Donegal 4-9
Monaghan 1-5

Some fantastic opportunism in front of goal saw Donegal ease past Monaghan to reach their third successive provincial U21 final.

The conditions were appalling in Healy Park and both teams struggled early on, which was apparent by the fact each side had registered a solitary point after 23 minutes of play.

Monaghan opened the scoring through Ryan McAnespie before Darach O'Connor put Donegal on the scoreboard after 13 minutes.

Donegal had a couple of shots off target before they finished the half strongly. In the final six minutes before the interval they hit 2-4 with points from Hugh McFadden (2), Willie Gillespie and Ciaran Thompson.

In that spell Monaghan were reduced to 14-men when midfielder Conor Lavelle picked up a black card, having already received a yellow. 

Jack O'Brien and Lorcan Connor grabbed goals before a shell shocked Monaghan landed the last point of the half from Ferghal McMahon, with Donegal in a commanding 2-5 to 0-2 lead.

When Dara McDaid grabbed the first score of the second half for Donegal, Monaghan looked in real trouble at ten-points down.

A comeback looked on the cards when Conor McCarthy goaled ten minutes into the half and Dessie Ward followed up with a quick point, but that was as good as it got for the Farney lads.

Thompson and Eamon McGrath pointed for Donegal before they scored two goals in a four minute spell.

Thompson grabbed the first of those, with Lorcan Connor adding the fourth Donegal goal.

In between Monaghan's Fergal McGeogh and Eoin McHugh has exchanged points.

With time nearly up McCarthy hit Monaghan and the game's last score.

Donegal - D Rodgers, C Morrison, C Parke, J O'Brien (1-0), R McHugh, D Mulgrew, E Gallagher, T McCleneghan, C Thompson (1-2), O Crawford, D McDaid, D O'Connor (0-1), L Connor (2-0), H McFadden (0-2), E McHugh (0-1). Subs: E McGrath (0-1)for Mulgrew (BC), W Gillespie (0-1) for Crawford, S McBrearty for McGrath, McGrath for McDaid, J Brennan for O'Connor, C O'Donnell for McCleneghan.

Monaghan - D Kirk, R Wylie, M Murnaghan, K Loughran, D Ward (0-1), S Conlon, F Malone, C Lavelle, B Greenan, R McAnespie, D McAllister, P Keenan, C McCarthy (1-1), F McGeough (0-1), F McMahon (0-1). Subs: D McDaid (0-1) for McMahon, A Treanor for Conlon, M McCarville for Keenan.

Ref - K Trainor (Down)

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