Derry denied at the very last in Celtic Park thriller

Derry 0-14

Monaghan 0-14 

Derry were pipped with the final kick as a revitalised Monaghan left Celtic Park with a share of the spoils when Karl O’Connell levelled matters in a drama finale. 

It was nothing less than Vinny Corey’s men deserved. Had Derry held on it would’ve been a travesty for Monaghan. 

The Ulster champions led for just 13 of the 75 minutes, but their late burst of four unanswered points in a 14-minute spell looked like it was for a smash and grab. 

Just 28 days after being beat out the gate by the Oakleafers in Omagh, it was Monaghan who came with all the verve and vigour. 

When Conor Glass punched both of referee Noel Mooney’s throw-ins, it was Conor McCarthy who hoovered up both breaks to signal the Farney intent. 

It was the one after half-time that led to Conor Boyle kicked Monaghan into an 0-8 to 0-6 lead that energised them.

In a game of playing score for score and zero clear goal chances, a two-point lead was already a telling margin. 

Add in the dynamism of Karl O’Connell. It was 1-1 the last day that rocked Derry. This time, it was his rotating with Killian Lavelle between Paul Cassidy and Brendan Rogers that hammered Derry’s hammer. 

Micheál Bannigan handled a mountain of ball. Conor McCarthy and Shane Carey brought life to an energetic Monaghan who started without Conor McManus and Jack McCarron. 

There was a first start for Ryan McAnespie who added value. On the other hand, Ethan Doherty was limited to two assists and his late equaliser. 

On an evening when Shane McGuigan was directly involved in all but three Derry scores, it was the impact of Benny Heron and Padraig Cassidy that helped wrestle back some degree of control. 

When Rory Beggan glided over a sweet 45, amidst a chorus of boos from the Derry fans, for a 0-13 to 0-10 lead the home side were in trouble. 

Padraig Cassidy picked up a kick-out to pull the play in the direction Conor McCluskey who fed McGuigan for a score. 

From Beggan’s fluffed kick-out, it was Heron who picked the pocket before a foul on Gareth McKinless had margin down to a single point. 

The Derry concern will be the lack of an out and out goalscoring chances. A cross shot from Conor Doherty was inches away from the inrushing Chrissy McKaigue with a chance to flick the ball home. 

In a first half that saw the sides level on six occasions, Derry were dropping too deep. It was like the first half against Dublin at Celtic Park all over again with shades of Ethan Rafferty’s coming onto Derry in Clones.

It allowed Beggan, O’Connell and Bannigan to steer much of the play in the constant blue wave. 

In the end, it was a debate between a point gained and a point lost. For Derry, it was probably a gain with a hint of envy at allowing late subs Kieran Hughes and Conor McManus to recycle the ball out of the corner ahead of O’Connell’s heroic late strike. 

Derry were against the wind in the first half but brought more of a kicking theme to their play. Getting their kick-outs off with marginally more distance than Monaghan allowed a for a quicker build-up in the opening quarter.

They’ll rue four wides in the opening 17 minutes that saw the teams level at 0-3 each. There will be questions over Monaghan’s fourth point after Bannigan’s curling effort appeared to have tailed outside the near post. 

It was Ciaran McFaul who opened the scoring in the second minute with a kick in a pocket of space after a pass from Conor McCluskey. 

Both ‘keepers continued with the bunch and break kick-outs into space, with Beggan going longer as the half rolled on. 

It was Ryan McAnespie, in his first game of the year, who cut through for a Gary Mohan point to level matters. 

From the kick-out, Conor Glass plucked the ball before moving the ball into space where Niall Loughlin won a free and McGuigan kicked Derry back in front. 

As Derry sat back, Rory Beggan pushed out for a Monaghan side looked comfortable and were able to cut to withing kicking range.

Derry needed Chrissy McKaigue to win a race with Karl Gallagher when Lynch was caught out of position on a kick-out press with the game level again at 0-5 all. 

The pick of Derry’s points was McGuigan score on the burst after Niall Toner laid off a perfectly dinked pass from Paudi McGrogan. 

It was Vinny Corey’s side who had the final say of the half, with Conor McCarthy tapping over a free for a 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead. 

Conor Boyle opened the scoring early in the second half that saw Ryan McAnespie take the game to Derry and O’Connell showing well for Rory Beggan’s kick-outs. 

There was another momentum swing when Monaghan led 0-9 to 0-7 with Gary Mohan was shown a block card for lunge and trip on Gareth McKinless. 

In the ten minutes they played with a man less, the Farney side outscored Derry 0-3 to 0-2 helped by two different passages of keep ball. 

It was Monaghan who held all the aces. Shane Carey and Micheál Bannigan kicked points before a Beggan 45 had Monaghan into a 0-13 to 0-10 lead. 

Lachlan Murray had the ball over the bar with his first touch and when Ethan Doherty notched a score the sides were level at going into stoppage time. 

Ryan O’Toole missed a chance to put Monaghan back in the lead before A Brendan Rogers run led to a foul and McGuigan held his nerve from a testing free close to the sideline to put Derry ahead. 

There was still time for Rory Beggan’s kick-out to find the breadbasket of Conor Boyle. Possession was golden and Monaghan treated it as such. McAnespie, McManus, Kieran Hughes all had hands on the ball before O’Toole spooned to O’Connell who applied the spectacular finish. 

TEAMS AND SCORERS

Derry: Odhrán Lynch; Chrissy McKaigue, Eoin McEvoy, Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Paudi McGrogan; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty (0-1); Niall Loughlin, Ciaran McFaul (0-1); Niall Toner (0-2, 1m), Shane McGuigan (0-9, 6f, 1m)

Subs: Benny Heron for N Toner (56), Lachlan Murray (0-1) for N Loughlin (58), Padraig Cassidy for P McGrogan (59)  

Yellow card: C McFaul (75) 

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Ryan O’Toole, Ryan Wylie; Conor Boyle, Karl O’Connell (0-1), Kieran Duffy, Conor McCarthy (0-3, 1m); Gary Mohan (0-1), Killian Lavelle; Stephen O’Hanlon, Micheál Bannigan, Dessie Ward; Ryan McAnespie; Shane Carey (0-2), Karl Gallagher

Subs: Darren Hughes for G Mohan (61), Darragh McElearney for S Carey (65), Jack McCarron for K Lavelle (68), Kieran Hughes for K Gallagher (68), Conor McManus for D Ward (74) 

Black card: G Mohan (45)  

Yellow cards: S Carey (13), K Duffy (29), M Bannigan (61) 

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)