Ulster SFC semi-final: Monaghan 1-30 Derry 3-23 (aet)
A mighty Rory Beggan two-pointer with the last kick of extra-time dramatically snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and earned battling Monaghan a place in the Ulster football final.
Gabriel Bannigan’s men had trailed for most of the game before impact sub Jack McCarron’s 70th-minute two-pointer earned his side extra-time at an enthralled Athletic Grounds.
Come extra-time Derry once again led with Seán Kearney’s 89th-minute point appearing to have edged the Oakleafers over the line. But Monaghan would not yield, with Beggan heroically splitting the posts to win a game for the ages.
Contrasting league campaigns, where inconsistent Derry missed promotion while injury-ravaged Monaghan fell through the Division One trapdoor, were quickly wiped away after respective championship wins over Antrim and Cavan last time out.
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A hard to call semi-final pairing returned Derry and Monaghan in the same venue – the Athletic Grounds – where they clashed in 2022, Derry winning en route to their first provincial title since 1998.
Two late changes for Monaghan brought Killian Lavelle in for Darragh McElearney, with Conor McCarthy replacing David Garland.
Despite a wayward nine wides, goals from Niall Loughlin and Eoin McEvoy handed Derry a 2-10 to 0-6 lead at the half-time.
Early points from Lachlan Murray and Paul Cassidy accounted for Derry’s better start, before Micheal Bannigan and Andrew Woods levelled matter for Monaghan at 0-2 apiece after five minutes.
Niall Loughlin scored Derry’s first goal when he sidefooted the ball home with a minute later. Frees from the same player, one from Shane McGuigan, and a Conor Glass point left them 1-5 to 0-3 ahead after the first quarter.
Some fantastic midfield fetching from Michael McCarville helped Monaghan cling on to Derry’s coat-tails as they raised a couple of white flags from Stephen Mooney and a second from Bannigan.
But Ciarán Meenagh’s side, backed by a first-half breeze, took a firm grip of proceedings, nailing six of the next seven scores to finish the opening half in some style.
Ethan Doherty helped himself to a late brace and when McEvoy rampaged forward to palm home a second Derry goal in left the favourites 10 points up at the break.
McEvoy’s 51st-minute goal put Derry 3-13 to 0-12 ahead but Monaghan refused to wilt.
An incredible six two-pointers and a vital 61st-minute Bannigan goal ignited a magnificent comeback and pulled them right back into contention. Indeed, impact sub Jack McCarron’s outrageous two-pointer from the sidelines at the death equalised matters with the very last kick of the second half amid high drama.
A Lachlan Murray two-pointer was the key score as Derry took a 3-20 to 1-24 lead into extra-time half-time. Bannigan, again, and Dessie Ward replied for Monaghan before white flags from Conor Doherty and Niall Toner handed Derry a 3-20 to 1-24 advantage.
Shane McGuigan’s seventh point and a second from McEvoy kept Derry in command as players started to struggle with cramp around the pitch.
However, a missile of a two-pointer from the influential Dessie Ward with further vital scores from substitute Oisín McGorman and Bannigan kept Monaghan in touch.
But when Seán Kearney pointed with less than a minute remaining on the clock Derry had one foot in the final.
Monaghan launched one last attack and earned a free. And cometh the hour, cometh the man as Beggan showed nerves of steel to leather a 55-metre two-pointer over the bar and win the game for Monaghan.
MONAGHAN: R Beggan (0-3-0); K Lavelle, R O’Toole, D Byrne; C Dowd, D Ward (0-1-1), A Carey; M McCarville (0-1-1), L Kelly; K Gallagher (0-0-1), M Bannigan (1-0-5, 2f), S O’Hanlon; C McCarthy (0-1-0), A Woods (0-1-1), S Mooney (0-0-1).
Subs: B McCaul (0-0-1) for L Kelly (h-t); D Garland (0-0-1) for S Mooney (45 mins); O McGorman (0-0-1) for A Carey (50); J McCarron (0-1-1) for A Woods (54); R Hanratty for K Gallagher (74); R McAnespie for S O’Hanlon (80).
DERRY: S McGuckin, D Baker, R Forbes, C McCluskey, C Doherty (0-0-1), G McKinless, P McGrogan, E McEvoy (1-0-3), B Rogers, E Doherty (0-0-2), C Glass (0-0-1), P Cassidy (0-0-1), N Loughlin (2-0-1,1f), S McGuigan (0-0-7, 1f), L Murray (0-1-4).
Subs: S Downey for P Cassidy, N Toner for N Loughlin (both 60 mins); P McGurk for C Doherty (66); S Kearney (0-0-1) for C Doherty (88).
Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).
