Derry hang on to record narrow Ulster U-20 win over Monaghan
Ulster U-20 championship: Derry 1-11 Monaghan 2-6
Oisin Doherty's late point sealed Derry's win.
Derry were left to hang for victory on Wednesday night with a fifth Oisin Doherty point pouring water on a spirited Monaghan comeback in Castleblayney.
A 57th-minute goal from Aaron Carey pulled the home side back into the game and it took a vital tackle from James Murray to close the door on a Monaghan attack with Derry under the cosh.
After a cagey opening Kian Duffy and Doherty exchanged frees before the game’s first goal, a rocket to the net from Johnny McGuckian.
It wasn’t long before the Derry net was bulging. A Monaghan turnover led to danger man Bobby McCaul being fed possession and he rounded Conall Heron to level matters at 1-1 each.
Two frees from Doherty edged Derry into the lead before Eoin Higgins nailed a tough kick on the wing for a three-point Oakleafers’ interval advantage.
Conleth McGrogan fired over a fine score with Ruairi Forbes later doing likewise as Derry began to stretch away in the second half.
Substitute Sean Young made to 1-8 to 1-4 before the first turning point, McCaul seeing his goal cleared off the line by Rory Small with another Doherty free looking like ending the game as a contest.
Carey had other ideas and sped through to bag Monaghan’s second goal with three minutes to play. It was a nervous closing period before Doherty eased the pressure with his insurance point.
Scorers – Derry: O Doherty 0-5 (0-3f), J McGuckian 1-0, E Higgins 0-1f, R Forbes 0-1, N O’Donnell 0-1, R Walls 0-1, S Young 0-1, C McGrogan 0-1
Monaghan: K Duffy 0-3f, B McCaul 1-1, A Carey 1-0, C Conlon 0-2f
Derry: C Armstrong; F McEldowney, C Heron, R Small; C McGrogan, J Murray, P McGurk; D McDermott, T Rogers; C Spiers, R Forbes, J McGuckian; E Higgins, N O’Donnell, O Doherty
Subs: S Young for C Spiers (37), R Walls for E Higgins (44), D McPeake for T Rogers (50), S McCann for N O’Donnell (58)
Monaghan: J Mooney; G Devlin, J McConnon, F Carolan; P Doogan Burke, C McQuillan, S Callan; J McMahon, T Hughes; D Mee, A Carey, O McGorman; N Rice, B McCaul, K Duffy
Subs: C Foy for D Mee (22), C Conlon for C McQuillan (26), N Sherlock for J McMahon (HT), L McManus for C Conlon (51), D McKenna for N Rice (51)
Referee: M Moore (Down)
