Monaghan 0-15

Kildare 1-10

Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park

MONAGHAN HAVE ENDURED their difficulties in All-Ireland quarter-finals but a fresh format brought an end this afternoon to their losing streak at this stage.

In a tight and tense battle, the teams were deadlocked with eight minutes of normal time remaining before Monaghan kicked for home against Kildare to get their Super 8s campaign up and running.

Kildare's Kevin Feely and Monaghan's Niall Kearns battle for the ball. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Midfielder Niall Kearns and ace attacker Conor McManus swept over scores from play to push Monaghan ahead 0-14 to 1-9. Substitute Eamonn Callaghan grabbed a point back in response for Kildare yet it was goalkeeper Rory Beggan who strode up field to land the insurance score from a placed ball to seal Monaghan’s victory.

The result places Malachy O’Rourke’s side in a healthy position ahead of a home tie with Kerry in Clones next Sunday. Kildare could not quite scale the scoring heights they had reached throughout the qualifiers and were forced to rue the fact that they could hit the front in the second half, when the teams were level on three occasions.

Kildare boss Cian O'Neill. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Monaghan were in front 0-10 to 1-5 after an enterprising opening period. They leaked the only goal of the game early on but it was a wonderful individual effort from Kildare’s Daniel Flynn as he scythed through the rearguard and finished impressively.

But Monaghan packed a greater scoring punch as the half progressed and it was a crucial factor in their eventual victory. Karl O’Connell was excellent and clipped over 0-3 during the game. Kearns, Conor McCarthy and McManus also chipped in with vital points for the Ulster outfit.

Kildare trailed by three points approaching the interval yet Neil Flynn grabbed a key score at the close of the first half to cut the gap to two. It was Fergal Conway and Flynn who notched the points that brought the teams level in the second half and the game settled into a pattern of the teams staying close to each other.

Kevin Feely’s converted free left it 1-9 to 0-12 in the closing stages but that was as promising as it got for Kildare, Monaghan timing their run perfectly to the finish line.

Scorers for Monaghan: Conor McManus 0-4 (0-2f), Karl O’Connell 0-3, Conor McCarthy, Niall Kearns, Rory Beggan (0-1f, 0-1 ’45) 0-2 each, Kieran Duffy, Shane Carey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kildare: Daniel Flynn 1-1, Neil Flynn 0-4 (0-2f), Johnny Byrne, Kevin Feely (0-1f), Tommy Moolick, Fergal Conway, Eamonn Callaghan 0-1 each.

Monaghan

1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)

2. Kieran Duffy (Latton)

3. Drew Wylie (Ballybay – captain)

4. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay)

5. Fintan Kelly (Clones)

6. Vinny Corey (Clontibret)

19. Dessie Mone (Clontibret)

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8. Niall Kearns (Sean McDermott’s)

9. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)

10. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale)

11. Shane Carey (Scotstown)

7. Karl O’Connell (Tyholland)

12. Owen Duffy (Latton)

15. Conor McManus (Clontibret)

13. Conor McCarthy (Scotstown)

Subs

21. Paudie McKenna (Truagh) for Owen Duffy (black card) (16)

14. Jack McCarron (Currin) for Kelly (47)

26. Kieran Hughes (Scotstown) for McKenna (60)

23. Dermot Malone (Castleblayney) for Carey (66)

Kildare

1. Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)

2. Peter Kelly (Two Mile House)

3. David Hyland (Athy)

4. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge)

5. Johnny Byrne (Allenwood)

6. Eoin Doyle (Naas – captain)

7. Kevin Flynn (Celbridge)

8. Kevin Feely (Athy)

9. Tommy Moolick (Leixlip)

12. Keith Cribbin (Johnstownbridge)

11. Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge)

10. Fergal Conway (Celbridge)

13. Neil Flynn (Maynooth)

14. Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge)

15. Paddy Brophy (Celbridge)

Subs

19. Niall Kelly (Athy) for Paul Cribbin (46)

17. Chris Healy (Two Mile House) for Brophy (49)

18. David Slattery (Confey) for Keith Cribbin (59)

21. Eamonn Callaghan (Naas) for Moolick (69)

26. Cathal McNally (Johnstownbridge) for Flynn (72)

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)

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