth 2-1. Ciaran O’Connell for D Fanning, Peter Coyle for C McAree, Conor Devlin for K Garvey.
Drumhowan: Michael Mooney, Gavin Sheridan, Dermot McDermott, Darren Duffy, Niall Mooney, Paddy Duffy, David Miller, Christopher McGinnity 0-3, Enda McElroy, Kevin Mooney 0-1, Ciaran McElroy, Gerard Duffy, Stephen McGinnity 0-1, Kieran Deery, Colm Lambe 0-4. Subs: Liam McGuirk for G Sheridan, Pauric Atkinson for G Duffy, Paddy Mulligan for C McElroy, David Caulfield for C Lambe.
Referee: Dermot Boylan (Killanny).
