Monaghan 2-12 Celtics 3-07
James Connolly was the scorer in chief with 1-04 from frees and play to lead Monaghan to the Junior Football championship. Lonon Maguire Dessie Mallon and Nicky Scottt were others who got them in front and then kept the side there despite a valiant effort by Celtics to salvage the contest in the dying moments.
The game had a physical nature from the throughout as both sides were getting too involved after the ball was gone and it was a constant during the whole first half. Anthony Holohan opened the scoring for Celtics after four minutes with a towering point before Kenny Cox reacted to a mix-up at the back to drive the loose ball to the net soccer style a minute later. Monaghan had their best period over the next 12 minutes. They had a goal from James Connolly when a long ball from Nicky Scott was met by the full forward and punched to the net. Lonon Maguire had two points in quick succession both from the right wing when he moved forward to help out the attack. They also had two frees that hit the upright with Bryan Annette reacting quickest to the second before he was fouled in possession. He was fouled for a penalty that Dave Harvey slotted easily to the net. It gave the Monaghan side a double score lead, 22 to 11 with 15 minutes gone. Celtics reacted to it with a goal and point reply with the goal coming from Dan O’Connor when he soloed forty yards before he drove the ball into the roof of the net. Brilliant. Again however Monaghan showed their dominance with two of the final three points of the half to again edge into the slimmest of leads.
Monaghan continued their dominance with three points to open the second half. Nicky Scott had a brace and he also had a glorious goal chance but drove into the side netting from fourteen yards out when he linked with James Connolly. Connolly was causing a lot of problems and was showing constantly for the ball in front of his man. While Anthony Holohan had a point for Celtics it was quickly cancelled out by James Connolly of the right foot to again put four between the sides. Mulvanney and Maguire added to it with points and Monaghan looked to have done enough. Celtics had other thoughts however as they started to claw back. Richie Morgan soloed in from the right side and was pulled down for a penalty which Anto Holohan drilled to the back of the net. After a fisted James Connolly point and a long drive from Dessie Mallon again Holohan was on the mark. When Keith Lang drilled a brilliant score from wide on the right it was now a three point game. Anthony Holahan had another score to pull the deficit even closer but time ran pout on the gallant Celtics side. The last minute of the game was marred by a nasty incident between the two benches with one man getting a red. It had no baring on the outcome however.
Celtics 1 Kevin McArdle 2 Rory Creegan 3 Ger McCullough 4 Dermot O’Sullivan 5 Sean Coyle 6 Joe Bishop 7 Darren McDermott 8 Dan O’Connell (1-00)9 Derek McKenna 10 Gary Nugent (0-01) 11 Anthony Holohan (1-05)12 Mike Burke 13 Kenny Cox (1-00)14 Danny O’Sullivan 15 Richie Morgan Subs Keith Lang ( 0-01
Monaghan 1 Sean McMullan 2 James O’Brian 3 Shaun Boyle 4 Naill McKenna 5 Lonan Maguire (0-03) 6 Bonny Duffy 7 Caoimhin O’Callaghan 8 Dessie Mallon (0-01)9 Brendan Finn 10 Sean McKenna 11 Nicky Scott (0-03)12 Brian Annette 13 Dave Harvey (1-0)14 James Connolly (1-04)15 Ross Connolly Subs Fergal Mulvanney
Man of the Match James Connolly (Monaghan)
Referee Steven Cassels
