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Monaghan 0-23 Down 2-7
Ulster Championship games don’t always follow the script – and neither do games between Monaghan and Down – but this quarter-final went pretty much as expected, with the home side cruising through in Clones.
Goals either side of the half-time break by Caolán Mooney and Pat Havern threatened to make a contest out of it, but Monaghan regained their composure to outscored Down by 11 points to three thereafter.
Monaghan’s dominance was underlined by the fact that their full-back line – Kieran Duffy, Conor Boyle and Ryan Wylie – were all among their 11 scorers in difficult conditions. Following their relegation to Division Three of the league, Down are now bound for the inaugural Tailteann Cup.
The first half largely followed the pre-match expectations, with a more assured Monaghan team taking control, without having to be at their best.
Points by Rory Beggan, Jack McCarron and Kieran Hughes had the hosts four clear before Down eventually opened their account with a 15th-minute score by Havern.

Down’s Caolán Mooney celebrates his goal in the Ulster SFC quarter-final against Monaghan at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones. Photograph: John McVitty/Inpho


A purple patch by Monaghan saw McCarron, Conor McManus, Gary Mohan, Andrew Woods and Beggan stretch their lead to eight. A free by Andrew Gilmore ended that scoring streak, but Monaghan moved nine clear at one stage, until a Conor Poland point and a goal against the run of play by Mooney gave Down some hope.
Trailing by 0-12 to 1-4 at the break, the Mourne men began the second half with renewed purpose; Havern firing to the net within seconds to make it a two-point game. Monaghan responded well, however, with Mohan, Conor McCarthy, McCarron and McManus all on target. McCarron, fresh from his starring role against Dublin at the same venue last month, finished with 0-7 to his name as Monaghan dominated the final quarter.
Down’s only two scores of the last half-hour, including added time, were from a 45 by Barry O’Hagan and a close-range free by substitute Tiarnán Rushe, who was sent off for a second booking late on.
Points by Boyle, Shane Carey and McCarron continued the one-way traffic as Monaghan advanced to a provincial semi-final against the winners of Sunday’s derby between Tyrone and Derry.
MONAGHAN: R Beggan (0-2, one free, one 45); K Duffy (0-1), C Boyle (0-1), R Wylie (capt, 0-1); R McAnespie, D Ward, C McCarthy (0-1); D Hughes, N Kearns; A Woods (0-1), K Hughes (0-1), M Bannigan; J McCarron (0-7, two frees, one mark), G Mohan (0-3, two frees), C McManus (0-4, three frees).
Subs: S Carey (0-1) for Bannigan (41 mins); D Wylie for Duffy (54); K O’Connell for D Hughes (58); C Leonard for Kearns (62); S Jones for Woods (64); D Garland for O’Connell (inj, 74).
DOWN: N Kane; B McArdle, R McEvoy, P Fegan; R McCormack, N McParland, R Magill; D O’Hagan, O Murdock; C Francis, C Mooney (1-0), C Poland (0-1); A Gilmore (0-1, free), P Havern (1-1), B O’Hagan (0-2, one 45).
Subs: R O’Hare for Gilmore (inj, 30 mins); D Guinness (0-1) for Francis (40); A Doherty for McEvoy (50); T Rushe (0-1, free) for Havern (53); G Collins for McArdle (60).
Referee: F Kelly (Longford).