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Monaghan through

All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round TwoMonaghan 0-17 Wexford 0-12 : Monaghan caused a shock as they deservedly dumped 14-man Wexford…

Mon Jul 11 2005 - 01:00

All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round TwoMonaghan 0-17 Wexford 0-12: Monaghan caused a shock as they deservedly dumped 14-man Wexford out of the All-Ireland championship with a display of pace and power in Clones on Saturday.

Monaghan controlled the game for long periods through their dominance at midfield where Paul Finlay gave an exhibition of high fielding while Colm Flanagan held Wexford talisman Matty Forde scoreless from play.

The teams were level at five points each after 26 minutes but Monaghan went on to lead 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval. Within a minute of the restart Wexford reduced the deficit to two with a good point from Diarmuid Kinsella but they were dealt a body blow after 44 minutes by the dismissal of full back Niall Murphy on a second yellow card.

Monaghan capitalised to add two quick points from Paul Finlay and Thomas Freeman and, while Wexford pulled back a point after 47 minutes, a further brace from Freeman and Hugh McElroy saw Monaghan five points up entering the final quarter.

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Two points from Nickey Lambert and a Forde free gave Wexford some hope but almost immediately Monaghan responded with a brace from the Freeman brothers, Thomas and Damien, to go five up again.

Monaghan face Louth in the qualifiers next Saturday while Wexford go into the quarter-finals of the Tommy Murphy Cup without the services of manager Pat Roe who announced his resignation after the game.

MONAGHAN: S Duffy; D McArdle, J Coyle, C Flanagan; D Freeman (0-2), V Corey, G McQuaid (0-1); D Clerkin, E Lennon; J McElroy, P Finlay (0-4, from frees), R Ronaghan (0-1); T Freeman (0-4), H McElroy (0-3, two frees), S Gollogly. Subs: N Corrigan (0-1) for S Gollogly, D McKernan (0-1) for S McManus, F Duffy for E Lennon.

WEXFORD: J Cooper; C Morris, N Murphy, D Breen; K Kennedy, D Murphy, P Curtis (0-1); N Lambert (0-1), D Fogarty; R Barry, S Cullen, J Hudson; PJ Banville, D Kinsella (0-3), M Forde ( 0-7, six frees, one 45). Subs: J Hegarty for PJ Banville, P Colfer for J Hudson, J Lawlor for D Murphy, D Browne for S Cullen.

Referee: P McGovern (Galway).