Donegal are through to their sixth successive Ulster final after beating holders Monaghan by 0-17 to 2-10 in this replay at Breffni Park.

The winners controlled most of the game and had their opponents playing catch-up all night. Ultimately, the provincial champions of 2013 and 2015 were unable to catch up as scores from Michael Murphy (0-5), Patrick McBrearty (0-4) and Martin O'Reilly (0-3) consigned them to a home Qualifier against Longford next Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Donegal are back in action in just over a fortnight, when they will cross swords with either Tyrone or Cavan to see who collects the Anglo-Celt Cup this year.

Both sides finished with 14 men as Rory Kavanagh was dismissed late on for two yellows, while Monaghan had no substitutes left when Karl O'Connell was shown a black card near the end.

The Tir Chonail men bossed the first half of this energy-sapping encounter but somehow conspired to only lead by two at the break, despite scoring six time more than their opponents.

With 17,174 looking on, goals from Shane Carey and Conor McManus (penalty) kept Malachy O'Rourke's charges in touch at the short whistle, 0-10 to 2-2.

Kavanagh had the winners ahead inside 30 seconds and Anthony Thompson added their second in the sixth minute, with their opponents off target from two early frees. It was all one-way traffic as Murphy ('45'), Martin McElhinney and McBrearty (free) pointed to ensure that Rory Gallagher's men led by five points to no score after 15 minutes.

Carey finally opened the holders' account in the 17^th minute and then latched onto a clever quick Conor McManus free a minute later to bring the Oriel men right back into it with the first goal of the game. A McBrearty free on 20 minutes made it 0-6 to 1-1.

O'Reilly became Donegal's sixth scorer on 25 minutes and Murphy's converted free three minutes later left four between the teams. After McManus whipped over a Monaghan point, the Farney boys were awarded a 31^st-minute penalty when Thompson (black card) dragged down Ryan Wylie, who was tearing through.

Despite the best attempts of the Donegal defence to put him off, McManus tucked away his spot-kick to tie the scores up for the first and only time, 2-2 to 0-8.

Donegal were playing all the best football and it was no surprise when Frank McGlynn restored their lead immediately with a super point. Another Murphy free ensured that they led by two at the break.

When the action resumed, McBrearty's third converted free cancelled out a McManus effort before Owen Duffy replied to one from Mark McHugh as the gap remained at two.

After 14 tense minutes without a score at either end, substitute Conor Boyle lofted over a 48^th-minute point to halve the deficit but almost immediately Murphy chipped over a close-range free to again restore his side's two-point advantage. A classy McBrearty score left three between them with 15 minutes to go.

O'Reilly replied to a Monaghan point from substitute Jack McCarron and there was anguish for the defending champions in the 60^th minute when substitute Conor McCarthy lobbed Mark Anthony McGinley only to see his effort come back off the crossbar.

A 29^th-minute McManus free was followed by an O'Reilly point via the woodwork before Donegal were reduced to 14 men on 65 minutes when Kavanagh was dismissed for his second high challenge of the night.

Monaghan were back within a point when McManus ('45') and McCarron registered two points inside a minute but the losers were also reduced to 14 men when O'Connell picked up a black card with no subs left to replace him. Murphy rubbed salt in the wound by knocking over the resultant free.

In the fourth of five added minutes, Colin Walshe brought Monaghan back within the minimum again but Kieran Duffy's late, late effort dropped short as the Tir Chonail men held on for a deserved victory and a big day out on July 17th.

Donegal - M A McGinley; P McGrath, C Gillespie, E McGee; R McHugh, K Lacey, F McGlynn (0-1); R Kavanagh (0-1), O MacNiallais; A Thompson (0-1), M McElhinney (0-1), E McHugh; P McBrearty (0-4, 3f), M Murphy (0-5, 4f, 1'45), M O'Reilly (0-3). Subs: M McHugh (0-1) for A Thompson (BC), C Toye for M McElhinney, E Ban Gallagher for M O'Reilly, M McElhinney for O MacNiallais.

Monaghan - R Beggan; C Walshe (0-1), D Wylie, R Wylie; K Duffy, V Corey, F Kelly; D Hughes, K O'Connell; O Duffy (0-1), R McAnespie, S Carey (1-1); D McKenna, K Hughes, C McManus (1-4, 1-0pen, 0-1f, 0-1'45). Subs: N McAdam for D Wylie, D Malone for D McKenna, C Boyle (0-1) for R Wylie, C McCarthy for S Carey, J McCarron (0-2) for K Hughes, D Mone for F Kelly.

Referee - M Deegan.

Tweet

Most Read Stories