Freeman at hand to kick-start Monaghan

Monaghan 2-13 Cork 1-9:MONAGHAN PUT on a display of pace and power to get their promotion prospects back on track with this thoroughly deserved victory over Cork in Scotstown yesterday.

The sides were level three times in the opening 20 minutes before Monaghan hit the front with a brilliant goal by Tomás Freeman in the 24th minute. That kick-started a purple patch for the home side and they went on to add five points without reply, three by Paul Finlay, one from a free and one from a 45, along with one each by Eoin Lennon and Gary McQuaid to open a seven-point gap approaching the halfway stage.

A momentary lapse in concentration saw Daniel Goulding pull back a goal for the visitors to leave four points between the sides at half-time, Monaghan 1-8, Cork 1-4.

A point by Rory Woods four minutes after the restart extended Monaghan’s lead to five but Cork had the margin down to three by the 42nd minute with points by Paul Kerrigan and John Hayes.

The third quarter was an even enough affair although Monaghan were beginning to win increasing possession around the middle and brilliantly struck frees by Paul Finlay restored Monaghan to a five-point lead.

Cork were becoming a bit unsettled but any chance they had of turning it around was dealt a hammer blow in the 23rd minute when Raymond Ronaghan crashed to the roof of the Cork net.

Entering the final five minutes another pointed free by Finlay put Monaghan eight in front with Cork’s only response a late point from James Masters as they could find no way through the Monaghan defence for the goal they needed to get back into it and Monaghan ran out deserving winners.

MONAGHAN: S Duffy; D Mone, JP Mone, V Corey; D Freeman, G McQuaid (0-1), D Hughes (0-1); D Clerkin, E Lennon (0-1); C McManus, P Finlay (0-6, four frees, one 45), S Gollogly (0-1); M Downey, R Woods (0-1), T Freeman (1-1). Subs: R Ronaghan (1-0) for C McManus, P McGuigan (0-1) for M Downey, D McArdle for D Mone, S McAleer for D Clerkin (yellow), G McEnaney for D Hughes, K Hughes for R Woods.

CORK: A Quirke; K O’Connor, R Carey, N O’Donovan; G Spillane, N O’Leary, M Shields; A O’Connor, N Murphy (0-1); C McCarthy, F Gould, P O’Flynn (0-1); D Goulding (1-2, 0-2 frees), D O’Connor (0-2, two frees), P Kerrigan (0-1). Subs: J Hayes (0-1) for P O’Flynn, A O’Sullivan for A O’Connor (yellow), J Masters (0-1) for F Gould, A Ó hAilpín for C McCarthy, P Kissane for G Spillane, B Crowley for K O’Connor.

Referee: M Sludden (Tyrone).