If aid was etched on the face of Monaghan skipper Ryan Wylie, then disappointment was the overriding emotion of Fermanagh supervisor Ryan McMenamin.
n an Ulster Championship Quarter-Final during which Monaghan’s tempo, energy and expertise finally proved a profitable cocktail, Fermanagh’s vibrant resilience and untiring effort simply fell brief because the second half progressed.
While Wylie will harbour issues following the worrying sight of ace marksman Conor McManus limping off two minutes from time, he’s clearly taking coronary heart from an encouraging show that may additional bolster morale.
“Obviously we might have issues about Conor however hopefully he will likely be out there for our Semi-Final in opposition to Antrim or Armagh. While we’re very glad with this efficiency in opposition to Fermanagh, we nonetheless really feel we’ve got some parts of our recreation to work on. But we’re a workforce that like to specific ourselves and we are going to proceed to do that,” mentioned Wylie.
Erne boss McMenamin admitted that Rory Beggan’s kick-outs had offered difficulties however lauded his facet for coming to phrases with this because the match progressed.
“I assumed that a few of my gamers put in a giant effort within the second half and that we had been fairly unlucky to not have benefited from perhaps two penalty calls. Had we been afforded these alternatives it might need helped us to cut back the hole and make a much bigger affect,” mentioned McMenamin.
“I’m satisfied that we needed to work that bit more durable to get our frees within the first half and that didn’t make issues straightforward for us. But I’ve to say that a number of gamers stored going proper to the top and I love them for that.”
Within the opening 13 minutes, Conor McManus (2), Jack McCarron and Aaron Mulligan had been on track with Sean Quigley pirating some extent for Fermanagh.
But it was within the fifteenth minute that Monaghan struck a telling blow. A shot from defender Kieran Duffy was parried however Conor McManus was available to complete the ball into the web to offer the Oriel County a extra snug 1-4 to 0-2 benefit.
With Fermanagh restricted to occasional raids, it was left to Sean Quigley and Ultan Kelm specifically to ruffle the feathers of the Monaghan defence and when the latter and Jonny Cassidy swooped for factors, Fermanagh regarded as if they’d set up a stronger foothold within the recreation.
But Fermanagh had been unable to penetrate the Monaghan defence to any nice extent and needed to be content material with a brace of factors from Josh Largo Ellis and Quigley, which left Monaghan with a 1-11 to 0-7 benefit on the midway stage.
Yet though Monaghan tried to place the sport out of their opponents’ attain, they discovered their resilience and fervour troublesome to subdue within the third quarter specifically.
When Fermanagh pegged their opponents again, it regarded as if they could produce a grandstand end nevertheless it was to not be.
Monaghan deployed their substitutes to good impact and in a devastating spell between the sixtieth and sixty fifth minute they swept over 4 factors which put them into an unassailable 1-20 to 0-13 lead.
Fermanagh in distinction might solely muster three factors within the final 20 minutes from Aidan Breen, Ciaran Corrigan and Quigley.
Monaghan: R Beggan; Okay Duffy, C Boyle, R Wylie; Okay O’Connell, D Ward, R McAnespie; D Hughes, Okay Lavelle; S O’Hanlon, C McCarthy, M Bannigan; A Mulligan, J McCarron, C McManus. Subs: N Kerins for Hughes (31), C Walshe for McCarron (50), S Carey for O’Hanlon (55), Okay Hughes for McCarthy (63), F Kelly for O’Connell (67), Okay McMneamin for Laveelle (70+2)
Scorers: J McCarron 1-3, C McManus 0-4 (2f), A Mulligan 0-4, M Banningan 0-3, C Walsh 0-2, C McCarthy 0-2, R Wylie, C Boyle, Okay Lavelle 0-1 every.
Fermanagh: S McNally; Okay Connor, J Cassidy, L Flanagan; D McCusker, J McMahon, Okay McDonnell; S McGullion, E Donnelly; C Corrigan, C McManus, J Largo Ellis; U Kelm, D McGurn, S Quigley. Subs: B Breen for Okay McDonnell (26), R O’Callaghan for McGurn (41), T Bogue for McGullion (65), M MaCauley for McMahon (65).
Scorers: S Quigley 0-7 (1 ‘45’, 3), J Cassidy, D McCusker, C Corrigan, J Largo Ellis, U Kelm, A Breen 0-1 every.,
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
