Gaelic Games

Monaghan overturn four point deficit to salvage a draw with Louth

Goals from Craig Lennon and Conor Grimes had put Louth into a good position for their second All-Ireland win only to be pegged back late on

Monaghan’s Ryan Wylie and Stephen O’Hanlon tackle Ryan Burns of Louth. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Monaghan’s Ryan Wylie and Stephen O’Hanlon tackle Ryan Burns of Louth. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Colm Shalvey
Sun Jun 02 2024 - 18:21
Monaghan 2-10 Louth 2-10

Monaghan came from five points down midway through the second half to salvage a draw with neighbours Louth in front of over 11,000 in Clones. First half goals by Craig Lennon and Conor Grimes had put Louth in pole position for a second win of the group stage, but despite being pegged back in the end, the draw will be enough for the Wee County to go through to the knockouts. Monaghan dug deep in the second half to halt their losing streak, helped by Mícheál Bannigan punishing a stray pass to hit an unguarded net. Their wait for a craved win goes on, however, after Sam Mulroy cancelled out a Rory Beggan free that had edged the hosts ahead for the only time late on.

Louth took an early lead with a brace of frees by Sam Mulroy, while it took a wasteful Monaghan side 10 minutes to open their account through Joel Wilson. Mulroy had a goalattempt from point-blank range saved by Rory Beggan, but he converted the resulting 45 and Monaghan’s clean sheet only got a brief reprieve until Craig Lennon blasted home his third goal in two games.

Monaghan responded with a brilliantly-finished goal from Conor McCarthy, while points from Jack McCarron (free) and Kieran Duffy (mark) were cancelled out by Mulroy. Louth finished the first half on a high when Conor Grimes fired home their second goal to make it 2-5 to 1-3 at the break.

Monaghan started the second half with more purpose, hitting early points through Mícheál Bannigan, Gary Mohan and Ryan O’Toole. A Ryan Burns brace restored Louth’s four-point lead and although Ciarán McNulty got one back for Monaghan, Ciarán Downey and Mulroy replied for Louth, who passed up a great chance to go six clear going into the final quarter.

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Conor McManus came on to kick a couple of frees on his 200th senior appearance for Monaghan, who got a major boost on the hour mark when Bannigan intercepted a loose pass deep inside the Louth half and deftly lobbed into an empty net. A trademark free by Rory Beggan had Monaghan ahead for the only time in the game, but Mulroy converted his seventh from a similar distance to level it up.

The game ended with seven scoreless minutes, which meant the teams had to settle for a point apiece. Louth remain second in Group Four ahead of a final round meeting with Kerry, while Monaghan will put their hopes of progressing on the line against Meath.

Monaghan: R Beggan (0-1, free); R O’Toole (0-1), K Lavelle, R Wylie; J Irwin, K Duffy (0-1, mark), C McCarthy (1-0); G Mohan (0-1), J Wilson (0-1); M Hamill, Mícheál Bannigan (1-1), S O’Hanlon; R McAnespie; J McCarron (0-1, free), C McNulty (0-1).

Subs: K O’Connell for Duffy (H-T), C McManus (0-2, two frees) for McCarron (45), A Woods for O’Connell (53), S Jones for Hamill (63), M McCarville for Wilson (70+3).

Louth: N McDonnell; D McKenny, D Corcoran; P Lynch; C McKeever, A Williams, C Lennon (1-0); T Durnin, C Grimes (1-0); N Sharkey, B Duffy, C Downey (0-1); R Burns (0-2), S Mulroy (0-7, six frees, one 45), C Keenan.

Subs: L Grey for Lennon, C Byrne for Downey (both 54), P Mathews for Sharkey (65), T Jackson for Burns (66).

Referee: F Kelly (Longford).