Monaghan 1-26; Roscommon 0-19
Believe it or not, this was a game balanced on a sixpence for most of the game at Croke Park in the Division 2 Final on Saturday night.
Then, just as the mix up of fans anticipated a nail-biting finish, Monaghan took off like a rocket and before you could say what a fine move that led to Jack McCarron’s rare right-footed goal, they were out the gate, home and hosed and poor old Roscommon were bewildered to know how they had lost such a close encounter by 10 points.
The Farney men actually were a point in arrears at the interval and even with 13 minutes to go, Roscommon were very much in the game at two points behind. Then it all became one-way traffic as they hit 1-6 to the Westerners' paltry replay of a single point.
A big well done to Gabriel Bannigan for coming in after the side were relegated and lost talisman Conor McManus to turn things around so well and to his nephew Micheal Bannigan, who captained the team to league glory.
Arguably this Monaghan side has mastered the new two-pointer better than any other team as they kicked six of that variety against Roscommon with ‘keeper Rory Beggan responsible for three of those.
It’s back to terra firma this week for the losers as they make the plane hop to Ruislip in London to take on the locals in the provincial championship opener while Monaghan get a three-week break before entering the minefield of the Ulster championship where they face the winners of Derry and Donegal.
It remains to be seen what sort of impact the game will have on Roscommon who will jet across to London next Saturday for their Connacht SFC opener.
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-7, 0-3 tpf, 1 45); R Wylie (0-1), R O'Toole, D Byrne; D Ward (0-2, tp), A Carey, C McCarthy (0-2, tp); G Mohan (0-1), M McCarville; R McAnespie (0-1), M Bannigan (0-5, 0-1tp), C McNulty (0-1); D Garland, A Woods (0-3, 0-1f), S O'Hanlon (0-1) Subs: J McCarron (1-2) for Garland 45, S Mooney for McAnespie 58, J Irwin for Carey 67, J Wilson for McNulty 68, K Duffy for McCarthy 70.
Roscommon: C Carroll (0-1,45); N Higgins, J McManus, D Murray; C Neary, R Fallon (0-1), D Ruane; E Nolan (0-1), K Doyle; C Lennon, C McKeon (0-2), C Murtagh (0-2f); B O'Carroll (0-1), D Murtagh (0-8, 0-4f, 1tp), E Smith (0-2) Subs: R Daly for Fallon 35, S Lambe for Higgins 38-50, blood, C Hand for Lennon 43, U Harney for Doyle 52, D Smith (0-1) for McKeon 55, C Heneghan for C Murtagh 62.
Ref: B Tiernan (Dublin).
Offaly and Limerick win Div 3 & 4
Mickey Harte’s magic was all over this Offaly display as the Faithful County again proved a little too strong for neighbors Kildare to win an entertaining Division 3 final by 2-17 to 1-18 in Croke Park on Sunday.
When the GAA powers-that-be decided to play the Division 2 & 4 finals on Saturday, this was the Sunday curtain raiser for the Kerry-Mayo Division 1 final and it provided the best football of the day.
Kildare will bemoan the old failing of inaccuracy as several times they got through the Offaly defense only for poor shooting to let them down. Offaly on the other hand were bettered schooled in this art with the likes of man of the match Keith O’Neill kicking four fine points from play as the young men in the tricolour deservedly enter Division 2 next season as Div 3 champions.
There, they will face three of Harte’s former teams - Tyrone, with whom he won three All Ireland’s as well as Derry and Louth.
In the Division 4 final, Wexford, the only team with a 100 percent league record entering Croke Park last weekend, were undone by the concession of three goals to Limerick, which left them reeling despite their own impressive tally of 18 points in the course of the 70 minutes plus added time.
Manager John Hegarty was pleased with their point kicking but unhappy with giving away three goals and will hope his side recovers to beat Laois who they face this Saturday in the first round of the Leinster championship in Wexford Park.
Those goals from Darragh Ó Siochrú, Peter Nash and Tommie Childs were the winning of the game for Jimmy Lee's side and provided a big boost in confidence for their Munster championship clash with Cork on Saturday in the GAA Grounds.
Limerick have proven themselves a team with goals in them and if they can replicate recent green flag waving exploits, they might have a big surprise for Cork who they face in their Munster opener.
GAA RESULTS
Football
FL Division 1 final
Kerry 1-18 Mayo 1-12
Division 2 final
Monaghan 1-26 Roscommon 0-19
Division 3 final
Offaly 2-17 Kildare 1-18
Division 4 final
Limerick 3-11 Wexford 0-18
Hurling
HL Division 2 final
Down 4-22 Kildare 3-18
HL Division 3 final
Mayo 0-14 London 1-8
HL Division 4 final
Louth 0-16 Fermanagh 1-8
