Monaghan boss Gabriel Bannigan hailed his group after coming out on top in what he described as “an absolutely incredible game of football” against Derry yesterday evening.

After his side were down by 12 points early in the second-half, Jack McCarron’s sideline kick at the end of normal time forced extra time for the Farney men who come from behind again to edge the Oak Leafers by 1-30 to 3-23 with ‘keeper Rory Beggan nailing the winning free to send Monaghan into the Ulster SFC final.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI afterwards, Bannigan said that it was a game which neither team deserved to lose.

"You're involved in sport for days like this and for moments like this," he said.

"There's plenty of days when you're coming on the wrong side of it, but we came out on the right side this time.

"It was an absolutely incredible game of football. It's fair to say it could have gone either way.

"Hard luck to Derry but credit to them for their part in it. I don't think any team deserve to lose that game."

He added: "It's never gone with these new rules. We've seen big swings over the past few years and why I didn't think we were gone 10 or 11 down is because we were playing below ourselves.

"We got our boys to play up to themselves in the second half and when they did, the energy lifted the confidence and we drove on."

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