Lory Meagher Cup final
Monaghan 3-22 Lancashire 3-20
ON A day when Meath and Wicklow completed what can best be described as pillar-to-post victories in the Christy Ring and Nickey Rackard finals, Monaghan completed their late surge by making it four wins in-a-row with a two-point win over Lancashire, powered by second-half heroics from Niall Arthur and Niall Garland up front.
“We were scratching our heads coming out of Clontibret that day after playing Leitrim” said Monaghan manager Arthur Hughes after his side’s victory.
“We let a seven-point lead slip in injury-time and I never thought we would make it here, but this was always the target. It was the target last year, but things went against us and we didn’t make it. This year, it was work hard to get here and then hard work when we were here, but thank God we got out the right side of it.”
Early points from Stephen Lambe, Ethan Flynn and Conor Gernon gave the Farney men a flying start, but Lancashire responded well with Robin Spencer slamming in a close-range goal, and until the 65th minute, that was the last time there was more than a score between the sides.
Darragh Carroll and Thomas Hughes traded goals as Monaghan took a 1-12 to 2-8 lead into the dressing room, but that was quickly reversed as Simon Holland volleyed the ball to their net with his first touch after coming on as a half-time sub, and Offaly native Cormac Kenny followed up with a haymaker from distance.
The contest swung decisively at the end of the third quarter when Hugh Byrne saved an angled shot from Holland and within three minutes, Niall Garland got the first of his two excellent second-half goals.
“There was a spell in the game where it looked like it was getting away from us. Not on the scoreboard but the game was slipping away from us. I remember looking up at the scoreboard and it was 20 points to 17 in favour of Lancashire, then Niall Garland got the ball in hand and stuck it in the net, it was a big lift for us at the right time” said Hughes.
“Niall and these boys know there will be a target on their back and they are going to be man marked. If you have only one marquee forward then you are in trouble but we have a spread of boys who can score constantly. Stevie Lambe put in a serious shift as well, which was brilliant” he added.
Along with some fine strikes from Niall Arthur, who shot four from play after half-time, Garland’s major was enough to help Monaghan to briefly move into a four-point lead, before they just about held off one last push from Lancashire to secure their win in what was their first appearance in a national final at Croke Park since the tiered hurling structure was put into place.
Monaghan H Byrne; J Guinan, P Finnegan, C McHugh; C Flynn, K Crawley, D Hughes (0-1); C Merrick, Aaron Kenny; N Arthur (0-10, 0-6f), N Garland (2-3), S Lambe (0-2); T Hughes (1-2), C Gernon (0-2), E Flynn (0-2); Subs: F Rafter for Gernon (47), P Malone for Lambe (62), C McNally for Kenny (66), C Guinan for Merrick (70).
Lancashire P Coates; L Burns, C McCormick, A Morgan; C Kenny (0-1), S Nugent, F Henry; E Kelly, E Clifford (0-1); C Madden (0-7, 0-3f, 0-2 65s, 0-1 sideline), R McCormack, D Carroll (1-0); R Spencer (1-6, 0-5f), S Madden (0-2), D Burke; Subs: S Holland (1-1) for Morgan (h-t), P Shine (0-1) for McCormick (44), C Kennedy (0-1) for Carroll (50), C O’Shea for S Madden (58), R Walsh for Kelly (70); Yellow Cards: Carroll, McCormick, Spencer.
Referee Tarlach Conway (Derry)
