Dublin 0-17 Monaghan 2-12
Malachy O’Rourke admitted that his Monaghan players made a private pact not to cave in if the going got tough against Dublin at Croke Park.
A year ago in Clones, O’Rourke watched as Dublin pinched enough late scores to come from six points down to steal victory.
But his players were as good as their word this time and it was they that secured the late scores to claim a highly significant final round win. Jack McCarron’s terrific lobbed goal in the 66th minute was a thing of beauty, though it was Fintan Kelly, another second-half substitute, who sealed the deal with a brilliant 74th minute point.
There may not have been a final place at stake for Monaghan, but the two points secured third place in the table, just behind Dublin, and allowed them to sign off on springtime action in style. It was also a useful reminder that they can win big games at Croke Park, something they will hope to do again in high summer.
And their fifth win of the campaign means they have beaten both of last year’s finalists – Dublin and Kerry – as well as Ulster champions Tyrone. Perhaps most impressive was that they came good on their vow not to be intimidated by Dublin, acknowledging that it would be get tough at certain times.
“We were conscious of that,” said O’Rourke. “We wanted to make sure that didn’t happen. When a quality team like Dublin do get a run on you it is very easy to sort of accept it and say, ‘Ah, this is nearly to be expected’. “We wanted to dig in and not just at the first sing of trouble pack up the bags and go home.
“We wanted to see if we could sort of work our way out of those rough passages and still be in the game at the end. It worked fairly well today but we want to keep everything in context.
“You’ll probably see a completely different Dublin team against Galway next week, a completely different level. When it comes to Championship as well, they’re a completely different beast.”
Dublin were experimental in various areas, particularly in attack where Gavin started Conor McHugh, Cormac Costello and Shane Carthy. None of them scored, while their forward six only registered three points from play overall, two from Dean Rock and one from Niall Scully.
The three-in-a-row AllIreland winners, according to boss Jim Gavin, ‘rested’ Diarmuid Connolly, Stephen Cluxton, Jonny Cooper and Ciaran Kilkenny, while Bernard Brogan, Jack McCaffrey, Cian O’Sullivan and Paul Flynn are injured.
But it was a sweet Monaghan win all the same and Gavin admitted there’ll have to be a period of “hard reflection” ahead of next weekend’s League final. The sides were tied at halftime, 1-5 to 0-8, with Vinny Corey registering 1-1 for Monaghan, including a well taken 13th minute goal.
The second half was virtually score for score and McCarron, after hitting 1-9 against Dublin last season, chipped a brilliant goal in the 66th minute.
Philly McMahon was then sent off for a second yellow following a tangle with Hughes and the platform was laid for Kelly to kick a monstrous 74th minute winner despite being under pressure.
