Monaghan midfielder Paul Finlay was the star of the show as his side lifted the All-Ireland vocational inter-county football title for the first time with two points to spare against Offaly in Navan yesterday. The accurate number eight sent over a total of seven points, with six of those scores coming from placed balls and was an inspirational figure for the Ulster side.
Only five of the 16 scores came from play and one of them, struck by David Egan, as well as two converted frees by Stephen Weir, enabled Offaly to lead by 0-3 to 0-2 at the break.
Although Egan and John Reynolds increased the lead soon after the restart, Monaghan sent over the next six scores, five of them coming from Finlay.
Substitute Niall Donaghy was also on the mark and although the Leinster lads hit back strongly, they failed to get their noses in front again.
MONAGHAN: B McCabe, E Keenan, E Lennon, P Fitzpatrick, N Coyle (0-1), N McCarville, N Connolly, P Finlay (0-7), S Fitzpatrick, P Finnegan, T Meegan, T Duffy, P Gallogly, B McCabe, G Connolly. Subs: N Donaghy (0-1) for Connolly; D Farrelly for Duffy.
OFFALY: K Meehan, D Flynn, G Collins, R Fox, M Stones, M Mitchell (0-1), M Davis, M Deehan, K Kelly, D Egan (0-2), S Weir (0-2), D Nutterfield, J Reynolds (0-2), J Quinn, T Deehan. Sub: J Dunican for Nutterfield.
Referee: H Beirne (Roscommon).
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