DUBLIN 1-16 MONAGHAN 0-8
Dublin’s minor footballers went on an impressive raiding mission when proving far too strong for Monaghan in this All-Ireland MFC quarter-final at Páirc Esler, Newry on Sunday evening.
Dessie Farrell’s Dubs advance to face Kerry in the All-Ireland MCF semi-final in Croke Park on Sunday, September 2.
The Dubs started with intent with the likes of wing-back Eric Lowndes and the influential Shane Carthy leading by example to help Dublin into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead inside 15 minutes – it’s was an advantage they never relinquished.
Indeed such was Dublin’s supremacy they could, perhaps should, have won by more but were guilty of squandering a number of gilt edged chances over the course of the hour due to over-elaboration and also having a goal disallowed and a strong penalty claim in the second half turned down.
Dublin led 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval but restarted the second half in fine fashion with powerful forward growing more dominant as the game progressed – he slotted four second half points from play.
To really seal the deal for Dublin, Stephen Cunningham showed good hands to pluck a cross square ball from Cormac Costello in the 44th minute before squeezing the ball to the Monaghan net as Dublin powered on to the last-four.
SCORERS – Dublin: C Costello, G Burke 0-4, S Carthy 0-3 (0-1f), Stephen Cunningham 1-0, E Lowndes 0-2, D Campbell, N Walsh, M Mac Donncha 0-1 each. Monaghan: P Keenan 0-4 (0-2f), J McElroy, D McAllister (0-1f), F McGeough, C McCarthy 0-1each.
DUBLIN: L Molloy; E Mullan, D Byrne, R McGowan; M Mac Donncha, C Mulally, E Lowndes; Stephen Cunningham, S Carthy; R Gaughan, C Costello, N Walsh; N Scully, D Campbell, G Burke. Subs: Shane Cunningham for Gaughan (26), C McHugh for Campbell (37), E Fletcher for Mullan (50), C Flynn for Walsh (57), S McGrath for Scully (59).
MONAGHAN: C Forde; S Conlon, S Buckley, B Greenan; M Magee, P Keenan, F Malone; B Hanratty, J McElroy; R McAnespie, C McCarthy, R Wylie; D Ward, D McAllister, K O’Hanlon. Subs: F McGeough for O’Hanlon (28), D Kirk for Forde and A Kieran for Ward (half-time), L Smyth for McAllister (48), D McElroy for J McElroy (57).
REF: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary)
