Monaghan 1-12 Fermanagh 0-07

Monaghan 1-12 Fermanagh 0-07 Fermanagh qualified for the last four of the Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup despite an eight point defeat to a Malachy O’Rourke led Monaghan side in Inniskeen on Wednesday evening. The result means Fermanagh look likely to play Tyrone in Armagh in a repeat of last year’s McKenna Cup semi-final which Tyrone won. Indeed, it was a much changed Fermanagh team that took to the field with only four players that started the St. Mary’s match on Sunday playing as Canavan handed debuts to John Irvine, Ryan Hyde, Niall McElroy and Conor McAleer. Overall, this was a scrappy affair with only a point separating the teams but then Monaghan bagged 1-06 without reply to book their place in the semi-finals. The first was very poor and Monaghan took the lead with a point from Owen Duffy. Sean Quigley had Fermanagh’s first chance after that first point when he engineered a good goal chance but his point blank shot was saved well by Beggan Kieran Hughes then converted a free as Monaghan held the early advantage at 0-02 to 0-00. Moreover, it took Fermanagh 23 minutes to open their account, Paul Ward converting a left footed free for 0-02 to 0-01 A Duffy free then edged Monaghan two clear again before a Damian Kelly shot for a point looked to be heading for the top corner but Beggan saved well again. A Ward free for Fermanagh after a foul on Kelly made it 0-03 to 0-02 before Monaghan did finish the stronger and points from veteran Dick Clerkin and Duffy gave them a 0-05 to 0-02 lead at half-time. Fermanagh started the second half more brightly and Paul Ward continued to show the good form he has been displaying in the McKenna Cup, first pointing a free and then getting one from play to make 0-05 to 0-04 after 43 minutes. Duffy and Ward then exchanged points as the game remained tight at 0-06 to 0-05 entering the final with Ward accounting for all the Fermanagh scores. Thereafter, however, Monaghan took charge of the game and rattled off 1-06 without reply to settle this contest. Hughes, Kelly,a trademark long range effort from Clerkin and one from McQuillan from an acute angle gave Monaghan a stranglehold on the game at 0-10 to 0-05 with 15 minutes remaining. Paul Finlay and Darren Hughes then made it 0-12 to 0-05 before a Dermot Malone goal made it 1-12 to 0-05 as the home side totally dominated and finished much the stronger. Fermanagh did get the last two points of the game through Ward and Quigley but the damage was done and Monaghan were deserving winners by 1-12 to 0-07. Fermanagh: .Chris Breen, Niall Bogue, Anthony McGuiness, John Irvine, Marty O’Brien. Damian Kelly. Aidan Breen, James Sherry, Niall McElroy, Kane Connor, Ryan Hyde, Paul Ward (0-06, 5f), Sean Quigley (0-01f), Conor McAleer.