Ulster SFC: O'Toole the hero as Monaghan comeback stuns Tyrone
April 16, 2023
Tyrone's Michael Mc Kernan is tackled by Ryan O'Toole of Monaghan ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Monaghan 2-17
Tyrone 1-18
If there is a better match of football than this in the remainder of 2023 we will indeed be lucky.
This was a game for the ages as Monaghan and Tyrone went toe to toe, with fortunes changing and what looked like a comfortable home win at half time blown to pieces by a stunning Farney second half performance.
When Darren McCurry kicked Tyrone ahead four minutes into injury time it looked like Monaghan’s heroic efforts would end in disappointment but there was to be a stunning Monaghan finale.
Debutant Ryan O’Toole surged forward and from 13 yards out on an angle blasted low to the Tyrone net, a goal that Niall Morgan will surely feel he could have stopped.
It had all started so differently with Tyrone impressive in the first 35-minutes.
With Darragh Canavan in terrific form, Tyrone tore into the Monaghan defense. The Errigal Ciaran man landed 1-4 in the first half and saw his marker replaced before the interval as Tyrone led 1-10 to 0-8 at the short whistle.
Tyrone were leading 0-4 to 0-2 when they turned over a short Monaghan kick out with Canavan playing a one-two with Darren McCurry before burying the ball to the right of Rory Beggan.
Monaghan were finding it hard to break the Tyrone defence but they were drawing frees which Conor McManus punished.
The first four points of the second half all went to Monaghan as the gap was closed to a point.
Conor McCarthy was deployed as an extra man at the back and his running caused Tyrone all sorts of trouble, as he landed some crucial scores, while McManus was deadly from placed balls.
On 56 minutes Stephen O’Hanlon fired home Monaghan’s first goal after a brilliant diagonal ball played in by Beggan.
The sides went score for score in a thrilling final quarter before the home fans thought McCurry had won it, only for O’Toole to have the final say.
TweetMonaghan snatch it at the death! - Ryan O'Toole's late goal sees Monaghan progress in the Ulster Senior Football Championship. pic.twitter.com/D631EJ9WWU
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 16, 2023
