All-Ireland SFC Qualifying round 4B: Down 1-16 Monaghan 1-24
PLAYER RATINGS
Michael Cunningham: Kick-outs were generally good, though very little pressure on them. Couldn’t have done much about Fintan Kelly’s goal. 6.5
Niall McParland: Made two superb second half blocks and did okay when stationed on Monaghan substitute Owen Duffy. 6.5
Gerard McGovern: Conor McManus only scored two from play, but the Clontibret man a clear winner in this duel, winning so much of his own ball and central to so many Monaghan attacks. 5
Darren O’Hagan: Handled Darren Freeman well in the first half, but struggled with the fresh legs of Conor McCarthy and Jack McCarron coming off the bench. 6
Darragh O’Hanlon: Offered plenty of energy but will rue the two frees he missed at crucial times. 6
Conaill McGovern: Started off as sweeper and played his part in a strong first half show, but overrun after the break. 6
Caolan Mooney: Burst into dangerous positions a couple of times in the first half and scored a superb point, but sometimes guilty of taking the wrong option. Kicked two wides in the first period. 6
Peter Turley: Broke down plenty of balls in the first half as the Mournemen started well, but found himself being bypassed by a sea of white and blue as Monaghan took a grip of the game. 6
Niall Donnelly: Came a distant second best to the hugely impressive Kieran Hughes. 5
Kevin McKernan: Popped up with a point in each half and covered serious ground for the Down cause. Spurned a goal chance after 20 minutes, pulling his shot wide of Beggan’s near post. 6
Conor Maginn: Didn’t put a foot wrong in the first half, leading Colin Walshe a merry dance, linking moves with clever passes and breaking forward at will. Well shackled thereafter. 7.5
Shay Millar: Worked hard as always and scored a nice first half point, but had no real influence on the game. 5.5
Sean Dornan: Did well to get on the ball, but did little with it. Spurned a goal chance that was all of his own making five minutes in, firing wide with his left foot. Eventually replaced by Jerome Johnston. 6
Connaire Harrison: Won every ball that came near him all day and caused so much bother in the first half that Monaghan tried three different men – Drew Wylie, Ryan Wylie and Fintan Wylie – all tried to stop him. Still scored 1-3 in that period. Didn’t see as much ball after the break but when he did, continued to pose problems and could have bagged a second goal. 8.5
Ryan Johnston: A safe pair of hands in possession, he got on the ball a good bit but Ryan McAnespie stuck manfully to the task and limited the Kilcoo’s man’s threat. 6
Substitutes
Jerome Johnston: Very impressive cameo as he came off the bench to score three superb points from play. 7
Aidan Carr: Came on when Down were struggling, he coughed up possession that eventually led to a McCarron score in the 60th minute. 6
Mark Poland: Saw little action as Monaghan were in control by this stage. 6
David McKibbin: Scored a point but made little impact otherwise. 6
Donal O’Hare: Not on long enough to be rated.
Joe Murphy: Not on long enough to be rated.
Monaghan
Rory Beggan: Kick-outs hit the target almost every time. Tested beneath a couple of high balls, didn’t entirely convince there. Good save from Maginn. 7
Fintan Kelly: Sparked life into Monaghan with his third goal of the summer. Effective offensively as the spare man but not as much defensively. 7
Drew Wylie: Déjà vu for the previously unflappable Ballybay man as Connaire Harrison’s power and timing caused untold strife. Better second half against Dornan, one turnover leading to a score. 5
Ryan Wylie: Struggled with Dornan and beaten in the air by Harrison on the Down goal. Improved thereafter and kicked a second half score. 6
Colin Walshe: Seemed caught in two minds whether to drop off Conor Maginn or push up on him and in the end did neither, leaking two first half points. 5
Kieran Duffy: Began as the spare man but an early reshuffle saw him move to Dornan and he did well for the remainder of the first half. Shackled Ryan Johnston well after the break. 7.5
Karl O’Connell (STAR MAN): THE Tyholland man was at his electric best on Saturday evening. The timing and angle of his incisions into the Down 45 cut the Mournemen deep time and again. Matched the pace with the composure to pick the right pass in a few tight spots. 8.5
Kieran Hughes: Kicked three points, dominated his battle with Niall Donnelly and one of the instigators of so many Monaghan attacks. Excellent. 8.5
Darren Hughes: Landed two early scores and put in some serious work, including taking a few big hits to open good attacking positions. 7.5
Gavin Doogan: Game bypassed him in the first half as Down kicked the ball in over his head. Pushed further forward. More involved second half. 6
Dermot Malone: Had a lot of ball through his hands in the first half but his use of it and decision-making let him down. Tackling was rash at times too. Replaced at the break. 5.5
Ryan McAnespie: Started at wing-back against Ryan Johnston and coped well. Half-time reshuffle saw him moved up to pick up Caolan Mooney and he did his defensive duties well. 6.5
Shane Carey: Delivered one good ball inside and had a late first half shot that lacked conviction and dropped wide. Replaced at the break. 5
Darren Freeman: Won a couple of balls but had very little service to work with . Moved to the half-forward after the break but still failed to really influence. 6
Conor McManus: Missed an early free off the ground and from then on, he was practically flawless. Won every ball came his way, brought others into the game and was deadly from frees. 8.5
Substitutes
Owen Duffy: Chance with his first touch was blocked down. Dispossessed by Shay Millar when a goal looked on. Did get his score soon after. 6
Jack McCarron: Better, but still a mixed bag. Notched two scores but his speed of thought just looked a little off his team-mates. 6.5
Conor McCarthy: Must be wondering what he has to do to earn a start the next day. Four points from play, each coolly taken. 7.5
Dessie Ward: Slipped when in on goal, though was unlucky that his effort still didn’t go in. 6
Vinny Corey: An extra defensive body for the final 15 minutes. 6
Dessie Mone: Not on long enough to be rated.
